CICS Commands

The following is a list of the common CICS commands and their COBOL syntax. If you are using PL/1 then just
substitute ; for END-EXEC.

[ ] indicate optional parameters, [ | ] indicates a choice of one of the options listed (or none), { | } indicates you
must specify one of the options.

ABEND force the current task to terminate abnormally

EXEC CICS ABEND [ABCODE(name)] [CANCEL] [NODUMP] END-EXEC.
ADDRESS lets you access system information maintained in storage outside your program
EXEC CICS ADDRESS [ACEE(pointer-ref)] [COMMAREA(pointer-ref)] [CSA(pointer-
ref)] [CWA(pointer-ref)] [EIB(pointer-ref)] [TCTUA(pointer-ref)] [TWA(pointer-ref)]
END-EXEC.
ALLOCATE establishes a distributed processing session with another system
EXEC CICS ALLOCATE SYSID(name) [PROFILE(name)] [NOQUEUE | NOSUSPEND]
[STATE(data-area)] END-EXEC.
ASKTIME obtain current time and date
EXEC CICS ASKTIME [ABSTIME(data-area)] END-EXEC.
ASSIGN obtain information from various system control areas
EXEC CICS ASSIGN option(data-area) END-EXEC.
BIF DEEDIT formats alphanumeric data into numeric data
EXEC CICS BIF DEEDIT FIELD(data-area) [LENGTH(data-value)] END-EXEC.
BUILD ATTACH creates an ATTACH FMH used to initiate a background transaction with LU6.1 or MRO
EXEC CICS BUILD ATTACH ATTACHID(name) [PROCESS(name)]
[RESOURCE(name)] [RPROCESS(name)] [RRESOURCE(name)] [QUEUE(name)]
[IUTYPE(data-value)] [DATASTR(data-value)] [RECFM(data-value)] END-EXEC.
CANCEL cancels the effect of a DELAY, POST, or START command
EXEC CICS CANCEL [REQID(name)] [TRANSID(name)] [SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
CHANGE TASK changes the priority of the current task
EXEC CICS CHANGE TASK PRIORITY(data-value) END-EXEC.
CONNECT initiates an application program on a remote system once a session has been ALLOCATEd
PROCESS EXEC CICS CONNECT PROCESS {CONV(name) | SESSION(name) }
PROCNAME(data-area) PROCLENGTH(data-area) SYNCLEVEL(data-area)
[PIPLIST(data-area) PIPLENGTH(data-value)] [STATE(data-area)] END-EXEC.
CONVERSE send data to a remote process and receive a response
EXEC CICS CONVERSE [CONVID(name) | SESSION(name)] [ATTACHID(name)]
FROM(data-area) { FROMLENGTH(data-area) | FROMFLENGTH(data-area) }
{ INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-ref) } {TOLENGTH(data-area) | TOFLENGTH(data-
area) } [MAXLENGTH(data-value) | MAXFLENGTH(data-value)] [NOTRUNCATE]
[STATE(data-area)] END-EXEC.
DELAY suspend a task
EXEC CICS DELAY [INTERVAL(hhmmss) | TIME(hhmmss) | FOR [HOURS(hh)]
[MINUTES(mm)] [SECONDS(ss)] | UNTIL [HOURS(hh)] [MINUTES(mm)]
[SECONDS(ss)]] [REQID(name)] END-EXEC.
DELETE remove a record from a file
EXEC CICS DELETE { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } [RIDFLD(data-area)
[KEYLENGTH(data-value) [GENERIC [NUMREC(data-area)]]]] [RBA | RRN]
[SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
DELETEQ TD remove a record from a transient data queue
EXEC CICS DELETEQ TD QUEUE(name) [SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
DELETEQ TS remove a record from a temporary storage queue
EXEC CICS DELETEQ TS QUEUE(name) [SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
DEQ release a user defined resource
EXEC CICS DEQ RESOURCE(data-area) [LENGTH(data-value)] [LUW | TASK |
MAXLIFETIME(data-area)] END-EXEC.
