Chapter 2. IPCS-The Interactive Problem Control System Introduction The Interactive Problem Control System (IPCS) is a group of CMS commands which,
when used in the VM/370 Control Program, track and report both CP and non-CF
problems. The IPCS commands are: DUMPSCIN--which allows you to inspect CP dumps that the VMFDUMP command has
converted to CMS files. It prompts
you for the dump number and filemode,
and it lets you enter subcommands to
display specific parts of the dump and
to locate data and addresses. PRB--which allcws you to update the
status, last update function,
severity, and PTF (program Temporary
Fix) files of the symptom summary
record fer a problem. PROB--which allows you to describe a
problem that is not a CP abend, or to
add information to an existing problem
report (whether or not it is a CP abend). It prompts you for all the
necessary information about the
problem.
STAT-- which
list of the
that you can
also request
problem cr a
display it at
allows you to produce a
status of all problems
print or type. You can
the status of a single
subset of problems and
the terminal. VMFDUMP--which allows CP dumps into CMS problem reports, and
duplicate problems.
you to convert
files, create
search for
All that is necessary to use the IPCS commands is that the command modules
be installed on your VM system and
that the modules and IPCS files be
available to the appropriate users. IPCS REPORT FILES usually, all IPCS files reside on the
A-disk of the user responsible for
maintaining yeur VM/370 system. All files
associated with a given problem (such as a
dump or supplementary files) are of the
form:
PRBnnnnn filetype
The numher assigned to the preblem by IPCS is indicated by nnnnn and the filetype is
ene of the following: DUMP--a CMS file; the cutput of the VMFDUMP command. REPORT--the report generated by the PROB command or the VMFDUMP command.
(One exists for each preblem kncwn te
the system.)
OTHER IPCS FILES Other IPCS files include the NUC MAP file,
the STITALL LOCIL file. the summary recerd,
and the symptom summary. NUC MAP is the nucleus load map of the CP dump being analyzed. It ·centains every
module name and entry peint in the CP nucleus and is required by the VMFDUMF command for successful analysis of the
dump. An abtreviated version of the NUC MAP is appended to the VMFDUMP and is used
by the DUMPSCAN command.
The S7ATALL LCCAL file contains the
status of all problems known te the system
and is created by the STAT command when entered with the ALL operand.
The summary record centains the next
available protlem number. It is a single
eO-character record that is assigned to a
problem when it is reported. The number is
then increased by 1 and the summary record
is rewritten.
The symptom summary contains the
symptoms and status of each problem known
to the system. There is cne sy.ptom summary control record for each that is
created and placed in this file by the PROE and VMFDUMP commands. These records are
displayed by the STAT cemmand and updated by the PRB command. They are alse used to identify possible duplicate problems as
they are added to this file. ChaFter 2. IPCS--The Interactive Problem Centrol system 17
CP ABEND DUMPS During system generation a user is
designated to receive CP abend dumps. If an atend occurs when SET DUMP AUTO is in
effect, and sufficient contiguous space is
available in the CP paging area, the abend
will aFpear in the designated user's
virtual reader. The user can then use the 18 IBM VMj370 Service Routines Program Logic VMFDUMP command to read the spool file,
create a CMS file containing the dumF, and
print it.
After a CP dump is created, any user who
has access to the IPCS commands and files
can use them to examine the dump, the problem report, and the status of the
problem. Eowever, an IPCS file must be on
the user's A-disk for him to uFdate it.
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