Installing Natural CICS Interface Version 8.3.3 on z/OS

This document describes the steps for installing Natural CICS Interface Version 8.3.3 (product code NCI) on z/OS.

Related Topics:

For information on how to operate Natural in a CICS environment, see Using Natural with TP Monitors and Natural under CICS in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation and the following topics:

Notation vrs or vr:

When used in this document, the notation vrs or vr represents the relevant product version (see also Version in the Glossary).

Prerequisites

Important:
Before you install Natural CICS Interface Version 8.3.3, you need to apply the Natural updates announced in the current Natural Release Notes.

A supported version of the following product must be installed before you can install the Natural CICS Interface:

See also General Prerequisites and System Support in the section Overview of the Installation Process.

Installation Medium

The installation medium contains the following data sets required for product installation:

Data Set Name Contents
NCIvrs.LOAD Load modules 
NCIvrs.SRCE Source modules and macros
NCIvrs.OBJS Object modules

Copy the data sets into your environment as described in Copying Data Sets to a z/OS Disk in the section Installing Natural.

Sample Jobs

Sample installation jobs are contained in the NATvrs.JOBS data set and are prefixed with the product code. The data set is provided on the installation medium supplied for base Natural.

Prefix Used for Natural CICS Interface Components

When used in this document, prefix denotes a common Natural CICS Interface prefix of 1 to 5 characters, for example, NCI83. This prefix is determined by the value of the parameter PREFIX in the NTCICSP macro of the Natural parameter module, for example, in Step 4 of the Installation Procedure. NTCICSP and PREFIX is described in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

prefix is followed by specific characters to make up the names of the following objects:

prefixCB Natural CICS Interface system directory, for example, NCI43CB
prefixR1 to prefixR9 Natural CICS Interface VSAM RRDS roll files (optional)
prefixXFA Natural CICS Interface 3270 Bridge XFAINTU exit

Installation Procedure

Before you start the installation procedure for the Natural CICS Interface, be sure to read the following:

The installation procedure comprises the following:

Step 1: Customize CICS

(Job I005, Steps 2211 - 2216, 2230 - 2235, 2240 - 2245)

  1. Steps 2211 - 2216 and 2230 - 2235:

    Create CICS RDO entries as described in CICS Resource Definitions and apply the batch resource definitions with the DFHCSDUP utility program.

  2. Steps 2240 - 2245 (optional):

    These steps are only required if you want to dynamically load an ICU data item without using the SVC instruction on request during a Natural session instead of an entire ICU data library:

    Set CFICU=(DATITEM=NONE) and add one PPT entry for each ICU data item.

    See also the corresponding step in Installing International Components for Unicode for Software AG.

    ICU data items and ICU data libraries are described in the Unicode and Code Page Support documentation.

Step 2: Allocate the VSAM RRDS Roll Files for the Natural CICS Interface

(Job I008, Step 2200)

This step must be performed only if VSAM roll files are used as CICS roll facility.

  • Allocate the VSAM RRDS roll files for the Natural CICS Interface.

    The Natural CICS Interface uses VSAM RRDS roll files for optimum performance, which means without CI/CA splits.

Step 3: Build the Natural CICS Interface System Directory Module

(Job I070, Steps 2245, 2250)

  • Edit, assemble and link the NCISCPCB module.

    The Natural CICS Interface system directory is generated by assembling and linking the source module NCISCPCB.

    A sample job is contained in the NATvrs.JOBS data set and a comprehensive sample source in the NCIvrs.SRCE data set.

    For descriptions of the individual macros and parameters contained in NCISCPCB, see NCISCPCB Generation Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

Step 4: Build the Natural Parameter Module

(Job I080, Steps 2210, 2220)

Build the Natural parameter module for the Natural CICS Interface:

  1. The NTCICSP macro in the Natural parameter module contains parameters specific to the Natural CICS Interface. You can generally use the default values for all parameters.

    You can generally use the default values for all parameters. Modify only the values of those parameters whose default values do not suit your requirements. The only mandatory parameter without a default value is the common Natural CICS Interface prefix.

    To simplify the Natural parameter module installation process, the source module NTCICSP contains the NTCICSP macro request with parameter PREFIX=&SYSPARM. Thus, when generating a parameter module for the Natural CICS Interface, assemble the Natural parameter module with the assembler option SYSPARM=prefix rather than editing the source module.

