This course is for Programmers who will be coding or maintaining CICS applications and Programmers who wish to have an introduction to on-line processing concepts and CICS Command Level coding expertise. Project managers, Systems Designers and Programmers working in CICS will also benefit.
Skills Gained
After taking this course, students will:
- Be able to code programs with embedded CICS Commands.
- Understand the concepts of on-line processing through CICS.
- Understand the fundamentals of Pseudo-conversational Programming, COMMAREA, and Modified Data Tags (MDTs).
- Be able to code and have a working knowledge of Basic Mapping Support (BMS).
- Understand and code CICS Commands to access VSAM files in CICS.
- Know how to use CICS facilities such as TS, TD, Multitasking, Reentrancy, etc.
- Know how to code efficient CICS programs.
Prerequisites
Some coding experience in Cobol, PL/1 or Assembler. The course does not seek to teach delegates their respective programming language but concentrates on the CICS Commands.
Course Outline
Introduction to CICS Concepts
We discuss on-line processing, what CICS is and how it fits into the DP environment.
Basic terminology is explained including Psuedo-conversational programming (what it is, how we code it).
Transaction and program concepts are introduced.
CICS command format syntax is covered in detail.
Exception Processing
HANDLE CONDITION
Command
Options
Techniques.
The new RESP option is presented showing structured programming in CICS.
Future exception processing trends are presented.
Terminal Communications
Telecommunications concepts
VTAM
3270 processing fundamentals.
Data transmission via maps
Basic Mapping Support (BMS) to build maps is introduced.
Basic Mapping Support
Mapset and DSECT concepts explained.
Defining a Mapset, the DFHMSD macro, with its options and defaults.
Difining a Map, the DFHMDI macro, with its options and defaults.
Defining a Field, the DFHMDF macro, with its options and defaults.
Map Commands
The SEND MAP command to output the BMS map with its functions.
The MAPONLY/DATAONLY concepts to reduce transmission costs.
The RECEIVE MAP command to input data Pseudo-conversationally.
DSECT copybook fields are explained in detail. The length, attribute and erased flags along with the input and output data fields are discussed. Extended attributes (colour, highlighting etc) are presented.
File Operations
VSAM file concepts are introduced. CICS/VSAM interaction is explained.
KSDS, ESDS, REDS file commands (READ, WRITE etc) and their options.
Record Level locking and simultaneous updating problems are explained.
Generic DELETE pitfalls are shown.
BROWSE functions (forward and backward) are presented.
Temporary Storage
An overview of Temporary Storage, which will emphasise the scratched type concept, is
presented along with examples.
The commands and problems with suggested solutions are presented.
Future changes in Temporary Storage are explained.
CICS Transactions
An overview of the CICS supplied application transactions is given.
CEMT is explained, with its dangers.
CEDF is used in a hands-on environment.
CECI concepts are shown.
Summary
A review of the concepts and commands is given.
Sample programs are walked through.
The future of CICS is discussed.
DB2 and VSAM file concepts will be addressed in the workshops.
