A fix is available
APAR status
Closed as program error.
Error description
Application progs abend AEXZ after CICS/TS V5.1 upgrade. After upgrading a CICS region to V5.1 an application is now abending with AEXZ. The trace shows that this abend AEXZ relates to a failed CICS GETMAIN for a ZERO LENGTH COMMAREA: SM 0301 SMGF ENTRY - FUNCTION(GETMAIN) GET_LENGTH(0) SUSPEND(YES) INITIAL_IMAGE(00) REMARK(COMMAREA) . STORAGE_CLASS(USER) SM 0302 SMGF EXIT - FUNCTION(GETMAIN) RESPONSE(EXCEPTION) REASON(INVALID_GET_LENGTH) ADDRESS(00000000) . CICS TS 5.1 rejects a zero length getmain but previous CICS versions tolerated it. Additional Symptom(s) Search Keyword(s): kixdcfcic680 Applications that issue exec cics link passing a commarea length zero, where storage protection is active, may now receive ABEND AEXZ under CICS TS 5.1.
Local fix
Code a XPCREQ exit to remove COMMAREA GETMAIN or to make the COMMAREA GETMAIN length non zero.
Problem summary
**************************************************************** * USERS AFFECTED: All CICS V5.1 users. * **************************************************************** * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Applications issuing the following * * command abend AEXZ after migrating * * to CICS TS V5.1: * * EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM(...) * * COMMAREA(...) LENGTH(0) * **************************************************************** * RECOMMENDATION: * **************************************************************** CICS is running with storage protection active. A program (PROGA) has issued a LINK to another program (PROGB), where PROGB is an EXECKEY(USER) program. The LINK command specifies a COMMAREA, with LENGTH(0). The address of the COMMAREA is not a user key address, therefore CICS attempts to copy the COMMAREA into user key storage so that it is accessible to PROGB. The length specified on the LINK command is used in an internal GETMAIN, to get some user key storage to copy the COMMAREA contents into. In this case the length requested was zero. CICS attempts a zero length GETMAIN. As of CICS TS V5.1, this is no longer allowed. The SMGF GETMAIN request fails with an EXCEPTION, reason INVALID_GET_LENGTH. DFHPGLE returns a DISASTER response, and the transaction terminates with abendAEXZ. . Note - the behaviour of EXEC CICS GETMAIN was not changed in V5.1; these already produced a LENGERR if the LENGTH value was zero.
Problem conclusion
DFHPGLE has been updated so that a zero length GETMAIN will not be attempted if the user application specifies a COMMAREA with length zero. Instead a real GETMAIN will be performed for 8 bytes, ensuring that a valid user key address is passed to the linked to program.
Temporary fix
FIX AVAILABLE BY PTF ONLY
Comments
APAR Information
APAR number
PI14892
Reported component name
CICS TS Z/OS V5
Reported component ID
5655Y0400
Reported release
800
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
NoHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt
Submitted date
2014-04-01
Closed date
2014-05-02
Last modified date
2015-03-05
APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:
APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:
UI17772
Modules/Macros
DFHBRCV DFHBRMF DFHBRMR DFHCCNVG DFHD2EX1 DFHDHTM DFHDPIQ DFHEIP DFHEPC DFHFCRP DFHPGLET DFHPGLE DFHPGPG DFHPGXE DFHPIAT DFHPIIW DFHPIPL DFHPITL DFHRSSR DFHSIJ1 DFHUSBP DFHWBIP DFHZCN2
Fix information
Fixed component name
CICS TS Z/OS V5
Fixed component ID
5655Y0400
Applicable component levels
R800 PSY UI17772
UP14/05/15 P F405
Fix is available
Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.
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Document Information
Modified date:
05 March 2015