    The individual parameters are described in the section NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

  2. Modify the settings of the supplied Natural profile parameters as required and in accordance with the settings you specified when building the Natural parameter module for batch mode during the Installation Procedure for base Natural.

    Make sure that the profile parameters FNAT and FUSER are set to the same values you specified when loading the system file. The parameters and corresponding macros (if applicable) are described in the Parameter Reference documentation.

  3. Assemble and link the Natural parameter module.

Step 5: Link the Environment-Dependent Nucleus

(Job I080, Step 2230)

  • Link the environment-dependent nucleus for the Natural CICS Interface with the following modules:

    NCINUCM, NCINUC and the Natural parameter module built in Step 4.

    Include the CICS stub module DFHELII (do not use DFHEAI).

    When linking the environment-dependent nucleus or its subcomponents, you may receive IEW2646I or IEW2660W messages, which can be ignored.

See also Natural Nucleus under CICS in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

Step 6: Link the Natural CICS Interface System Directory

(Job I080, Step 2250)

Step 7: Link the Natural CICS Interface External CALLNAT Interface Module

(Job I080, Steps 2270, 2271)

This step must be performed only if you want to use the external CALLNAT interface module of the Natural CICS Interface.

For more information, see Natural 3GL CALLNAT Interface - Purpose, Prerequisites, Restrictions in the Operations documentation.

  • Link the external CALLNAT interface module NCIXCALL by using the NCIXCALM module.

    See also and Natural Nucleus under CICS in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

    Step 2270 is needed if the NCIXCALL module has been installed in the same CICS region with a previous Natural version. The previous Natural version NCIXCALL module must then be assigned a new name, for example NCIXCIOV. Thus, you can preserve the name of the NCIXCALL module used in the previous version and need not link it to all your 3GL programs using it.

    Step 2271 links the module NCIXCALL for the current Natural version.

Step 8: Link the Natural CICS Interface Node Error Program

(Job I080, Step 2275)

This step must be performed only if you want to use the node error program (NEP) of the Natural CICS Interface. See also CICS Node Error Program Considerations for Natural in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

  • Link the Natural CICS Interface module NCIZNEP by using the NCIZNEPM module.

    See also and Natural Nucleus under CICS in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

Step 9: Link the Natural CICS Interface XFAINTU Exit

(Job I080, Step 2280)

This step must be performed only if you want to use Natural with the CICS 3270 Bridge. See also CICS 3270 Bridge Support in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

Step 10: Link the Natural RPC Server Front-End

(Job I080, Step 2290)

This step must be performed only if you want to use the Natural RPC server front-end under CICS. This step is only generated if the System Maintenance Aid (SMA) parameter NAT-RPC is set to Y (Yes). NAT-RPC is used in connection with the SMA parameter NCI-RPC-FRONT.

  • Define the name of the Natural RPC server front-end with the SMA parameter NCI-RPC-FRONT.

  • Link the Natural RPC server front-end module NCIRSFE under the defined name by using the NCISFEDM module.

Step 11: Initialize the VSAM Roll Files

(Job I081, Step 2200)

This step must be performed only if VSAM roll files are used as CICS roll facility.

  • Initialize the VSAM roll files.

    This step must be repeated for all roll files used if roll files are the primary roll facility.

    A VSAM RRDS file is a direct (random) access type file that must be formatted.

    For the Natural CICS Interface VSAM roll files, formatting is done by the NCISCPRI batch program. To execute NCISCPRI, the Natural roll file to be initialized has to be assigned the file name ROLL in the JCL DD statement. No other parameter input is required for NCISCPRI; all data required for file initialization is obtained by SHOWCB VSAM macro calls.

For descriptions of the messages that can be output during this step, see NCISCPRI Warnings and Error Messages in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

CICS Startup Parameters

The Natural CICS Interface modules described in this section use startup parameters to initialize Natural CICS Interface components. The EXEC CICS ASSIGN command retrieves the value set by these startup parameters with the INITPARM option using the following syntax:

INITPARM=(module='parameter',)...

where:

module is the name of the module that uses a startup parameter.
parameter the name of the corresponding parameter.

