Questions for CICS Interview

1. What is the meaning for CICS?

Customer Information Control System.

2. What do we do by using CICS?

CICS is normally used for Real-time or Online processing

when that particular processing cannot wait for batch
processing normally done at the end of the day for most
installations.

3. What are the eight steps for a CICS program development?

Get the complete specification

Get related sourcebooks and subprograms
Design the program
Update the CICS Tables
Code and compile the map definition
Code the program
Compile the program
Test the program.

4. In a CICS development, do you compile the map or

program first?

The map needs to be compiled first.

5. What is a transaction id or code?

A transaction is mostly a four letter unique predefined unit of

work, a terminal work will use to invoke a specific map and
the associated program.
 6. What is a PCT and how it is used?

A PCT is a short name for Program Control Table, which

contains the trans-id and the associated program which will
be invoked when the trans-id is used.

7. What is a PPT and how it is used?

A PPT contains a valid list of program names and it also

indicates the storage address if the program has already been
loaded. CICS uses PPT to determine whether it will load a new
copy of the program if the program is invoked.

8. Have you ever heard of SNT in CICS Processing?

Yes, it contains the names of all valid users of the system.

9. What is the use of DFHCOMMAREA and where it is

located?

It helps to transfer data between two transactions and it is

located in the LINKAGE SECTION.

10. Are you familiar with CEMT and CSMT functions? What
does these transactions do for you?

These are normally supervisory functions, where they can be

used to cancel tasks running at a different terminals. CSMT
is used to update PPT. But I never had much chance to use
them.

11. What transaction will you use to debug a CICS Program?

CEDF, which means CICS Execution Diagnostic facility.

12. What XCTL and LINK command is used for?

 XCTL command transfers control to another program
without setting up a return mechanism whereas the LINK
command transfers control to next logical lower level with a
return mechanism

13. Why the EXEC CICS HANDLE command is used?

It is used to specify what action the program needs to take

when certain exceptional conditions occur.

14. Why the EXEC CICS RETURN command is used?

It is used simply to return control to CICS with no option and

the terminal session ends.

15. What are the parameters will you use to code a SEND
MAP command?

SEND MAP(name of the map)

MAPSET(name of the mapset which contains the specific
map)
FROM(specifies the symbolic map)
MAPONLY(specifies dataonly needs to be sent)
DATAONLY(specifies that only data from the symbolic map
needs to be sent)
ERASE/ERASEUP
CURSOR
16. How do you terminate each CICS commands?

EXEC CICS
intermediate commands
END-EXEC.

17. How do you obtain the storage dump from CICS?

 CICS automatically adds the storage dump to a special file
called dump data set. When the CICS is terminated, the
dumps are automatically printed. The DSN can be found
from the respective installation personnel.

18. What is the meaning for AEI9 CICS abend?

MAPFAIL.

19. What are the following entities represent?

EIBAID It is an one character field that indicates which

attention key was used for the last RECEIVE command.

EIBTRMID This field supplies the name of the terminal

running the task.

EIBCALEN This field represents the length of the

communication area passed to my program. If no commarea
is passed, it is set to zero.

20. How do you logoff from a CICS transaction?

Blank the screen, then type CSSF LOGOFF.

************* END OF CICS QUESTION *************