What does CICS RETRIEVE command do?

CICS RETRIEVE retrieves data that was previously passed to the current task, typically from another task or program.

What happens if there's no data to retrieve?

The command will return DFHRESP(NODATA) if there's no data available to retrieve.

Can RETRIEVE be used for task-to-task communication?

Yes, RETRIEVE is commonly used for task-to-task communication, often paired with POST or START commands.

What should I do if RETRIEVE returns NODATA?

Handle the NODATA condition appropriately - it may indicate that no data was passed to the task or that data was already retrieved.

CICS RETRIEVE - Data Retrieval

CICS RETRIEVE retrieves data that was previously passed to the current task. It enables programs to get passed data, manage task communication, and handle data retrieval in CICS applications.

What is CICS RETRIEVE?

CICS RETRIEVE is a command that allows programs to retrieve data that was previously passed to the current task. It provides data retrieval capabilities, task communication, and data access for CICS applications.

Command Syntax

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EXEC CICS RETRIEVE
    [INTO(data-area)]
    [LENGTH(data-length)]
    [RESP(response-code)]
END-EXEC

Parameters

Optional Parameters

INTO(data-area) - Data area to receive the retrieved data
LENGTH(data-length) - Length of the data area
RESP(response-code) - Response code variable

Programming Examples

Basic Data Retrieval

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WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  RETRIEVED-DATA      PIC X(100).
01  DATA-LENGTH         PIC S9(8) COMP.
01  RESPONSE-CODE        PIC S9(8) COMP.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    *> Retrieve data passed to this task
    EXEC CICS RETRIEVE
        INTO(RETRIEVED-DATA)
        LENGTH(DATA-LENGTH)
        RESP(RESPONSE-CODE)
    END-EXEC.
    
    IF RESPONSE-CODE = DFHRESP(NORMAL)
        DISPLAY 'Data retrieved successfully'
        DISPLAY 'Data length: ' DATA-LENGTH
        DISPLAY 'Retrieved data: ' RETRIEVED-DATA(1:DATA-LENGTH)
    ELSE
        IF RESPONSE-CODE = DFHRESP(NODATA)
            DISPLAY 'No data available to retrieve'
        ELSE
            DISPLAY 'Error retrieving data: ' RESPONSE-CODE
        END-IF
    END-IF.

Error Handling

Common Response Codes

DFHRESP(NORMAL) - Data retrieved successfully
DFHRESP(NODATA) - No data available to retrieve
DFHRESP(INVREQ) - Invalid request or parameter
DFHRESP(LENGERR) - Data area length error

Performance Considerations

Efficiency

• Lightweight Operation - RETRIEVE is a lightweight command with minimal performance impact
• Data Area Size - Use appropriate data area size to avoid truncation
• Memory Usage - Consider the impact of large data retrieval on memory usage

Best Practices

• Error Handling - Always check the response code for error handling
• Data Validation - Validate retrieved data before processing
• Task Communication - Use RETRIEVE for task-to-task communication

Explain It Like I'm 5 Years Old

Think of CICS RETRIEVE like checking your mailbox:

• Mailbox: "You have a special mailbox for messages" - Task data area
• Check Mailbox: "Look inside your mailbox" - RETRIEVE command
• Get Message: "Take out the message that was left for you" - Retrieve data
• Read Message: "Read what the message says" - Process retrieved data

Exercises

Exercise 1: Basic Data Retrieval

Create a program that retrieves data and displays it.

Exercise 2: Error Handling

Write a program that handles the NODATA condition.

Exercise 3: Data Validation

Implement data validation for retrieved data.

CICS RETRIEVE - Data Retrieval

What is CICS RETRIEVE?

Command Syntax

Parameters

Optional Parameters

Programming Examples

Basic Data Retrieval

Error Handling

Common Response Codes

Performance Considerations

Efficiency

Best Practices

Explain It Like I'm 5 Years Old

Exercises

Exercise 1: Basic Data Retrieval

Exercise 2: Error Handling

Exercise 3: Data Validation

Related Concepts

Task Communication

Data Passing

Context Management

Parameter Handling

Error Handling

Related Pages