Screen access

Abend-AID for CICS offers a variety of methods for navigating from screen to screen. These methods include selecting screens directly from the menus, using the cursor point-and-shoot feature, or executing simple navigation commands. In addition, several PF key defaults directly access specific screens. This flexibility provides both novice and expert Abend-AID for CICS users with easy access to needed information.

Menu selections

To select an option from a displayed menu, type the option’s alphanumeric selection character or its mnemonic identifier in the OPTION field and press Enter. For example, to select the Diagnostic Summary from the Report Menu (in the following figure), type 1 or DIAG in the OPTION field and press Enter. Tabbing the cursor to the option’s mnemonic identifier (DIAG) and pressing Enter accomplishes the same result..

Cursor point-and-shoot feature

The cursor point-and-shoot feature gives you direct access to specific locations in storage and to detailed information about specific data elements.

To use this feature, execute one of the following procedures:

• In the COMMAND field, type the command you want to execute, for example, DECODE, DISASM, HEXD, or WHERE. Then tab the cursor to the applicable storage address or key data element field and press Enter.

  Note

  By default, tab-selectable fields are green.

• Tab the cursor to the applicable storage address or key data element field, and then press the PF key associated with the command you want to execute. Initial PF key defaults are set for the following commands:
  • DISASM (PF17)
  • HEXD (PF18)
  • DSECT (PF19)
  • WHO (PF21) - Region dumps only
  • MATCH (PF22) - Region dumps only
  • ASSIST (PF24).
• Tab the cursor to a storage address or key data element field, and then press the Enter key. The screen that Abend-AID for CICS displays depends on the content of the selected field. If there is no default action, a window appears showing available actions.

Using a mouse with the point-and-shoot feature

Depending on the emulator you’re using to access Abend-AID for CICS, you may be able to use your mouse with the point-and-shoot feature. To enable point-and-shoot hotspots with IBM’s Personal Communications for Windows, do the following:

1. From the Edit pull-down menu, select Preferences.
2. Select Hotspots Setup.
3. Under the Point-and-Select Commands section, check the box preceding ENTER at cursor position.
4. Click OK.

You now have direct access to specific locations and to information about specific data elements by double-clicking on the highlighted field. If you are using another emulator to access Abend-AID for CICS, refer to its user documentation/help to determine if it supports this feature and for the procedure to enable point-and-shoot hotspots.

ASSIST function

The ASSIST command displays the commands that are available for the current screen or field. Pressing the ASSIST PF key also executes this command (PF24 is the default). For example, to list the commands available for the current screen, tab to the COMMAND field and press the ASSIST PF key, or type ASSIST in the COMMAND field, and press Enter. To list the commands available for a specific field, tab to the field and press the ASSIST PF key, or type ASSIST in the COMMAND field, tab to the field, and press Enter. If the current screen or field has no commands associated with it, a message appears indicating that the ASSIST function is not available.

Navigation commands

Most Abend-AID for CICS screens have a unique mnemonic identifier, such as DIAG for the Diagnostic Summary or TASK for Task Detail. In addition, every screen listed as a menu option has an assigned alphanumeric selection character. For example, on the Report Menu, the Diagnostic Summary’s selection character is 1 and the Task Detail selection character is 5.

Fast-path commands

A screen’s mnemonic identifier is also referred to as its fast-path command. Directly access a screen simply by typing its fast-path command in the COMMAND or OPTION field on any other screen and pressing Enter. For example, entering MAIN or MM on any Abend-AID for CICS screen, returns you to the Report Menu.

To determine a command’s syntax, type HELP cmdname in the COMMAND (or OPTION) field and press Enter. For example, HELP CORE displays a pop-up window describing the CORE command’s syntax.

The Commands topic provides a complete list of the Abend-AID for CICS primary and fast-path commands in alphabetical order.

Jump commands

Another method for accessing screens directly is to use jump commands. These commands are ISPF-like selection strings that uniquely identify the screens accessible from the menus.

For example, to access the Program Link Information screen for a transaction abend, which is the first selection on the Program Information menu, type =2.1 or >2.1 in any screen’s COMMAND (or OPTION) field and press Enter. The number 2 starts the command string, because the Program Information menu is the second selection on the Report Menu for transaction abends.

You can include mnemonic identifiers/fast-path commands in jump command syntax. For example, either of the following jump commands access the Task Summary screen for a region dump:

By definition, a jump command is preceded by either an equal sign (=), or a greater-than sign (>). Preceding a jump command with an equal sign routes a screen’s access through the Report Menu. As a consequence, exiting the resultant screen with the END command (PF3) displays the Report Menu, rather than the screen from which you typed the jump command. In comparison, using the greater-than sign causes Abend-AID for CICS to return to the screen from which you typed the command.