Customer Information Control System CICS Question Answers

Customer Information Control System CICS Question Answers 

What is CICS?

Answer: CICS basically stands for Customer Information Control System and happens to be software that monitors telecommunications from IBM. The mainframe operating systems of IBM are time-sharing and batch. CICS is a telecommunications monitor software product from IBM. The IBM mainframe operating systems are batch and time-sharing. CICS supports the development and execution of online applications. It does this by

- communicating with terminals
- sending and receiving formatted data
- accessing files and database

CICS itself is a batch job running on the operating system with high priority. CICS does the scheduling of programs that run under the CICS region.

What is the primary aspect of CICS?

Answer :

CICS basically deals with the execution as well as the development of online applications. It establishes a communication channel through the terminal and facilitates the receiving as well as sending of data that is formatted. One of the primary aspects of CICS is the accessibility of databases as well as the files that they contain.

Mention one alternative aspect of CICS?

Answer :

CICS happens to be a batch job itself and runs on high priority in the operating system. Thus, there is a demarcated CICS region in which the programs are adequately scheduled by CICS.

What is meant by PPT and what are its uses?

Answer :

PPT (Program Processing Table): – This basically consists of a list that has all the names of the programs in it along with maps. Furthermore, it tells us whether the version that is absolutely recent as available as a program in CICS or a fresh copy of the program is supposed to be loaded.

Comment on TCT and RCT.

Answer :

TCT basically stands for Terminal Control Table and is a compilation of all the respective terminals. RCT, on the other hand, stands for Resource Control Table is a compilation of plan names of DB2 along with the transaction identifier.

Differentiate between PCT and FCT.

Answer :

PCT stands for Program Control Table and basically has a complete list of transaction identifiers that are paired to respective corresponding programs. FCT, on the other hand, stands for File Control Table has a complete list of all the files that have been used by CICS along with their status and record length.

Name a few CICS programs which are generally used ?

Answer :

The CICS programs which we generally use are: File Control Terminal Control Storage Control Task Control

What is MDT?

Answer :

MDT stands for MDT Modified Data Tag. Preserves only one bit of attribute character. It has two types of value i.e 0 and 1. If it is 0 then it is off i.e terminal operator has not modify this field. If it is 1 then it is on i.e terminal operator has modify this field. If MDT is 1 then data of the field be sent from terminal end to host computer.

Difference between TSQ and TDQ

Answer :

Records inTemporary Storage can be read more than once. Records in TSQ can be read randomly. You may update an existing item in a TSQ. TSQ names are dynamically defined in the application program. TSQ cannot be accessed in batch. TSQ cannot started automatically a CICS transaction. Transient Data Quene (TDQ). Temporary Data Queues can be read only once. Records in TDQ can be read only sequentially. A record in a TDQ cannot be updated. TDQs name must first be defined in the DCT (Destination Control Table). TDQ may be used by batch application. TDQ can started automatically a CICS transaction. Temporary Storage Queqe (TSQ)

What is meant by EIB (Execute Interface Block)?

Answer :

Every task contains one EIB. During the execution of the task, the EIB exists. All programs that are part of the task shares a common EIB. EIB fields can be accessed by COBOL program through read mode. CICS translator will allocate the EIB blocks in the linkage area of the program.

What’s the CICS command used to access the current date and time?

ASKTIME command is used to access current date and time.

How do you dynamically set the CURSOR position to a specific field?

MOVE -1 to FIELD + L field. Mention CURSOR option in the SEND command.

Which command is used to release a record on which exclusive control is gained?

EXEC CICS UNLOCK END-EXEC.

What are the attribute values of the Skipper and Stopper fields?

For Skipper field, use ASKIP and for the stopper field use PROT.

How do you set the MDT option to ‘ON’ status, even if data is not entered?

Mention FSET option in DFHMDF or set it dynamically in the program using the FIELD+A attribute field.

Which CICS service transaction is used to gain accessibility to CICS control tables?

CEDA transaction is used to gain accessibility to control tables.

Into which table is the terminal id registered?

Terminal Control Table.

What is a mapset?

Mapset is a collection of maps which are linked edited together to form a load module. It should have a PPT entry. It can have names from 1 to 7 chars.

What is the function of the CICS translator?

The CICS translator converts the EXEC CICS commands into call statements for a specific programming language.

What are the differences between an EXEC CICS XCTL and an EXEC CICS LINK command?

The XCTL command transfers the control to an application program at the same logical level and it does not expect the control back, while the LINK command passes the control to an application program at the next logical level and expects the control back.

What is EIB? How it can be used?

CICS automatically provides some system-related information to each task in a form of EXEC Interface Block (EIB), which is unique to the CICS command level. We can use all the fields of EIB in our application programs right away.

What information can be obtained from the EIBRCODE?

The EIBRCODE tells the application program if the last CICS command was executed successfully or not.

What is the effect of including the TRANSID in the EXEC CICS RETURN command?

The next time the end-user presses an attention key, CICS will start the transaction specified in the TRANSID option.

What is the function of the EXEC CICS HANDLE CONDITION command?

To specify the paragraph or program label to which the control is to be passed if the “handle condition” occurs.

What is the difference between the INTO and the SET option in the EXEC CICS RECEIVE MAP command?

The INTO option moves the information in the TIOA into the reserved specified area, while the SET option simply returns the address of the TIOA to the specified BLL cell or “address-of” a linkage section.

What is the function of DFHMDF BMS macro?

The DFHMDF macro defines fields, literal, and characteristics of a field.

What is the difference between getting the system time with EIBTIME and ASKTIME command?

The ASK TIME command is used to request the current date and time. Whereas, the EIBTIME field ha the value at the task initiation time.

What is the function of the Terminal Control Table?

The TCT defines the characteristics of each terminal with which CICS can communicate.

What is a deadlock?

A deadlock occurs when a task is waiting for a resource held by another task which, in turn, is waiting for resources held by the first task.

Explain the term Multi-Region Operation.

MRO is the mechanism by which different CICS address spaces within the same CPU can communicate and share resources.

What is meant by program reentrance?

A program is considered reentrant if more than one task can execute the code without interfering with the other tasks execution.

What is the common work area?

The common work area is a storage area that can be accessed by any task in a CICS system.

What is the meaning and use of the EIBAID field?

EIBAID is a key field in the execute interface block; it indicates which attention key the user pressed to initiate the task.

What is BMS?

BMS stands for Basic Map Support. It allows you to code assembler-level programs to define screens.

What is MDT, FSET, and FRSET?

Changed data tag. The attribute of the script field change is bit by bit. Receives an input function.
FSET. Setting MDT to ensure field spread. Output is going on in motion.
FRSET. Restoring MDT Until this happens, the field will continue to be sent.

What effects do you have on the receiving map?

Press PF key? Data exchange may happen,
PA key presses? Data exchange will not happen.

What is the Map Mononine & Tablet Map Data?

Maple – without any data, send the map alone.
Example: The menu can be used to send screens.
Database – send data separately, without resetting the screen setting.
Example: Used to update the data on the screen.

List all CIC tables and explain their contents.

PPT SIT
PCT JCT
FCT SNT
DCT SRT
RCT TCT

What are the additional partitions and the partitioning TDQs?

Additional shared TDQ databases are used in BN CICS and other CICS / Batch areas. INTERACTIVE TDQs are sorted into contacts within regn.