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CICS Interview Questions And Answers

Mainframes :: Customer Information Control System Job Interview Questions and Answers

CICS Interview Questions and Answers will guide us now that CICS (Customer Information Control System) is a transaction server that runs primarily on IBM mainframe systems under z/OS and z/VSE. CICS is a transaction manager designed for rapid, high-volume online processing. This processing is mostly interactive (screen-oriented), but background transactions are possible. Learn Customer Information Control System or get preparation for the job of CICS by this CICS Interview Questions with Answers

1 ► What is CICS?
2 ► Kindly specify the PIC clause for the following:Any BLL Cell, Data type of Length Option field, HHMMSS type of data fields?
3 ► List the sequence of steps used to achieve Modiication in Skip Sequential Mode?
4 ► What are the commands used to gain exclusive control over a resource?
5 ► Mention the 5 fields available in the symbolic map for every NAMED field in the DFHMDI macro? Give a brief description of these fields (Not exceeding a line).?
6 ► How do you intitiate another transaction?
7 ► What is the CICS command used to access current date and time?
8 ► How do you terminate an already issued DELAY command?
9 ► Which option of the PCT entry is used to specify the PF key to be pressed for initiating a transaction?
10 ► Mention the option used in the CICS READ command to gain accessibility directly to the file I/O area. (Assume COBOL-II).?
11 ► How do you establish a starting position in a browse operation?
12 ► What is the CICS command that gives the length of TWA area?
13 ► How do you set the MDT option to ON status, even if data is not entered?
14 ► How do you dynamically set the CURSOR position to a specific field?
15 ► Specify the CICS command used to read a VSAM record starting with prefix F. Code all the relevant options?
16 ► Which command is used to release a record on which exclusive control is gained?
17 ► What is the option specified in the read operation to gain multiple concurrent operations on the same dataset?
18 ► What are the attribute values of Skipper and Stopper fields?
19 ► Specify CICS transaction initiation process. ( From the perspective of CICS control programs and control tables.)?
20 ► Specify the requirements for Automatic Task Initiation. (Mention the control table, it is entries and the corresponding Procedure division CICS command).?
21 ► What is the EIB parameter and the CICS command used to implement Pseudo-Conversational technique using single PCT - Single PPT entry?
22 ► What are the two ways of breaking a CPU bound process to allow other task to gain access to CPU?
23 ► Mention the option (along with argument type) used in a CICS command to retrieve the response code after execution of the command?
24 ► Into what fields will the date and time values be moved after execution of the above command?
25 ► What are the six different type of argument values in COBOL that can be placed in various options of a CICS command?
26 ► What is the purpose of the Program List Table?
27 ► What is the function of the CICS translator?
28 ► What does Pseudo Conversational mean?
29 ► Code the related portions of CICS/COBOL-I programs to gain addressability to TWA area assigned to a particular task. Assme that the size of TWA area is 300 bytes. What are the advantages if COBOL-II is used in the place of COBOL?
30 ► How and where is the TWA size set?
31 ► What is the most common way of building queue-id of a TSQ?
32 ► What option is specified in the SEND command to send only the unnamed fields on to the screen?
33 ► What is the COMMAREA (communications area)?
34 ► How many conditions can you include in a single HANDLE CONDITION command?
35 ► Explain how to handle exceptional conditions in CICS?
36 ► What information can be obtained from the EIBRCODE?
37 ► What is EIB, How is can be used?
38 ► What CICS command do you need to obtain the user logon-id?
39 ► What are the differences between and EXEC CICS XCTL and an EXEC CICS LINK command?
40 ► How is addressability achieved to the data outside programs working storage?
41 ► Explain re-entrancy as applies to CICS?
42 ► What happens when a CICS command contains the NOHANDLE option?
43 ► What is the EXEC CICS HANDLE ABEND?
44 ► Explain the various ways data can be passed between CICS programs?
45 ► What are the CICS commands available for program control?
46 ► When a task suspends all the handle conditions via the PUSH command, how does the task reactivate all the handle conditions?
47 ► What is the difference between EXEC CICS HANDLE CONDTION and an EXEC CICS IGNORE command?
48 ► What is the function of the EXEC CICS HANDLE CONDITION command?
49 ► What is the effect of including the TRANSID in the EXEC CICS RETURN command?
