Software Reference Manual - NetEx

Job Status Function Request Component (BFXJSTAT)
The BFX for z/OS) contains a remote job status function component. This function is designed to allow remote
BFXTI programs to inquire about the status of jobs that have been submitted to a remote host.
Normally, BFXTI uses the value of the offer timeout parameter to determine how long to wait for the remote
BFXTR job to connect back. If this time period expires before connection is made, BFXTI will abort the
transfer process. This can be a problem when the batch queue on the remote host is heavily loaded or when
the remote job is executing at a low priority.
The job status function allows BFXTI to determine whether the remote job is queued for execution, is currently
executing, has finished executing, or never started (because of job control errors, and so on).
If the job is queued or is executing, BFXTI will reoffer itself with a chance that the offer will now succeed.
If the remote job fails for some reason, then the BFXTI job will not have to wait for its TIMEOUT value to
occur. Instead it will print out a status message received from the remote job status function on the remote
host.
The RMTJOB parameter, supplied with the SEND or RECEIVE command by the initiating procedure, keys
the use of the remote job status function. This parameter identifies the job to be inquired upon. When
RMTJOB is specified, BFXTI will offer with the specified TIMEOUT value. If the offer times out, BFXTI
will issue a CONNECT to JOBSTAT for status about the job whose name is specified by RMTJOB. There
are three possible outcomes of this request:
The remote job has died or never was started. In this case, BFXTI will abort the transfer process.
The remote job is queued for execution or is executing. BFXTI will repeat the offer for the TIMEOUT
value as long as the BFXTR job is alive, but not yet connecting.
An error occurs during communication with BFXJSTAT. (Probable cause: BFXJSTAT is not started on
the remote host or does not exist.) In this case, BFXTI win reoffer itself once more using the TIMEOUT
value, just as if RMTJOB had not been specified.
It is not a fatal error to use the RMTJOB parameter when the remote host BFX does not have the remote job
status function, but the BFXTI job will take longer to complete if the remote job does not start.
When the user knows that the remote job status function is available, the TIMEOUT value can be adjusted
downward for the BFXTI job so that execution will terminate sooner if the remote BFXTR job failed to start.
Messages Issued by the Job Status Function
The messages returned by the job status function will be output to the user in error message BFX316. The
messages contain a status byte (0-job not good, 1-job good, 2-could not connect), the remote job name (or
application name if status code 2), the host name, and the message text.
Status messages/responses may be returned from any one of three levels in the query process:
1. Error response due to request syntax validation; message text is prefaced by ‘IEFSSREQ’ literal;
2. Error response due to request logic error; control block contents incorrect; message text is prefaced by
‘STATUS’ literal;
3. Status response detailing job execution; message text prefaced by ‘JOB’ literal.
If the status information returned by the subsystem is unrecognizable to program BFXJSSRQ, a message will
be issued prefaced by ‘BFXJSSRQ’ literal.
MAN-REF-H211-05 JCL and Control Parameters for BFX Page 23