FCT Entry (fct_name)

Use this page to view information about the FCT named fct_name, selected from the FCT (Active) page. You can view information about the FCT, and change the status of the FCT.

This page mainly provides information about the FCT. To set values for the FCT, use the CICS FCT page.

Apply

Click this to save changes you have made to the page and refresh the page. This button is displayed only if you have permission to edit the FCT.

FCT

Shows the name of this FCT. If you click Apply, the message "Update complete" is also displayed when any changes you have made to the FCT have been saved and the FCT updated. Click Refresh to remove this message.

Dataset Name

Shows the data set name for this file as used on the mainframe.

Status

Shows information about the current state of the file. This includes not only the current setting of Status as shown on the CICS FCT page and the CICS FCT - fct_name (grp_name) page, but also the Access fields and a subset of the Set fields.

The first item of information is the open/closed status. This is a transient state a transient state controlled by the system. Possible values are:

  • Open
  • Closed
  • Opening
  • Closing
  • CloseRequest - a request to close the file has been issued by an application
Enabled/Disabled/Unenabled

Indicates whether the file is currently accessible to transactions:

  • Enabled - the file is currently accessible to transactions.
  • Disabled - the file is not currently accessible to transactions. A disabled file returns the reference "DISABLED". This can cause problems for some applications; if this is true for your application, set Unenabled instead.
  • Unenabled - the file is not currently accessible to transactions. An unenabled file returns a reference "NOTOPEN", which can be handled by those applications that cannot handle a "DISABLED" reference.

You can change this setting on this page.

Disabling

Yes indicates that the file is currently being disabled. Disabling is a transient state controlled by the system.

Start Empty

Yes indicates that the current contents of the file are deleted at system startup.

Recoverable

Yes indicates that the file is a protected resource, changes to which can be backed out.

The file must be accessed through a Fileshare server.

Forward Recoverable

Yes indicates that journals are used to record changes to the file to enable forward recovery.

The file must be accessed through a Fileshare server.

Readable

If checked, indicates that users can read records from the file. You can change this setting.

Addable

If checked, indicates that users can add records to the file. You can change this setting.

Browsable

If checked, indicates that users can browse the file. You can change this setting.

Deletable

If checked, indicates that users can delete records from the file. You can change this setting.

Updatable

If checked, indicates that users can update records in the file. You can change this setting.

Exclusive

If checked, indicates that the file cannot be read by other transactions while an update is in progress. You can change this setting.

Type

Shows the file type. This can be one of:

  • KSDS Variable ASCII - Key sequence data set
  • ESDS - Entry sequence data set
  • RRDS - Relative record data set
  • Alternate to fct_name type - Alternate index. fct_name tells you the FCT for which this is an alternate index, and type describes the type of file represented by fct_name.
  • Undefined - Remote file
Record

Shows the maximum and minimum lengths possible for a record.

Key

Shows the length and starting position of the key.

Resource Group

Shows which resource group this FCT belongs to.

Use Count

Shows the number of times this FCT has been used.

Cataloged file, FCT Fix Up
The Fix Up process is applied to FCTs which point to catalog DSNs. Typically this happens automatically on first access, and once only. If a change is made to a catalog entry which is referred to by an FCT, this button enables you to force a Fix Up process to prevent runtime divergence between the physical file's DCB information and that held in the live table(s).
Dump Display, Table

Click this to create and view a dump of this FCT.