DUMP force a storage dump
EXEC CICS DUMP [TRANSACTION] DUMPCODE(name) [FROM(data-area)
[LENGTH(data-value) | FLENGTH(data-value)]] [SEGMENTLIST(data-area)
LENGTHLIST(data-area) NUMSEGMENTS(data-area)] [COMPLETE] [TRT] [TASK]
[STORAGE] [PROGRAM] [TERMINAL] [TABLES] [DCT] [FCT] [PCT] [PPT] [SIT]
[TCT] END-EXEC.
ENDBR terminate a browse operation
EXEC CICS ENDBR { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } REQID(data-value)
[SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
ENQ reserve a user defined resource
EXEC CICS ENQ RESOURCE(data-area) [LENGTH(data-value)] [NOSUSPEND] [LUW
| TASK | MAXLIFETIME(data-area)] END-EXEC.
ENTER write a user trace entry into the CICS trace table
EXEC CICS ENTER {TRACENUM(data-value) | TRACEID(data-value) } [FROM(data-
area) [FROMLENGTH(data-area)]] [RESOURE(data-area)] [EXCEPTION] END-EXEC.
EXTRACT retrieve values from an ATTACH FMH
ATTACH EXEC CICS EXTRACT ATTACH [ATTACHID(name) | CONVID(name) |
SESSION(name)] [PROCESS(name)] [RESOURCE(name)] [RPROCESS(name)]
[RRESOURCE(name)] [QUEUE(name)] [IUTYPE(data-value)] [DATASTR(data-value)]
[RECFM(data-value)] END-EXEC.
EXTRACT determine the current state of an MRO or APPC conversation
ATTRIBUTES EXEC CICS EXTRACT ATTRIBUTES [CONVID(name) | SESSION(name)]
[STATE(data-value)] END-EXEC.
EXTRACT used in a back end program to obtain information passed via the CONNECT PROCESS
PROCESS command in the front end program
EXEC CICS EXTRACT PROCESS [CONVID(name) | SESSION(name)]
[PROCNAME(data-value)PROCLENGTH(data-area) [MAXPROCLEN(data-value)]]
[SYNCLEVEL(data-area)] [PIPLIST(data-area) PIPLENGTH(data-value)] END-EXEC.
FORMATTIME convert time to required format
EXEC CICS FORMATTIME ABSTIME(data-value) [YYDDD(data-area)]
[YYMMDD(data-area)] [YYDDMM(data-area)] [DDMMYY(data-area)]
[MMDDYY(data-area)] [DATE(data-area) [DATEFORM(data-area)]] [DATESEP[(data-
value)]] [DAYCOUNT(data-area)] [DAYOFWEEK(data-area)] [DAYOFMONTH(data-
area)] [MONTHOFYEAR(data-area)] [YEAR(data-area)] [TIME(data-area)
[TIMESEP[(data-value)]]] END-EXEC.
FREE release a distributed processing session
EXEC CICS FREE [CONVID(name) | SESSION(name)] [STATE(data-area)] END-
EXEC.
FREEMAIN release virtual storage
EXEC CICS FREEMAIN { DATA(data-area) | DATAPOINTER(pointer-ref) } END-
EXEC.
GETMAIN aquire virtual storage
EXEC CICS GETMAIN SET(pointer-ref) { LENGTH(data-value) | FLENGTH(data-
value) [BELOW] } [INITIMG(data-value)] [NOSUSPEND] [SHARED] {USERKEY |
CICSKEY] END-EXEC.
HANDLE ABEND establish abend exits
EXEC CICS HANDLE ABEND { PROGRAM(name) | LABEL(label) | CANCEL | RESET
 } END-EXEC.
HANDLE AID establish routines to be invoked when AID keys (enter, pf and pa keys) are detected by a receive
map
EXEC CICS HANDLE AID option [(label)] END-EXEC.
HANDLE specifies how certain exception conditions should be processed
CONDITION EXEC CICS HANDLE CONDITION condition-name [(label)] END-EXEC.
IGNORE specifies that certain exception conditions should be ignored
CONDITION EXEC CICS IGNORE CONDITION condition-name ... END-EXEC.
