Descriptor codes describe the kind of message being issued. These
codes, with the routing codes, determine how the message is to be
printed or displayed and how a message is to be deleted from a display
device. Descriptor codes 1–7 are mutually exclusive; only one
such code is assigned to a message. Descriptor codes 8–10 can
appear with any other descriptor code.
See
Codes and suppression levels for the list of messages and their codes
and suppression levels.
- Code
- Meaning
- 1
- System Failure: This message indicates
that an error occurred that could not be corrected. To continue, the
operator must restart the system.
- 2
- Immediate Action Required: This message
requires an immediate action by the operator. The action may be required
because the message issuer is in a wait state until the action is
performed, or because system performance is degraded until the action
is taken.
- 3
- Eventual Action Required: This message
requires an eventual action by the operator. The task does not await
completion of the action.
- 4
- System Status: This message indicates
the status of a system task or the status of a hardware unit.
- 5
- Immediate Command Response: This message
is issued as an immediate response to a system command. The completion
of the response is not dependent upon another system action or task.
- 6
- Job Status: This message contains status
information regarding the job or job step.
- 7
- Application Program/Processor: This message
is issued while a program is in problem mode.
- 8
- Out-of-Line Message: This message is one
of a group of one or more messages to be displayed out of line. If
the device support cannot print a message out of line, the code is
ignored, and the message is printed in line with other messages.
- 9
- Operator’s Request: This message is
written in response to an operator’s request for information by
DEVSERV, MONITOR, and other operating system commands.
- 10
- This message is issued in response to a TRACK command.
- 11
- Critical Eventual Action Required: This
message indicates that a critical event has occurred which must eventually
be followed by an action. The message will remain on the screen until
the action is taken.
- 12
- Important Information: This message contains
important information that must be displayed at the console, but does
not require any action in response.
- 13–16
- Reserved.