50 ► What is some of the information available in the EIB area?
51 ► What is a resident program?
52 ► What happens to resources supplied to a transaction when an XCTL command is executed?
53 ► What are the differences between and EXEC CICS XCTL and EXEC CICS START command?
54 ► How can you start a CICS transaction other than by keying the Transaction ID at the terminal?
55 ► Explain the means of supporting pseudo conversation programming. (Eg. Storing and restoring of states, control flow, error handling)?
56 ► Which transient data queue support ATI?
57 ► Into which table is the terminal id registered?
58 ► Which CICS service transaction is used to gain accessibility to CICS control tables? Mention the one that has the highest priority.?
59 ► What is the function of the Terminal Control table?
60 ► What does the following transactions do?
61 ► What are the differences between Temporary Storage Queue (TSQ) and Transient Data Quene (TDQ)?
62 ► Why is a TERM ID recommended in naming a TSQ?
63 ► What is a mapset?
64 ► What are the three ways available for a program to position the cursor on the screen?
65 ► How to establish dynamic cursor position on a map? How to get the cursor position when we receive a map?
66 ► Can we define an alternate index on VSAM/RRDS?
67 ► Name three ways the Modified Data Tag can be set on?
68 ► What is MDT?
69 ► What is the difference between using the READ command with INTO option and SET option?
70 ► What is the difference between the INTO and the SET option in the EXEC CICS RECEIVE MAP command?
71 ► What does it mean when EIBCALEN is equal to zeros?
72 ► Explain floating maps with illustration?
73 ► What is the differences between getting the system time with EIBTIME and ASKTIME command?
74 ► Explain the basic difference between Intra partition TDQ and Extra partition TDQ?
75 ► What is the function of DFHMDF BMS macro?
76 ► Which CICS system program is responsible for handling automatic task initialization?
77 ► How can the fact that EIBCALEN is equal to zeros be of use to an application programmer?
78 ► How can you prevent more than one user from accessing the same Transient Data Queue?
79 ► Explain the term Transaction routing?
80 ► What is ENQ in CICS?
81 ► What is a deadlock?
82 ► In which CICS table would you specify the length of the TASK WORK AREA (TWA)?
83 ► Which CICS command must be issued by the application program in order to gain access to the Common Work Area (CWA)?
84 ► What information do you get when an EXEC CICS STARTCODE is issued?
85 ► How do you define Task Work Area?
86 ► The DFHCOMMARA is used to pass information from one application to another. What are some other ways that this function can be accomplished?
87 ► When an apllication is invoked via the EXEC CICS START command with the from option, how does the application gain access to the common area?
88 ► In an on-line environment, how can you prevent more than one user from accessing the same Transient Data Queue at the same time?
89 ► Explain the term Function Request Shipping?
90 ► Explain the term MRO (Multi Region Operation)?
91 ► What are different system tables used in CICS?
92 ► What is multitasking and multithreading?
93 ► What is the difference between link Xctl?
94 ► Name some of the common tables in CICS and their usage?
95 ► Name some common CICS service programs and explain their usage?
96 ► What is meant by a CICS task?
97 ► What is meant by program reentrance?
98 ► What is the common systems area (CSA)?
99 ► What is the EIB (execute interface block)?
100 ► What is an MDT (Modified Data Tag)? Its menaing and use?
101 ► What is a transid and explain the system transid CEMT?
102 ► What is the common work area (CWA)?
103 ► What is the COMAERA (communication area)?
104 ► What is the difference between pseudo-conversational and conversational?
105 ► What CICS command would you use to read a VSAM KSDS sequentially in ascending order?
106 ► What is the difference between the XCTL and LINK commands?
107 ► What is DFHEIBLK?
108 ► What will be the length of the eibcalen, if the transaction is used to CICS first time?
109 ► What is the difference between a RETURN with TRANSID and XCTL? For example program. A is issuing RETURN with TRANSID to program B. Program A. is isssuing XCTL to program B?
110 ► How would you release control of the record in a READ for UPDATE?
111 ► What CICS facilities can you use to save data between the transactions?
112 ► What is the difference between a physical BMS mapset and a logical BMS mapset?
113 ► What is Quasi-reentrancy?
114 ► What are the 3 common ways to create maps?
115 ► What is the difference between CICS Program Control Table (PCT) and CICS Processing Program Table (PPT)?