The relevant Natural CICS Interface modules and corresponding parameters are described in the following section:

NCIXCALL Module - External CALLNAT Interface

parameter is the name of an NCIXCALL module from a previous Natural version (for example, NCIXCIOV), if available. The NCIXCALL module from the previous Natural version must be linked to assign it the new name (see Step 7: Link the Natural CICS Interface External CALLNAT Interface Module).

For more information, see Natural 3GL CALLNAT Interface - Purpose, Prerequisites, Restrictions in the Operations documentation.

NCIXFATU Module - CICS Global User Exit

parameter is the name of the NCIZNEP module linked in Step 8: Link the Natural CICS Interface Node Error Program.

For more information on the NCIXFATU module, see CICS 3270 Bridge Support in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

NCIZNEP Module - CICS Node Error Program

parameter is the name of the NCIZNEP module linked in Step 8: Link the Natural CICS Interface Node Error Program.

For more information on the NCIZNEP module, see CICS Node Error Program Considerations for Natural in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

The individual NCIZNEP parameters are described in the following section:

MSGTRAN - Internal Message Switching Transaction ID

This parameter specifies the transaction ID internally used by the Natural message switching and asynchronous session flushing facilities.

This parameter has the same meaning as the MSGTRAN parameter in NTCICSP (see the TP Monitor Interface documentation) and must be specified identically.

Possible values are:

Value: Explanation:
transaction-id Any valid CICS transaction ID.

The Natural CICS Interface clean-up function is done by starting an asynchronous task to resume the terminal-bound session and to terminate it logically. Therefore, normally the original transaction ID of the session is used. This original transaction ID cannot be used if there is a front-end program calling Natural, as most likely the front-end is not prepared for being invoked asynchronously without a terminal. In such situations the message switching transaction ID of the Natural CICS Interface is used to deal with Natural directly.

NMSG This is the default value.
NEPTRAN - Transaction ID for the NCIZNEP Module

This parameter specifies the transaction ID for the Natural/CICS Interface node error program (NEP) NCIZNEP in an MRO environment, when the parameter PURGE (see below) is set to YES.

Possible values are:

Value: Explanation:
transaction-id Any valid CICS transaction ID.
NETR This is the default value.
PURGE - Purge Active Natural Task

This parameter defines how NCIZNEP is to treat Natural sessions currently active, when the Natural/CICS Interface node error program (NEP) is invoked.

Possible values are:

Value: Explanation:
NO This is the default value for compatibility reasons.

The active Natural task is not purged. The active task will continue to run until a terminal I/O later on will result in abend NT08 due to a CICS TERMERR condition, as the terminal no longer exists.

YES The active Natural task is purged immediately.

This functionality is supported in CICS Transaction Server systems only.

In MRO environments, a node error program is triggered in the CICS TOR; as the Natural session most likely is active in a CICS AOR, the task purge cannot be done in the TOR. Therefore, a transaction ID is required (see NEPTRAN above) to start a "partner" NEP task in the AOR to do the task purge.

Note:
PURGE=YES requires that the relevant Natural transactions are defined as purgeable (SPURGE(YES)).

TSKEY - Prefix for Natural CICS Temporary Storage Key

This parameter defines the constant prefix of the temporary storage queue holding the Natural CICS Interface pseudo-conversational restart data.

Possible values are:

Value: Explanation:
xxxx xxxx defines the prefix for pseudo-conversational restart data.
NCOM This is the default value.

This parameter has the same meaning as the second subparameter of the parameter TSKEY in the NCMDIR macro (see the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation) and must be specified identically.

NCIRSFE Module - Natural RPC Server Front-End

parameter is the name of the NCIRSFE module linked for the Natural RPC server in Step 10: Link the Natural RPC Server Front-End.

Example of INITPARM

The following is an example of an INIPARM specification: 

INITPARM=(
  NCI83CAL='NCI82CAL',                           * NCIXCALL module
  NCI83ATU='NCI83NEP',                           * NCIXFATU module         
  NCI83NEP='MSGTRAN=NMSG,TSKEY=NCOM,PURGE=YES',  * NCIZNEP module
  NCI83SFE='NATTRAN=NC83,MSGDEST=CSSL',          * NCIRSFE module
)

CICS Resource Definitions

This section describes the resource definitions required or recommended for customizing your CICS system.

Note:
We generally recommend that you keep all Natural version-dependent components such as programs, transactions and files in a separate resource group. Such a group is represented by natgroup in this section.