LINK invoke a program, return to the next statement after completion
EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM(name) [COMMAREA(data-area) [LENGTH(data-value)]
[DATALENGTH(data-value)]] [INPUTMSG(data-area) [INPUTMSGLEN(data-value)]]
[SYSID(name)] [SYNCONRETURN] [TRANSID(name)] END-EXEC.
LOAD retrieve and load an object module and return its length and address
EXEC CICS LOAD PROGRAM(name) [SET(pointer-ref)] [LENGTH(data-area) |
FLENGTH(data-area)] [ENTRY(pointer-ref)] [HOLD] END-EXEC.
POP HANDLE restores handle abend, aid, and conditions temporarily suspended by push handle
EXEC CICS POP HANDLE END-EXEC.
POST create a Timer Event Control Area
EXEC CICS POST [INTERVAL(hhmmss) | TIME(hhmmss) | AFTER [HOURS(hh)]
[MINUTES(mm)] [SECONDS(ss)] | AT [HOURS(hh)] [MINUTES(mm)] [SECONDS(ss)]]
SET(pointer-ref) [REQID(name)] END-EXEC.
PURGE delete a logical message before the task terminates
MESSAGE EXEC CICS PURGE MESSAGE END-EXEC.
PUSH HANDLE temporarily suspend handle abend, aid, and conditions
EXEC CICS PUSH HANDLE END-EXEC.
READ read a record from a file
EXEC CICS READ { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } { INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-
ref) } [LENGTH(data-area)] RIDFLD(data-area) [KEYLENGTH(data-area) [GENERIC]]
[SYSID(name)] [RBA | RRN] [GTEQ | EQUAL] [UPDATE] END-EXEC.
READNEXT read the next sequential record from a file
EXEC CICS READNEXT { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } { INTO(data-area) |
SET(pointer-ref) } [LENGTH(data-area)] RIDFLD(data-area) [KEYLENGTH(data-
area)] [SYSID(name)] [RBA | RRN] [REQID(data-value)] END-EXEC.
READPREV read the previous sequential record from a file
EXEC CICS READPREV { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } { INTO(data-area) |
SET(pointer-ref) } [LENGTH(data-area)] RIDFLD(data-area) [KEYLENGTH(data-
area)] [SYSID(name)] [RBA | RRN] [REQID(data-value)] END-EXEC.
READQ TD read a record from a transient data queue
EXEC CICS READQ TD QUEUE(name) { INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-ref) }
[LENGTH(data-area)] [SYSID(name)] [NOSUSPEND] END-EXEC.
READQ TS read a record from a temporary storage queue
EXEC CICS READQ TS QUEUE(name) { INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-ref) }
[LENGTH(data-area)] [NUMITEMS(data-area)] [ITEM(data-value) | NEXT]
[SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
RECEIVE receive data sent by a remote process
(DISTRIBUTED) EXEC CICS RECEIVE [CONVID(name) | SESSION(name)] { INTO(data-area) |
SET(pointer-ref) } { LENGTH(data-area) | FLENGTH(data-area) } [MAXLENGTH(data-
value) | MAXFLENGTH(data-value)] [NOTRUNCATE] [STATE(data-area)] END-
EXEC.
RECEIVE retrieve input data from a terminal
(TERMINAL) EXEC CICS RECEIVE { INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-ref) } { LENGTH(data-area) |
 FLENGTH(data-area) } [MAXLENGTH(data-value) | MAXFLENGTH(data-value)]
[NOTRUNCATE] [ASIS] [BUFFER] END-EXEC.
RECEIVE MAP receive data from a terminal via BMS
EXEC CICS RECEIVE MAP(name) [MAPSET(name)] [INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-
ref)] [ASIS] END-EXEC.
RELEASE free virtual storage acquired via a load command
EXEC CICS RELEASE PROGRAM(name) END-EXEC.
RESETBR re-establish position for a browse
EXEC CICS RESETBR { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } RIDFLD(data-area)
[KEYLENGTH(data-value) [GENERIC]] [RBA | RRN] [GTEQ | EQUAL] [REQID(data-
value)] [SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
RETRIEVE retrieves data passed to another program via the start command
EXEC CICS RETRIEVE [INTO(data-area) | SET(pointer-ref)] [LENGTH(data-area)]
[RTRANSID(data-area)] [RTERMID(data-area)] [QUEUE(data-area)] [WAIT] END-
EXEC.
