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
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.