116 ► What is the difference between LINK and XCTL?
117 ► What are different ways of initiating transaction in CICS?
118 ► What command do you issue to delete a record in a transient data queue?
119 ► How do you access the records randomly in TSQ?
120 ► How many exceptional condition can be given in a HANDLE CONDITION?
121 ► What does EIB mean?
122 ► In SYMBOLIC Cursor Positioning after moving - 1 to the length field also the cursor is not positioned in that particular field. Give reasons?
123 ► Difference between TSQ and TDQ?
124 ► What is a two Phase commit in CICS?
125 ► What is ASRAABEND in CICS?
126 ► What is the size of commarea?
127 ► The error code AEIV?
128 ► Which type of TDQ is read destructive?
129 ► How many ways are there for initiating a transaction ? what are they?
130 ► How can you accomplish breakpoint in intertest?
131 ► A CICS program ABENDS with an ASRA ABEND code, What is its meaning?
132 ► What is Communication Area?
133 ► What are the differences between DFHCOMMAREA and TSQ?
134 ► What is difference between call and link?
135 ► TSQs can be written in the Main storage or Auxiliary storage ( True or False)?
136 ► CICS Command level is?
137 ► Which is the CICS control program that provides communication services between user written application programs and terminals?
138 ► The EIB field which gives the last CICS command executed is?
139 ► What is the CICS command that is used to copy a screen image of a terminal into another terminal?
140 ► Which is the command that is used to dump the main storage areas related to a task?
141 ► Sync points cannot be requested by the application programs (True or False)?
142 ► What is the primary function of the Processing Program Table (PPT)?
143 ► Which is the command used for terminating a browse operation?
144 ► Which of the following are recoverable CICS resources?
145 ► What is the CICS Command that is used for reading a record from the TDQ?
146 ► What is the function of the LOAD command?
147 ► How do you access storage outside your CICS program?
148 ► What is the meaning and use of the EIBAID field?
149 ► How do you control cursor positioning?
150 ► What is an ASRA?
151 ► What is temporary storage?
152 ► What is transient data?
153 ► What are the two types of transient data queues?
154 ► What are transient data sets defined to CICS?
155 ► What is Journal Recovery and Dynamic Transaction Backout?
156 ► What is the meaning of the SYNCPOINT command?
157 ► What is the MASSINSERT option?
158 ► What is a cursor in CICS SQL processing?
159 ► What is the significance of RDO?
160 ► What is CECI?
161 ► What is CEDF?
162 ► What is CEBR?
163 ► What is a logical message in CICS?
164 ► What is the meaning of the ENQ and DEQ commands?
165 ► How do you delete Item 3 in a five-item TSQ?
166 ► What is interval control and what are some of the CICS commands associated with it?
167 ► What is task control and what are the CICS commands associated with it?
168 ► What is the CICS LOAD command?
169 ► What is the ABEND command and when would you use it?
170 ► DB2 What is the difference between a package and a plan. How does one bind 2 versions of a CICS transaction with the same module name in two different CICS regions that share the same DB2 subsystem?
171 ► How to build up LU 6.2 communication?
172 ► Why is it important not to execute a STOP RUN in CICS?
173 ► What is the difference between a Symbolic map and Physical map?
174 ► Can a program change protected field?
175 ► What is the difference between physical map and symbolic map?
176 ► What is the attribute byte?
177 ► What is MDT? What are FSET, FRSET?
178 ► When you compile a CICS program, the (pre) compiler puts an extra chunk of code. Where does it get included and that is it called? What is its length?
179 ► What is the use of DCT?
180 ► What is ENQ, DEQ?
181 ► What is an ASRA abend?
182 ► What is an AEY9 abend?
183 ► What is EXEC CICS RETRIEVE?
184 ► Name some important fields in the EIB block?
185 ► Can you use DYNAMIC calls in CICS?
186 ► How do you handle errors in CICS programs?
187 ► What is the usage of language in the PPT entry?
188 ► What is an AICA abend?
189 ► How would you resolve an ASRA abend?
190 ► Can you access QSAM (seq) files from CICS?
191 ► Can you access ESDS files from CICS?
192 ► What is the primary objective of CICS?
193 ► What are the thress BMS options?
194 ► What is the difference between START and XCTL?