Using the CICS BROADCAST application

Use the CICS BROADCAST application to communicate with CIS targets.

When you select Option 2 from the Operator Workstation menu, the CICS BROADCAST panel is displayed. Use this panel to send a one- to six-line message to CICS terminals connected to the CICS system named in the TGT field. Only VTAM terminals that are acquired and non-VTAM terminals marked as in-service will receive these messages.

The BROADCAST application requires that receiving terminals have full Basic Mapping Support (BMS) because the application uses the ROUTE command to send messages to terminals.

Routing messages using the panel does not interrupt the work at the terminal unless the terminal is involved in a pseudo-conversational transaction where the operator enters data on the panel but has not pressed ENTER prior to the routing of the message. In this case, the data would be lost. Depending on the work in progress or the state of an idle terminal, the message might not be received for a considerable time.

Figure 1. CICS BROADCAST panel

BMC Software ---------------  CICS BROADCAST  ---------------  AutoOPERATOR
COMMAND ===>                                              TGT ===> CICSA
                                                           DATE --- YY/MM/DD
  ENTER MESSAGE TEXT:                                      TIME --- 12:39:22
  ==> Please note:
  ==> CICS will shut down in 10 minutes.
  ==> Please sign off.
  ==>
  ==>
  ==>
(S)elect terminal(s) from list below and enter SEND to broadcast the message
 Sort criterion ===> TERMID
      TERM    VTAM     LOGON    TRAN   TYPE/   ACC.  VTAM  MESSAGE
 LC    ID   NODENAME     ID     ID     MODEL   MTHD  STAT  STATUS
 ---  L352  TCPBL352            CEMT  R3277-2  VTAM  AUTO     
 ---  BN23  BR02LU23  RACFUSER  CEDA  R3277-2  VTAM  ACQ
 ---  BA06  BR02LU06            CEMT  L3277-2  VTAM  AUTO  ROUTED
 ---  BA31  BL01LU31            XSPE  R3277-2  VTAM  ACQ   ROUTED
 ---  BA32  BL01LU31                  R3277-2  VTAM  REL
 ---  CR04  CD04LU04            CEMT  R3277-2  VTAM  ACQ
 ---  CNS0                            CONSOLE  CICS
 ---  CNS1                            CONSOLE  CICS
 ---  CNS2                            CONSOLE  CICS
 ---  CBN3                            CONSOLE  CICS
      ************************* END OF TERMINALS ****************************

The CICS BROADCAST panel has three areas. The first area, the Control Area, is explained in the MainView AutoOPERATOR Basic Automation Guide, Volume 2.

In the middle area of the panel are six lines you can use to enter the text of the message you want to send. You can send the message lines to another CICS by changing the TGT field. By selecting a new target region and list of terminals, you can send the same message without re-entering the text.

The bottom area of the panel is a scrollable list of terminals on the target CICS system that are eligible for BROADCAST messages. Specific data about each terminal is displayed to help you select terminals to receive the message.

Using the CICS BROADCAST application

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