Program Definitions

Environment-Dependent Nucleus

  • Add a program definition for the environment-dependent nucleus: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(dep-nuc) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)         *
         DESCRIPTION(ENVIRONMENT-DEPENDENT NUCLEUS)

    where:

    dep-nuc is the environment-dependent nucleus linked in Step 4.

    We recommend that you set the following parameter values in the CICS program definition: 

    DATALOCATION(ANY)
    API(OPENAPI)
    CONCURRENCY(THREADSAFE)

    These parameter must be set when running Natural in a CICS OTE (open transaction environment).

    Important:

    Program attributes (for example, EXECKEY or DATALOCATION) are inherited from the environment-dependent nucleus because standard linkage conventions (BALR 14,15) are used for the program calls. Examples are calls for the environment-independent nucleus, the Adabas CICS Interface or Natural calls (SET CONTROL 'P=S') for external programs.

Environment-Independent Nucleus

This definition is optional.

  • Add a program definition for the environment-independent nucleus: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(ind-nuc) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)           *
         DESCRIPTION(NATURAL ENVIRONMENT-INDEPENDENT NUCLEUS)

    where ind-nuc is the name of the environment-independent nucleus specified with the Natural profile parameter NUCNAME. The default name is INDNUCvr. You need not specify EXECKEY or DATALOCATION for the environment-independent nucleus as all attributes of the environment-dependent nucleus are inherited since standard linkage conventions (BALR 14,15) are used.

    To access the environment-independent nucleus in the ELPA, specify USELPACOPY(YES) for this program definition and LPA=YES in the CICS startup parameters.

Selectable Units Module NATSUPGM

This definition is optional.

This definition is only required if you want to use Natural features supplied as selectable units (see the Operations documentation) with the NATSUPGM load module. NATSUPGM is loaded dynamically as an external module that is called during program execution.

  • Add a program definition to load the selectable units module NATSUPGM: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(NATSUPGM) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)           *
         DESCRIPTION(NATURAL SELECTABLE UNITS MODULE)

Natural CICS Interface System Directory

  • Add a program definition for the Natural CICS Interface system directory: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(CB) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)            *
         DESCRIPTION(NATURAL CICS INTERFACE SYSTEM DIRECTORY)

External CALLNAT Interface Module

This definition is optional.

  • Add a program definition for the external CALLNAT interface module: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(ncixcall) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)           *
         DESCRIPTION(NATURAL CICS INTERFACE EXTERNAL CALLNAT MODULE)

    where ncixcall is the name of the NCIXCALL module specified in Step 7: Link the Natural CICS Interface External CALLNAT Interface Module.

    We recommend that you set the following parameter value in the CICS program definition: 

    DATALOCATION(ANY)

Node Error Program

This definition is optional.

Global User Exit

This definition is optional.

  • Add a program definition for the XFAINTU global user exit: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(prefixXFA) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)          *
         EXECKEY(CICS)                                                 * 
         DESCRIPTION(NATURAL CICS INTERFACE XFAINTU GLUE)

Natural RPC Server Front-End

This definition is optional.

This definition is only required if you want to use the Natural RPC server front-end ncisfe. This definition is only generated if the System Maintenance Aid (SMA) parameter NCI-RPC-FRONT is set.

  • Add a program definition for the Natural RPC server front-end: 

    DEFINE PROGRAM(ncirsfe) GROUP(natgroup) LANGUAGE(ASSEMBLER)            *
         DESCRIPTION(NATURAL RPC SERVER FRONT-END)

    where:

    ncirsfe is the name of the NCIRSFE module specified for the Natural RPC server front-end in Step 10: Link the Natural RPC Server Front-End.

    We recommend that you set the following parameter values in the CICS program definition: 

    DATALOCATION(ANY)
    API(OPENAPI)
    CONCURRENCY(THREADSAFE)

Transaction Definitions

We recommend that you define or choose a CICS profile for the Natural transactions similar to the following: 

DEFINE PROFILE(natprof) GROUP(natgroup)                                *
         DESCRIPTION(CICS PROFILE FOR NATURAL TRANSACTIONS)            *
         SCRNSIZE(ALTERNATE) INBFMH(ALL)

where natprof is the name of the CICS profile assigned to the Natural transactions.

