Can we access extra partition TDQ from Batch?

[Harshit Desai]

Hi,

Can we access extra partition TDQ from Batch?

[Robert Sample]

The manual CICS System Definition Guide provides you the answer:

CICS Transient data extrapartition data sets are sequential files, normally on disk or tape; each queue can be used either to send data outside the CICS region or to receive data from outside the region.

[Harshit Desai]

Thanks Robert. I did read this but could not comprehend it correctly. As per it "each queue can be used either to send data outside the CICS region or to receive data from outside the region" but if I want to read a given queue using a separate cobol program, is that doable and actually advisable?

[Robert Sample]

but if I want to read a given queue using a separate cobol program, is that doable and actually advisable?

A TD queue is a one-way pipe: you can write to it in CICS and read it in batch, or write to it in batch and read it in CICS. There are some things that can complicate the usage (when are the buffers actually written, for example) but in general using them is very doable. Whether or not they are advisable depends upon the application -- some applications absolutely require them, some applications can use them if available, and some applications don't use them (and hence it would not be a good idea to change the application to use them).

[John Knutson]

A good example of extra TD usage are the CICS log queues like CSSL and CSMT (if memory serves) which are usually mapped to extrapartition queues for processing by CICS batch utilities.

[Harshit Desai]

Thanks John.

If you could please direct me to a link to read more about CSSL and CSMT, that will be a great help.

[nicc]

The various CICS manuals

[Robert Sample]

In the CICS bookshelf for your version of CICS, look at the CICS Supplied Transactions manual.