(If you have any questions about the content of this page, please contact cicsrequest@nwrdc.fsu.edu for clarification)

This section identifies various CICS debugging tools and provides instructions for their use:

• Tools List
• CA/SYMDUMP
• CEDF
• CEDX
• INTERTEST
• Program Development Aids
• CICS Transaction ABEND Codes And Messages

SYSMDUMP's
SYMDUMP is a Computer Associates' tool that describes the program environment (production and test) at the time of a CICS application ABEND. After a ABEND has occurred, enter the transaction: SYMD and follow the prompts.

CEDF
IBM's CEDF (Command Execution Diagnostic Facility) allows the programmer to monitor the execution of Command Level instructions within a program under test. It displays a screen before and after each "EXEC CICS . . . " instruction and permits the programmer to view the parameters being passed back and forth to CICS. It also permits a programmer to browse working storage, etc. before and after such instructions. For complete instructions, see the CICS Application Programmer's Reference Manual (Command Level) available from IBM.

Type CEDF (hit enter) to turn it on.

Type CEDF,,OFF (hit enter) to turn it off, notice the double commas.

Two Terminal CEDF
This can be used to monitor a task at a different terminal. Type CEDF,XXXX (hit Enter) where XXXX is the other terminal ID. Type CEDF,XXXX,OFF (hit Enter) to turn it off)

CEDX
IBM's CEDF (Command Execution Diagnostic Facility for non-3270 tasks) allows the programmer to monitor the execution of Command Level instructions within a program under test. It displays a screen before and after each "EXEC CICS . . . " instruction and permits the programmer to view the parameters being passed back and forth to CICS. It also permits a programmer to browse working storage etc. before and after such instructions. For complete instructions, see the CICS Application Programmer's Reference Manual (Command Level) available from IBM.

Type CEDX,tttt (hit Enter) to turn it on (where tttt is the transaction code under which the task to be debugged will run).

Type CEDX,tttt,OFF (hit Enter) to turn it off.

The most common complaint I get when CEDF is discussed, is its verbose nature.  It stops twice at every "EXEC CICS anything" in your program.  If your program runs through very many records to arrive at the desired answer, CEDF can take quite a while.  CEDF has two facilities that alleviate this problem.  Suppress Display (PF4) and Stop Conditions (PF9) work together to get you quickly to the part of the program you wish to monitor.
Stop Conditions lets you tell CEDF which EXEC CICS commands on which you wish to stop.
Say you want to see what happens after your program performs an "end browse" command:
From a blank screen,

• Type CEDF

• Hit ENTER

• Hit CLEAR

• Type your transaction code

• Hit ENTER

• When the first CEDF screen appears, hit PF9

• Type ENDBR where CEDF left the cursor

• Hit PF4 (suppress display)

Your program will then run.  CEDF will re-appear if your program encounters any kind of error, or does an EXEC CICS ENDBR.....

Of course, Suppress Display (PF4) is also very useful when you need to run through several transactions to get to the point of interest.

 
INTERTEST

The documentation for INTERTEST can be viewed by clicking here.

Computer Associates' INTERTEST is another debugging aid available. INTERTEST is more complex than CEDF, and therefore not as simple to use. INTERTEST has two goals in life. One is to protect CICS from errant user programs. The other is to help programmers test their programs. INTERTEST can be used with out any preprocessing, but if serious use is intended, it is advisable to compile your programs with the PROCS that invoke INTERTEST's SYMBOLIC option (CICOB2PL and CICOB2SL etc.). INTERTEST has several transactions:

• ITST: New main menu and command processor, preferred over TEST.
• TEST: Main menu and command processor.
• CORE: Memory display (working storage, etc.)
• LIST: Source program display (for programs compiled with the SYMBOLIC option, our CI***** procs)
• FILE: VSAM browse, display, update.
• NWIT: Online tutorial.

• You need to know the terminal ID that is to receive the break point screens. (Enter the ancient transaction ???? to get your current TID,) I will call it XXXX for this discussion. Be aware it will/may change between sessions.
• You need to know the name of the CICS program you are going to debug (e.g., NWZZZZZZ).

TEST=ON,PROG=NWZZZZZZ,USR=.ANY,UBP=((#1),F=.ANY,T=XXXX)

(Note: There is a dot (".") in "F=.ANY") Hit enter, wait for it to confirm. Then drive the sockets CWS or EXCI task. Intertest will stop program NWZZZZ at the first executable instruction, that is what the #1 means.

From there you can set additional break points as needed, step though the program and inspect working storage etc.

Program Development Aids

BMS/TS

BMS/GT's documentation can be viewed by clicking here.

Basic mapping support screen generator, from GT/SOFTWARE. Easy to use free-form screen painter. One or more VSAM files required per institution. Contact NWRDC for guidance.
See the separate article on BMS/TS technique.

ASSIST/TS

ASSIST/TS's documentation can be viewed by clicking here.

CICS Help screen manager, also from GT/SOFTWARE. ASSIST manages the display and maintenance of CICS help screens without the involvement of the application program.

CICS Transaction ABEND Codes And Messages
QUICKREF under TSO contains excellent summaries of CICS ABEND codes and messages of all kinds.