Knowledge Base > Automation Engine and Target Systems > z/OS > Message Classes

Message Classes

The job log of a z/OS job is stored in a JES spool which is divided into message classes. Each of these classes has a single figure description consisting of the characters A to Z or the letters 0 to 9. You can decide how the job log is structured and in which message classes it should be routed.

The agent can:

Write the job output to the message class specified in the Job object
Include the JES statistics (JESMSGLG, JESJCL and JESYSMSG) in the job log in addition to the job output
Read message classes and include them in the job log
Route the job log to message classes
Release the job log for printing and delete it

The relevant settings can be defined as a default setting in the agent's INI file or in the Job object. Job object specifications overrule the INI-file values. All settings can also be defined in the script via job attributes. Automic recommends specifying the configurationA set of constituent components that make up a system. This includes information on how the components are connected including the settings applied. that is used most in the INI file and jobs differing from this specification directly in the object or via script.

The following table contains all possible specifications for message classes. The entries of the column Job object correspond to the fields in the interface of the z/OS tab.

Job log handling	Job object	INI-file parameter	Job attribute
Complexity	With additional output	completeJobout=	MVS_COMPLETEJOBOUT
Job output	Msg Class	Not available	MVS_MSGCLASS
Identification	Obtain the following message class/classes	getMsgClass=	MVS_GETMSGCLASSES
Redirection	Route message class/classes to	routeMsgClass=	MVS_ROUTEMSGCLASS
Release for printing	Release	relMsgClass=	MVS_RELMSGCLASS
Deletion in JES spool	Purge	jobPurge=	MVS_JOBPURGE

It is possible to enter a message class on step level within a job in order to route particular messages and filter them.

Using an Output Management System

Some parameters must be specified if using an Output Management System such as BETA92:

Enter the message class in which the job output is stored.
It is important that this message class is read (perhaps other ones as well).
Define the message class which is assigned to the Output Management System and route the job log to it.

In some Output Management Systems, the Msgclass must be a write class - otherwise, it cannot be processed. Also, an external writer should not be connected to this class as the output would be processed from this writer.
The job log must not be deleted in the JES spool.

Use an extra message class for AE.

How the job-log routing is specified directly in the job is shown in the following illustration. The job writes its output in message class "B". This message class and class "A" are read. The order is significant when message classes are routed. Message class "A" is routed to "K" and "B" to class "J".