RETURN return to the invoking program
EXEC CICS RETURN [TRANSID(name) [COMMAREA(data-area) LENGTH(data-
value)]] [IMMEDIATE]] [INPUTMSG(data-area) [INPUTMSGLEN(data-value)]] END-
EXEC.
REWRITE updates a record in a file
EXEC CICS REWRITE { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } FROM(data-area)
[LENGTH(data-area)] [SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
ROUTE allows BMS messages to be routed to multiple terminals
EXEC CICS ROUTE [LIST(data-area)] [OPCLASS(data-area)] [INTERVAL(hhmmss) |
AFTER [HOURS(hh)] [MINUTES(mm)] [SECONDS(ss)] | AT [HOURS(hh)]
[MINUTES(mm)] [SECONDS(ss)]] [ERRTERM{(name)]] [TITLE(data-area)]
[REQID(name)] [NLEOM] END-EXEC.
SEND send data to a remote process
(DISTRIBUTED) EXEC CICS SEND [CONVID(name) | SESSION(name)] [ATTACHID(name)]
[FROM(data-area) [LENGTH(data-area) | FLENGTH(data-area)]] [INVITE | LAST]
[CONFIRM | WAIT] [STATE(data-area)] END-EXEC.
SEND send data to a terminal
(TERMINAL) EXEC CICS SEND FROM(data-area) [LENGTH(data-area) | FLENGTH(data-area)]
[DEST(name)] [WAIT] [INVITE | LAST] [DEFRESP] [STRFIELD] [ERASE]
[CTLCHAR(data-area)] END-EXEC.
SEND CONTROL send device control instructions to a terminal
EXEC CICS SEND CONTROL [ERASEAUP | ERASE] [ALARM] [FREEKB] [FRSET]
[CURSOR(data-value)] [PRINT] [FORMFEED] [ACCUM] [PAGING | TERMINAL
[WAIT] [LAST]] [L40 | L64 | L80 | HONEOM] [REQID(name)] END-EXEC.
SEND MAP send data to a terminal via BMS
EXEC CICS SEND MAP(name) [MAPSET(name)] [FROM(data-area)] [LENGTH(data-
value)] [DATAONLY | MAPONLY] [ERASEAUP | ERASE] [ALARM] [FREEKB]
[FRSET] [CURSOR(data-value)] [PRINT] [FORMFEED] [NLEOM] [ACCUM]
[PAGING | TERMINAL [WAIT]] [LAST] [L40 | L64 | L80 | HONEOM] [REQID(name)]
END-EXEC.
SEND PAGE write the last page of a BMS message to temporary storage
EXEC CICS SEND PAGE [RELEASE [TRANSID(name)] | RETAIN] [AUTOPAGE |
NOAUTOPAGE] [OPERPURGE] [TRAILER(data-area)] END-EXEC.
SEND TEXT send data to a terminal letting BMS automatically format the data
EXEC CICS SEND TEXT FROM(data-area) [LENGTH(data-value)] [ERASE] [ALARM]
[FREEKB] [CURSOR(data-value)] [PRINT] [FORMFEED] [NLEOM] [ACCUM]
[PAGING | TERMINAL [WAIT]] [LAST] [HEADER(data-area)] [TRAILER(data-area)]
 [JUSTIFY(datavalue) | JUSFIRST | JUSLAST] [L40 | L64 | L80 | HONEOM]
[REQID(name)] END-EXEC.
SEND TEXT send data to a terminal similar to terminal control but can direct to temporary storage using
NOEDIT paging option
EXEC CICS SEND TEXT NOEDIT FROM(data-area) [LENGTH(data-value)] [ERASE]
[ALARM] [FREEKB] [PRINT] [PAGING | TERMINAL [WAIT] [LAST]] [L40 | L64 |
L80 | HONEOM] [REQID(name)] END-EXEC.
