Descriptor codes appear within the associated message. The descriptor
code field can contain the following numeric values, special characters
or note.
- Code
- Meaning
- 1
- System Failure The message indicates an error that disrupts
system operations. To continue, the operator must reIPL the system
or restart a major subsystem. This causes the audible alarm to be sounded.
- 2
- Immediate Action Required The message indicates that the
operator must perform an action immediately. The message issuer could
be in a wait state until the action is performed or the system needs
the action as soon as possible to improve performance. The task waits
for the operator to complete the action. This causes the audible alarm
to be sounded.
Note: When an authorized program
issues a message with descriptor code 2, a DOM macro must be
issued to delete the message after the requested action is performed.
- 3
- Eventual Action Required The message indicates that the
operator must perform an action eventually. The task does not wait
for the operator to complete the action. If the task can determine
when the operator has performed the action, the task should issue
a DOM macro to delete the message when the action is complete.
- 4
- System Status The message indicates the status of a system
task or of a hardware unit.
- 5
- Immediate Command Response The message is issued as an
immediate response to a system command. The response does not depend
on another system action or task.
- 6
- Job Status The message indicates the status of a job or
job step.
- 7
- Task-Related The message is issued by an application or
system program. Messages with this descriptor code are deleted when
the job step that issued them ends.
- 8
- Out-of-Line The message, which is one line of a group of
one or more lines, is to be displayed out-of-line. If a message cannot
be displayed out-of-line because of the device being used, descriptor
code 8 is ignored, and the message is displayed in-line with the other
messages.
Note: Multiline messages directed at an OOL area and routed
by either the UNKNIDS or INTIDS attributes will be forced "inline".
- 9
- Operator's Request The message is written
in response to an operator's request for information by a DEVSERV,
DISPLAY, or MONITOR command.
- 10
- Not defined Descriptor code 10 is not currently in use.
- 11
- Critical Eventual Action Required The message indicates
that the operator must perform an action eventually, and the action
is important enough for the message to remain on the display screen
until the action is completed. The task does not wait for the operator
to complete the action. This causes the audible alarm to be sounded.
Avoid using this descriptor code for
non-critical messages because the display screen could become filled.
If
the task can determine when the operator has performed the action,
the task should issue a DOM macro to delete the message when the action
is complete.
- 12
- Important Information The message contains important information
that must be displayed at a console, but does not require any action
in response.
- 13
- Automation Information Indicates that this message was
previously automated.
- 14-16
- Reserved for future use.
- /
- The message will have different descriptor codes according to
the task issuing it. For example, 4/6 means the message can describe
system status or job status.
- —
- The message has no descriptor code.
- N/A
- A descriptor code is not applicable for the message.
- Note 1
- The descriptor code for an IBM® Health
Checker for z/OS® check exception
message might vary, because the installation can override the descriptor
code either using the MODIFY hzsproc command or in the HZSPRMxx parmlib
member. See IBM Health Checker for z/OS User's Guide for
more information. In addition to the descriptor code selected by the
installation, one of the following descriptor codes is also included
based on the severity of the check:
- High severity checks use a descriptor code of 11.
- Medium severity checks use a descriptor code of 3.
- Low severity checks use a descriptor code of 12.