OA47583: FIRST WORD OF COMMAREA ONLY GETS SET WITH A RC SET BY CICS/REXX RUNTIME CODE AND NOT A RC SET BY A REXX EXEC RUNNING

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• You wrote 2 simple programs: the caller program is written in
  CICS COBOL program,the called program is written in REXX
  program, prior to the link it was 4 blanks but on return from
  thelink it was zeroes. You also saw it get set to minus values
  when the exec didn't run at all( due to a set-up issue ).
  You tried EXIT, RETURN and RC(with values) but none would update
  the first word of the commarea as suggested.It was always zeroes
  (when the exec ran OK ) or a minus value when it did not.
  Additional Symptom(s) Search Keyword(s): KIXREVRJL CICS REXX
  COMMAREA RETURN CODE CICREXR CICREXD CICS/REXX
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All.                                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Rexx commarea return code field does    *
  *                      not contain Rexx Exec return code.      *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  In the reported problem, the user was running CICS/Rexx on CICS
  Transaction Server.  Specifically the user had a Cobol CICS
  application that did an:
                                                                 .
  EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM('CICREXD') COMMAREA(CAREA_X)
                                                                 .
  Where the name of the Rexx exec to run is specified in the
  commarea.
  It is documented that the commarea must be of the following
  format:
                                                                 .
  Offset(hex) Length   Description
  0           4        Return code returned by RETURN or EXIT Rexx
                       instruction
  4           12       12 bytes unused
  10          8        Name of the Rexx EXEC to be executed,
                       padded with blanks if shorter than 8
  18          1        Blank character
  19                   Paremeters to be passed to the REXX EXEC
                                                                 .
  The CICS application was driven and invoked the Rexx Exec as
  specified at offset x'10' of the commarea.  The Rexx exec
  specified ( for example ) EXIT 21.  This EXIT/Return code was
  not present at offset 0 ( length 4 ) of the commarea when
  control returned from the EXEC to CICS/Rexx code at label
  RETREX2. The field contained zeroes, not 21 as expected.
  

Problem conclusion

• Module CICREX2 has been modified to set the Return Code at
  offset 0 ( length 4 ) of the commarea in the aforementioned
  scenario.
  
  Note: The way the CICS/Rexx runtime code is architected, the RC
  may contain a valid value in the range -999 to 9999 inclusive.
  

Temporary fix

•             *********
              * HIPER *
              *********
  FIX AVAILABLE BY PTF ONLY
  

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

  UA77911

Modules/Macros

• CICREX2
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  REXX/CICS COMM

• Fixed component ID

  565511200

Applicable component levels

• R110 PSY UA77911

     UP15/07/04 P F507 ½

Fix is available

• Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.