SIGNOFF signs the user off cics
EXEC CICS SIGNOFF END-EXEC.
SIGNON signs the user on to cics
EXEC CICS SIGNON USERID(datavalue) [PASSWORD(data-value)]
[NEWPASSWORD(data-value)] [OIDCARD(data-value)] [NATLANG(data-value)]
[natlanginuse(data-area)] [ESMRESP(data-area)] END-EXEC.
START initiate another task after or at a specified time
EXEC CICS START TRANSID(name) [INTERVAL(hhmmss) | TIME(hhmmss) | AFTER
[HOURS(hh)] [MINUTES(mm)] [SECONDS(ss)] | AT [HOURS(hh)] [MINUTES(mm)]
[SECONDS(ss)]] [TERMID(name)] [SYSID(name)] [REQID(name)] [FROM(data-area)
[LENGTH(data-value)]] [RTRANSID(name)] [RTERMID(name)] [QUEUE(name)]
[NOCHECK] [PROTECT] END-EXEC.
STARTBR initiate a browse
EXEC CICS STARTBR { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } RIDFLD(data-area)
[KEYLENGTH(data-area) [GENERIC]] [SYSID(name)] [RBA | RRN] [GTEQ | EQUAL]
[REQID(data-value)] END-EXEC.
SUSPEND temporarily return control to cics
EXEC CICS SUSPEND END-EXEC.
SYNCPOINT rollback or make permanent updates applied to protected resources
EXEC CICS SYNCPOINT [ROLLBACK] END-EXEC.
UNLOCK release a record held by a READ UPDATE command
EXEC CICS UNLOCK { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } [SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
WAIT CONVID suspend task until accumulated data has been transmitted during an APPC conversation
EXEC CICS WAIT CONVID(name) [STATE(data-area)] END-EXEC.
WAIT EVENT delay the task until a previously issued POST has expired
EXEC CICS WAIT EVENT ECADDR(pointer-value) END-EXEC.
WAIT synchronizes the current task with a previously written journal entry by suspending the task until
JOURNALNUM the record has been successfully written to the journal file
EXEC CICS WAIT JOURNALNUM(data-value) [REQID(data-value)] [STARTIO] END-
EXEC.
WRITE write a record to a file
EXEC CICS WRITE { DATASET(name) | FILE(name) } FROM(data-area)
[LENGTH(data-area)] RIDFLD(data-area) [KEYLENGTH(data-area)] [SYSID(name)]
[RBA | RRN] [MASSINSERT] END-EXEC.
WRITE write a record to the journal file
JOURNALNUM EXEC CICS WRITE JOURNALNUM(data-value) JTYPEID(data-value) FROM(data-
area) [LENGTH(data-area)] [PREFIX(data-value) [PFXLENG(data-value)]]
[REQID(data-area)] [WAIT] [STARTIO] [NOSUSPEND] END-EXEC.
WRITE write a message to a system console
OPERATOR EXEC CICS WRITE OPERATOR TEXT(data-value) [TEXTLENGTH(data-value)]
[ROUTECODES(data-value) [NUMROUTES)data-value)]] [ACTION(data-value) |
EVENTUAL | IMMEDIATE | CRITICAL | REPLY(data-area) MAXLENGTH(data-
value) [REPLYLENGTH(data-area)] [TIMEOUT(data-value)]] END-EXEC.
WRITEQ TD write a record to a transient data queue
 EXEC CICS WRITEQ TD QUEUE(name) FROM(data-area) [LENGTH(data-area)]
[SYSID(name)] END-EXEC.
WRITEQ TS write a record to a temporary storage queue
EXEC CICS WRITEQ TS QUEUE(name) FROM(data-area) [LENGTH(data-area)]
[ITEM(data-value) [REWRITE]] [NUMITEMS(data-area)] [SYSID(name)] [MAIN |
AUXILIARY] [NOSUSPEND] END-EXEC.
XCTL terminate the current program and execute the one specified
EXEC CICS XCTL PROGRAM(name) [COMMAREA(data-area) [LENGTH(data-
value)]] [INPUTMSG(data-area) [INPUTMSGLEN(data-value)]] END-EXEC.