CONVERSE (non-z/OS® Communications Server default)

Description

This form of the CONVERSE command is used by all CICS-supported terminals for which the other CONVERSE descriptions are not appropriate.

Options

FROM(data-area)

specifies the data to be written to the terminal or logical unit, or sent to the partner transaction. This option may, when relevant, be omitted if ATTACHID is specified.

FROMFLENGTH(data-value)

is a fullword alternative to FROMLENGTH.

FROMLENGTH(data-value)

specifies the length, as a halfword binary value, of the data to be written. If you use this option, you must also specify FROM. For a description of a safe upper limit, see LENGTH options in CICS commands.

INTO(data-area)

specifies the receiving field for the data read from the logical unit or terminal.

MAXFLENGTH(data-value)

is a fullword alternative to MAXLENGTH.

MAXLENGTH(data-value)

specifies the maximum amount (halfword binary value) of data that CICS is to recover in response to a CONVERSE command. If INTO is specified, MAXLENGTH overrides the use of TOLENGTH as an input to CICS. If SET is specified, MAXLENGTH provides a way for the program to limit the amount of data it receives at one time.

If the value specified is less than zero, zero is assumed.

If the length of data exceeds the value specified and the NOTRUNCATE option is not present, the data is truncated to that value and the LENGERR condition occurs. The data area specified in the TOLENGTH option is set to the original length of data.

If the length of data exceeds the value specified and the NOTRUNCATE option is present, CICS retains the remaining data and uses it to satisfy subsequent RECEIVE commands. The data area specified in the TOLENGTH option is set to the length of data returned.

If no argument is coded for MAXLENGTH, CICS defaults to TOLENGTH.

NOTRUNCATE

specifies that, when the data available exceeds the length requested, the remaining data is not to be discarded but retained for retrieval by subsequent RECEIVE commands.

SET(ptr-ref)

specifies a pointer reference to be set to the address of data received from the conversation partner in an MRO conversation. The pointer reference, unless changed by other commands or statements, is valid until the next CONVERSE (MRO) command or the end of task.

If DATALOCATION(ANY) is associated with the application program, the address of the data can be above or below the 16MB line.

If DATALOCATION(BELOW) is associated with the application program, and the data resides above the 16MB line, the data is copied below the 16MB line, and the address of this copy is returned.

If TASKDATAKEY(USER) is specified for the running task, and storage protection is active, the data returned is in a user-key. If TASKDATAKEY(CICS) is specified and storage protection is active, the data returned is in a CICS-key.

TOFLENGTH(data-area)

is a fullword alternative to TOLENGTH.

TOLENGTH(data-area)

specifies the length, as a halfword binary value, of the data to be received. If you specify INTO, but omit MAXLENGTH, “data-area” specifies the maximum length that the program accepts. If the value is less than zero, zero is assumed.

If the length of the data exceeds the value specified, but NOTRUNCATE is omitted, the data is truncated to that value, and the LENGERR condition occurs. When the data is received, the data area is set to the length of the data.

For a description of a safe upper limit, see LENGTH options in CICS commands.

Conditions

22 LENGERR

occurs in any of the following situations:

• Data is discarded by CICS because its length exceeds the maximum that the program accepts and the NOTRUNCATE option is not specified.
• An out-of-range value is supplied in the FROMLENGTH option.

Default action: terminate the task abnormally.