We also recommend that you define a CICS transaction class for the Natural transactions similar to the following: 

DEFINE TRANCLASS(natclass) GROUP(natgroup) MAXACTIVE(999)              *
         DESCRIPTION(CLASS FOR NATURAL TRANSACTIONS)

where natclass is the name of the CICS transaction class assigned to the Natural transactions.

A CICS transaction class dedicated to Natural helps control storage usage by Natural (see also Controlling Storage Usage in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation). Assign this transaction class to the definitions of all transactions that directly or indirectly call Natural.

You can define the following:

Natural Transaction

  • Add a definition for the Natural transaction:

    DEFINE TRANSACTION(ncitransact) GROUP(natgroup)                        *
         PROGRAM(dep-nuc) TWASIZE(128) DUMP(NO) SPURGE (YES)           *
         PROFILE(natprof) TRANCLASS(natclass)

    where:

    ncitransact is the name of the Natural CICS Interface user transaction ID.
    dep-nuc is the environment-dependent nucleus linked in Step 5.

    We recommend that you set the following parameter values in the CICS transaction definitions: 

    TASKDATALOC(ANY)
    ISOLATE(YES)

    TASKDATALOC(ANY) can have an impact on non-Natural programs called by Natural; for details, see the relevant IBM literature on CICS.

    For the impact of transaction isolation, see also THRDSZE - Thread Size in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

Natural Message Switching Transaction

  • Add a definition for the Natural internal message switching transaction: 

    DEFINE TRANSACTION(nmsg) GROUP(natgroup)                               *
         PROGRAM(dep-nuc) TWASIZE(128) DUMP(NO) SPURGE (YES)           *
         PROFILE(natprof) TRANCLASS(natclass)

    where:

    dep-nuc is the environment-dependent nucleus linked in Step 5.

    nmsg is the name of the Natural CICS Interface message switching transaction ID as defined in the MSGTRAN parameter described in NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NMSG.

    We recommend that you set the following parameter values in the CICS transaction definitions: 

    TASKDATALOC(ANY)
    ISOLATE(YES)

    TASKDATALOC(ANY) can have an impact on non-Natural programs called by Natural; for details, see the relevant IBM literature on CICS.

    For the impact of transaction isolation, see also THRDSZE - Thread Size in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation.

Node Error Program

This definition is optional.

Natural RPC Server Front-End

  • Add a definition for the Natural RPC server front-end transaction: 

    DEFINE TRANSACTION(ncisfetransact) GROUP(natgroup)                     *
         PROGRAM(ncirsfe) TWASIZE(128) DUMP(NO) SPURGE (YES)            *
         PROFILE(natprof) TRANCLASS(natclass)

    where:

    ncisfetransact is the name of the Natural RPC server front-end transaction ID.
    ncirsfe is the name of the NCIRSFE module specified for the Natural RPC server front-end in Step 10: Link the Natural RPC Server Front-End.

File Definitions

These definitions are only required if VSAM roll files are to be used.

  • Add one entry in the FCT for each Natural CICS Interface VSAM roll file: 

    DEFINE FILE(prefixR1) GROUP(natgroup)                                  *
         BROWSE(YES) ADD(YES) DELETE(YES) UPDATE(YES) READ(YES)        *
         RECORDFORMAT(F) STRINGS(3) DATABUFFERS(5)

    Local shared resources (LSR) should be used whenever possible. If multiple LSR pools are supported, one pool should be dedicated exclusively to Natural CICS Interface roll files.

Transient Data Destinations

Error Messages

This definition is optional but highly recommended to log Natural CICS Interface informational messages and Natural abend codes and corresponding error messages.

Add entries in the DCT for the Natural CICS Interface error message logging facility. For Natural error messages, you can use:

  • A destination that is already defined in CICS (for example, CSSL); in this case, no extra DCT entry is required.

  • An extra partition destination as a synonym for an existing CICS message destination: 

    DEFINE TDQUEUE(nerr) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(INDIRECT)                    *
         INDIRECTNAME(name)

    where:

    nerr is the name of the Natural CICS Interface error message destination as defined in the MSGDEST parameter described in NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NERR.

    name is the name of the corresponding indirect destination.

  • An extra file: 

    DEFINE TDQUEUE(nerr) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(EXTRA)                       *
         DDNAME(NATMSG) OPEN(INITIAL) TYPEFILE(OUTPUT)                 *
         RECORDFORMAT(VARIABLE) BLOCKFORMAT(UNBLOCKED)                 *
         RECORDSIZE(nnn)

    where nerr is the name of the Natural CICS Interface error message destination as defined in the MSGDEST parameter described in NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NERR.

