Programming with documents and document templates

This section explains how to use documents and document templates in your application programs.

Creating a document
You can use the DOCUMENT CREATE command to create either an empty document, or a document containing data. The data can be a character string, a block of binary data, a document template, or a buffer of data.
Defining symbol values
Your application can define values for symbols in a document template using the DOCUMENT SET command or the DOCUMENT CREATE command. The symbol values are substituted when the template is used, either by a DOCUMENT CREATE command or by a DOCUMENT INSERT command.
Rules for specifying symbols and symbol lists
Each symbol has a name and a value. Follow these rules for selecting the symbol name and specifying values for symbols, either individually or in a symbol list.
Adding more data to a document
When you have created a document, you can extend its contents by issuing one or more DOCUMENT INSERT commands. You can insert text, binary data, a buffer of data, a document template, or the value of a symbol. You can also insert bookmarks in a document, and use these to position later insertions.
Replacing data in a document
You can place bookmarks in a document to delimit an area of data that can be replaced by a later insertion, or deleted. This technique lets you provide a default item of text or other data in your document, which can be used if your application finds that no data is available to replace it.
Retrieving, storing and reusing a document
Documents created by an application exist only for the length of the CICS® task in which they are created. To reuse a document, the application needs to retrieve a copy and save it.
Deleting a document
You can use the DOCUMENT DELETE command to delete documents that are no longer required during a transaction. On execution of the command, the storage allocated to the document is released immediately. The DOCSTATUS(DOCDELETE) option of the WEB CONVERSE, WEB SEND (Client) and WEB SEND (Server) commands also allows document deletion.

Parent topic: CICS services for application programs