What does CICS DELAY command do?

CICS DELAY suspends the current task for a specified period of time, either for a duration or until a specific time.

What is the maximum delay duration?

The maximum delay duration is 2,147,483,647 hundredths of seconds (about 596 hours).

What's the difference between FOR and UNTIL parameters?

FOR specifies a duration to delay, while UNTIL specifies an absolute time until which to delay.

Should I use DELAY in production environments?

Use DELAY sparingly in production as it can impact transaction throughput. Consider interval timers for longer delays.

CICS DELAY - Task Suspension

CICS DELAY suspends the current task for a specified period of time. It enables programs to pause execution, manage task timing, and handle task suspension in CICS applications.

What is CICS DELAY?

CICS DELAY is a command that allows programs to suspend the current task for a specified period of time. It provides task suspension capabilities, timing control, and task management for CICS applications.

Command Syntax

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EXEC CICS DELAY
    [FOR(duration)]
    [UNTIL(time-value)]
    [RESP(response-code)]
END-EXEC

Parameters

Optional Parameters

FOR(duration) - Duration to delay (in hundredths of seconds)
UNTIL(time-value) - Absolute time until which to delay
RESP(response-code) - Response code variable

Programming Examples

Basic Task Delay

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WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  DELAY-DURATION      PIC S9(8) COMP VALUE 100.
01  RESPONSE-CODE        PIC S9(8) COMP.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY 'Starting delay...'
    
    EXEC CICS DELAY
        FOR(DELAY-DURATION)
        RESP(RESPONSE-CODE)
    END-EXEC.
    
    IF RESPONSE-CODE = DFHRESP(NORMAL)
        DISPLAY 'Delay completed successfully'
    ELSE
        DISPLAY 'Error during delay: ' RESPONSE-CODE
    END-IF.

Error Handling

Common Response Codes

DFHRESP(NORMAL) - Delay completed successfully
DFHRESP(INVREQ) - Invalid request or parameter
DFHRESP(INVTIME) - Invalid time value
DFHRESP(INVDUR) - Invalid duration value

Performance Considerations

Efficiency

• Task Suspension - DELAY suspends the task, freeing CPU resources
• Resource Management - Use DELAY sparingly as it can impact transaction throughput
• Alternative Approaches - Consider using interval timers for longer delays

Best Practices

• Error Handling - Always check the response code for error handling
• Short Delays - Use DELAY for short, controlled delays only
• Production Use - Avoid using DELAY in production environments unless necessary

Explain It Like I'm 5 Years Old

Think of CICS DELAY like pausing a video game:

• Playing Game: "You're playing your favorite game" - Running program
• Pause Game: "Press pause to stop for a moment" - DELAY command
• Wait Time: "Wait for 5 seconds" - Duration parameter
• Resume Game: "Press play to continue" - Task resumes

Exercises

Exercise 1: Basic Task Delay

Create a program that delays for 1 second and then displays a message.

Exercise 2: Conditional Delay

Write a program that delays based on user input or conditions.

Exercise 3: Error Handling

Implement error handling for the DELAY command.

CICS DELAY - Task Suspension

What is CICS DELAY?

Command Syntax

Parameters

Optional Parameters

Programming Examples

Basic Task Delay

Error Handling

Common Response Codes

Performance Considerations

Efficiency

Best Practices

Explain It Like I'm 5 Years Old

Exercises

Exercise 1: Basic Task Delay

Exercise 2: Conditional Delay

Exercise 3: Error Handling

Related Concepts

Task Suspension

ASKTIME Command

Interval Timers

Performance Management

Error Handling

Related Pages