Customizing HCL Workload Automation for Z messages

All HCL Workload Automation for Z messages are prefixed by EQQ. They are normally written to the HCL Workload Automation for Z message log or ISPF dialog user. Messages can, however, be routed to other destinations as well. This is accomplished with the write-to-operator (WTO) routing codes.

For example, two network communication function (NCF) messages (EQQV028 and EQQV033) are defined to route as master console information messages (routing code 2). You can change this routing in the message members that hold the NCF messages. The member name for a particular message is simply the message number minus the last digit. For example, EQQV028 is found in member EQQV02. Each member, therefore, holds up to 10 messages.

Like ISPF messages, messages defined in the HCL Workload Automation for Z message library consist of two or more records. The first record holds the message number and keywords. The second record holds the message text.

A message definition with the following first line indicates that the corresponding message will be routed to the destination represented by routing code 2, in addition to being written to the message log:

Unmodified message record

 EQQV028  ' '  WTO=YES  ROUTE=2

To choose another destination, for example, routing code 8, modify this record to:

Modified message record

 EQQV028  ' '  WTO=YES  ROUTE=8

If you want to eliminate all destinations except the message log, remove the WTO and ROUTE keywords altogether. You can also add the WTO and ROUTE keywords to messages that normally appear only on the message log.

HCL Workload Automation for Z messages are stored in members of the message library data set that is created during installation. This data set contains messages for both the HCL Workload Automation for Z message log and the dialog user. The WTO and ROUTE keywords are not valid for dialog messages, which are read and displayed by ISPF dialog functions. It is not easy to distinguish between dialog messages and message-log messages because they use the same format. If you want to add the WTO or ROUTE keywords to a message, the safest way is to modify only messages that you have seen on the HCL Workload Automation for Z message log. Also, be aware that the messages written by the Daily Planning batch job in the data set pointed to by the EQQDIN ddname cannot be routed to the system log when you set the keyword WTO=YES.

The message library is a normal partitioned data set with 80-byte fixed-length records. If you want to modify one or more messages as described previously, you should create an additional message library and copy the relevant members to it from the message library. Then you can modify your own library, and leave the message library in the same state as when it was installed or updated by maintenance. You should then include your message library in the JCL for the started task, concatenated in front of the message library on the EQQMLIB DD statement.

If you create your own message library in this way, you must review any changes that occur in the message library as a result of maintenance activity.

Refer to z/OS Routing and Descriptor Codes for more information about routing codes.