Setting up the EXCI COMMAREA sample programs

The sample external CICS® interface programs are included on the CICS Transaction Server for z/OS® distribution tape. Resource definitions that support the EXCI sample programs are included in the CICS system definition file (CSD) in groups DFH$EXCI and DFH$FILA.

About this task

The sample programs, shown in Table 1, are supplied in source form in CICSTS54.CICS.SDFHSAMP. The sample assembler server program is also supplied in executable form in CICSTS54.CICS.SDFHLOAD. The assembler client program is supplied in CICSTS54.CICS.SDFHEXCI.

Note: The resource definitions for the EXCI sample programs, while included in the CSD, are not included in the IBM-defined group list DFHLIST. Thus, if CICS is initialized with GRPLIST=DFHLIST, you must install the EXCI resource definition groups before using the samples. Alternatively, you can add the sample groups to your startup group list, so that they are installed automatically at system initialization.

Procedure

  1. Install the following resource definition groups:
    DFH$EXCI
    This contains definitions for the sample server transaction, server program, EXCI connections, and sessions.

    Only one server program is included—in assembler language, called DFH$AXCS.

    The sample application is designed to run the transaction EXCI, which is defined to invoke the DFHMIRS mirror program and references profile DFHCICSA. The required transaction definition for EXCI is included in the group.

    Sample CONNECTION and SESSIONS definitions for specific and generic connections are included.

    Note: Both the generic and specific connection definitions supplied in the sample group DFH$EXCI specify ATTACHSEC(IDENTIFY). This security option causes the server program DFH$AXCS to fail with an ATCY abend if you run the sample programs in an environment that does not have RACF®, or an equivalent external security manager (ESM), installed and active.

    If you want to run the external CICS interface sample programs without any security active, you must alter the connection resource definitions to specify ATTACHSEC(LOCAL).

    DFH$FILA
    This contains the definition for the supplied sample VSAM file, FILEA, which is referenced by the EXCI sample programs.
  2. For transactions that are to be linked to from the batch program, specify the mirror program DFHMIRS as the program name in their transaction definitions.
  3. Ensure that interregion communication (IRC) is open.
    If IRC is not opened during CICS initialization, set it open using the CEMT SET IRC OPEN command.
  4. If you want to use the COBOL, PL/I, or C version of the EXCI client program, translate, compile, and link-edit the program into a suitable library.