Connecting DBCTL to CICS automatically

You can specify that CICS® is connected automatically to either the same or a different DBCTL.

If you want to connect automatically to the DBCTL that was being used when CICS was last shutdown, use the DBCTLCON system initialization parameter, or add an entry for DFHDBCON to the PLTPI so that it is invoked in the second stage of PLTPI processing (that is, the third stage of CICS initialization).

If you want to connect automatically to a specific DBCTL, or to connect CICS to DBCTL when it was not connected at shutdown, use the CICS INITPARM system initialization parameter, in addition to specifying DFHDBCON in the PLTPI. INITPARM enables DFHDBCON to have access to the DRA startup parameter table suffix you want to use. Specify: 
INITPARM=(DFHDBCON='xx[,yyyy]')
where xx is a 1-to 2-character DRA startup table suffix, which you must enter, and yyyy is an optional 1-to 4-character DBCTL identifier. The DBCTL identifier specified in INITPARM overrides the DRA startup parameter DBCTLID.
Using INITPARM avoids the need to use the CRLP or DASD sequential terminal as your means of automating connection to a specific DBCTL. Use the following code if you prefer to use a CRLP or DASD sequential terminal: 
//DDIN DD *
  CDBC CONNECT SUFFIX(xx) DBCTLID(yyyy)\
where xx is the 1- to 2-character DRA startup table suffix and yyyy is the 1- to 4-character DBCTL identifier, both of which are optional. Specifying a DBCTL identifier here overrides the one specified in the DRA startup table parameter DBCTLID. \ is the end-of-line character. (See DFHLIST definitions and Using sequential terminal support for guidance on using sequential terminal support.)

What happens at startup depends on the type of CICS start being used, whether you specified INITPARM, and whether DBCTL was connected to CICS when CICS was last shutdown.

Connecting to DBCTL after a CICS WARM or EMERGENCY start

If CICS startup is WARM or EMERGENCY:
  • If you used INITPARM, the DRA startup table suffix and DBCTL identifier specified there are used to determine which DBCTL to connect to, whether CICS and DBCTL were connected when CICS was last shutdown.
  • If you did not use INITPARM:
    • If CICS and DBCTL were connected when CICS was last shutdown, CICS is reconnected to the same DBCTL. DFHDBCON uses the DRA startup parameter table suffix and DBCTL identifier override (which might be blanks) from the catalog.
    • If CICS and DBCTL were not connected when CICS was last shutdown CICS issues message DFHDB8117 and does not attempt to connect to DBCTL.

Connecting to DBCTL after a CICS COLD or INITIAL start

If CICS startup is COLD or INITIAL:
  • If you used INITPARM, CICS attempts to connect to DBCTL, using the suffix and DBCTL identifier (if any) you specified.
  • If you did not use INITPARM, CICS attempts to connect to DBCTL using the default DRA startup table suffix (00) and no DBCTL identifier override, whether DBCTL was connected when CICS was last shutdown.