On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:53:26 -0500, Patrick O'Keefe <[email protected]> wrote:
> >The "IBM convention as to importance (W,I,E,C)" does not apply to >console messages. As far as I know this has always been the case. >For console messages I believe W is for a Wait State message, E is >for an eventual response needed, and I'm not sure the other 2 are >used at all. To the extent that the convention you refer to exists at >all, I think it is for SYSOUT messages like from compilers, etc. > Patrick, its more than an IBM convention -- its an IBM Corporate Standard (which I own) C-S 3-7019-002 Message Format. Unfortunately, its confidential (I've tried several times to make it unconfidential and published, but to no avail). This standard applies to all messages on z architecture that are written to an operator's console (sorry, can't help you with the COBOL messages) and applies to z/OS, z/VSE and z/VM (sorry, not zTPF or zLinux). The standard describes what a message ID should look like (and othr things) and as you state W means "wait state" and we do use I and E (as well as A and D) but not C. There is a table in the standard relating each of these to the descriptor codes that are set (on z/OS). There are some best practices in terms of how to do message text (so that it won't flub up automation) and rules about the kinds of changes that can be made to a message without requiring that the message get a new message ID. As you know, I hang out on the System Automation user group on Yahoo and I've encouraged automation folk that have encountered messages that do not follow the conventions (such as command responses not setting the command response bit or descriptor code 5 so that they can be caught by a NetView PIPE) to submit PMRs to fix the message -- and if they get a hard time, to mention my name and the standard. I can't really help too much with poor English in messages (the standard doesn't address that) but be assured that when at least the z/OS folks consider new messages (or changes to an existing message), they will usually run it by me first. W. Kevin Kelley IBM POK Lab -- z/OS Core Technical Development ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