    You can, for example, change the BLOCKFORMAT format from UNBLOCKED to BLOCKED. Natural and the Natural CICS Interface messages have a length of up to 120 bytes. Therefore, the record size (RECORDSIZE (nnn)) should be at least 124 bytes for variable record format or 120 bytes for fixed record format.

    When using a disk file:

    Sufficient disk space must be reserved for this data set; a DD statement must be added to the CICS startup JCL.

Natural NATRJE Utility

  • Add one entry in the DCT for the Natural NATRJE utility (described in the Utilities documentation). When submitting a job to JES with the following entry, the internal reader is started on CLOSE of the destination: 

    DEFINE TDQUEUE(nrje) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(EXTRA)                       *
         DDNAME(NATRJE) OPEN(DEFERRED) TYPEFILE(OUTPUT)                *
         RECORDFORMAT(FIXED) BLOCKFORMAT(UNBLOCKED) RECORDSIZE(80)

    where:

    nrje is the name of the Natural CICS Interface submit destination as defined in the RJEDEST parameter described in NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NRJE.

    Additionally, add the following DD statement to the CICS startup JCL: 

    //NATRJE DD SYSOUT=(*,INTRDR)

    When submitting a job to JES with the following two entries, the Natural CICS Interface deals with an indirect destination that will not be closed: 

    DEFINE TDQUEUE (nrje) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(INDIRECT)                   *
         INDIRECTNAME(name) 

DEFINE TDQUEUE(name) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(EXTRA)                       *
         DDNAME(NATRJE) OPEN(DEFERRED) TYPEFILE(OUTPUT)                * 
         RECORDFORMAT(FIXED) BLOCKFORMAT(UNBLOCKED) RECORDSIZE(80)

    where:

    nrje is the name of the Natural CICS Interface submit destination as defined in the RJEDEST parameter described in NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NRJE.

    name is the name of the corresponding indirect destination.

    You can use either a /*EOF card as the very last card in the job stream or the corresponding NATRJE exit. When detecting the /*EOF card, JES submits the previous job stream.

Natural CICS Interface Session Statistics

This definition is optional.

  • Add one entry in the DCT for the Natural CICS Interface session statistics: 

    DEFINE TDQUEUE(nlog) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(EXTRA)                       *
         DDNAME(NATLOG) OPEN(INITIAL) TYPEFILE(OUTPUT)                 *
         RECORDFORMAT(VARIABLE) BLOCKFORMAT(BLOCKED)                   *
         RECORDSIZE(4624) BLOCKSIZE(4628)

    where nlog is the name of the Natural CICS Interface logging destination as defined in the parameter LOGDEST described in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NLOG.

    Sufficient disk space must be reserved for this data set; a DD statement must be added to the CICS startup JCL.

Natural CICS Interface Profile Parameter File

This definition is optional.

  • Add one entry in the DCT for the Natural CICS Interface profile parameter file: 

    DEFINE TDQUEUE(nprm) GROUP(natgroup) TYPE(EXTRA)                       *
         DDNAME(CMPRMIN) OPEN(DEFERRED) TYPEFILE(INPUT)                *
         RECORDFORMAT(FIXED) BLOCKFORMAT(BLOCKED)                      *
         RECORDSIZE(80) BLOCKSIZE(nnn)

    where:

    nprm is the name of the Natural CICS Interface profile parameter input destination as defined in the PRMDEST parameter described in NTCICSP Macro Parameters in the TP Monitor Interfaces documentation. The default name is NPRM.

    nnn is a multiple of 80.

    A DD statement must be added to the CICS startup JCL.

Other Definitions

  • Add the following system abend codes to a CICS System Recovery Table (SRT):

    0D6 Protects CICS against failing Natural Roll Server and Natural Authorized Services Manager requests (using PC instructions) by Natural.
    01D Protects CICS against failing data space cache requests by Natural.
    DC2 Protects CICS against failing memory object cache requests by Natural.

Installation Verification

You can verify the successful installation of the Natural CICS Interface by performing the following steps:

  1. From a CICS session, type in the Natural transaction ID to start a Natural session.

  2. Proceed with the steps described in the section Test Online Natural.