Murach's CICS for the COBOL Programmer (Paperback)

by Raul Menendez (Author), Doug Lowe (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"I purchased your CICS book and was productive while other people in the CICS training class were trying to figure out what IBM was saying in the manuals."

Product Description
Join the more than 150,000 programmers who have learned CICS using our CICS books alone. Now, our two-part CICS for the COBOL Programmer has been revised into a single volume that meets today’s need for fast-paced training. You get all the commands and features that are current today—plus, new chapters on creating web or component-based programs—in just 630, information-packed pages. You’ll start off with the basics that you need for every CICS program you write:

how to use basic mapping support (BMS) to define the screens your programs use pseudo-conversational programming...what it is, why you have to use it, and how it complicates the logic in a COBOL program

the CICS commands for terminal handling, VSAM file handling, and program control

how to design a CICS program using event-driven design so it’s easier to code, test, debug, and maintain

how and when to use temporary storage queues instead of the communication area to pass data between program executions

how to use IBM-supplied transactions like CEMT, CECI, and CEDF to simplify testing and debugging

Then, you’ll see the design and code for a complete application consisting of four interrelated CICS programs…a great way to solidify your new CICS skills.

But that’s not all. You’ll also learn about the commands and techniques you need for special purposes. Like processing VSAM files sequentially. Accessing records by an alternate index. Handling DB2 data (this chapter assumes you already know DB2, so if you need some training, please see our DB2 books on pages 5-6). Scheduling a task for execution. Using the error recovery features that come into play when a task or CICS abends. Using the intercommunication features of CICS, including Distributed Program Link and EXCI, so that resources can be shared across remote systems. Handling outdated code as you maintain older programs.

Beyond the commands and coding features, however, there are two chapters of special interest for creating new applications:

how to design and code programs in which the presentation logic (the code that handles the interaction with the user at a terminal) is separated from the business logic (the code that processes the data)…This makes it feasible to create programs with front-ends in languages like Java or Visual Basic, leaving CICS on the back-end to do what it does best: process transactions

how to design and code CICS programs for the web (probably the most compelling reason for separating the presentation logic from the business logic)

So if you’re new to CICS, you’ll learn the best development techniques as well as all the coding details for creating today’s applications. If you have some CICS experience, you’ll add to your skills in record time. Either way, you’ll gain an understanding of CICS that makes it easier handle each new programming challenge. So get your copy of Murach’s CICS for the COBOL Programmer today!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 633 pages
• Publisher: Mike Murach & Associates; 1st edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189077409X
• ISBN-13: 978-1890774097
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #92,440 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone wanting to learn CICS programming, June 7, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Murach's CICS For The Cobol Programmer is a complete training manual for CICS so well written and presented that the novice will rapidly become proficient in designing, coding, and testing CICS programs. All the features programmers use regularly on the job are featured including those for VSAM file handling, editing input data, controlling the display of data at a terminal, DB2 data access, error processing, and debugging. Programmers are also provided with an overview of how CICS can be used for web-based applications, including the design and coding considerations involved. Murach's distinctive and "learner friendly" paired-pages style is followed throughout with the illustrations and crucial coding details for a single feature or function on the right-hand page, while the left-hand page offers extra explanation and perspective. Murach's CICS For The Cobol Programmer is a "must" for anyone wanting to learn CICS programming and operation.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn to write good Command Level CICS applications fast!, May 22, 2001

By	Jay Moseley (Abilene, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

CICS for the COBOL Programmer is an update to Murach's two volume CICS set utilizing their "paired page" format that makes the material incredibly easy to read and use. The intended audience is experienced COBOL programmers who need to learn Command Level CICS programming, from basic concepts to writing moderately complex applications quickly.

The first four sections introduce basic concepts and command syntax in a graduated style, so that at the conclusion the reader has been presented with all of the knowledge required to analyze the requirements, plan a structured design, and implement a moderately complex application consisting of several programs. The design techniques utilized incorporate the top-down structured approach that is most widely practiced in real world environments and is identical to that employed in Murach's Structured COBOL. Techniques for debugging abends are also presented.

Chapters covering advanced file and database handling techniques follow the introductory sections. Advanced VSAM file handling presented includes browsing files and accessing VSAM files utilizing alternate indexes. An overview of working with DB2 databases is included, although developing proficiency in CICS/DB2 applications will most likely require acquisition of an advanced text concentrating on this specialized topic.

The final section presents advanced CICS features and commands, such as concurrent task management, inter-region communication, distributed processing, and modular application development, including development of Web enabled CICS applications. Information is also included which may be necessary to maintain older CICS code, which may use now obsolete coding techniques.

I am very pleased to see the addition of this title to Murach's catalog. It has troubled me that the textbook that I learned Command Level CICS from has been long out of print, along with a couple of additional introductory textbooks that I acquired across the years. Now there is a book available to recommend when I encounter someone who is trying to learn CICS.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is going to be my desk-top CICS reference book, May 28, 2001

By A Customer

An uncluttered layout and clear text make this the best textbook I've read in a very long time. You can see the code (or list of command options or diagram) on the right page, and read the explanation of the command on the left page. It's much easier than going back and forth trying to find a code example.

I was looking to fill in gaps in my knowledge, so I liked the way each topic stands alone. You can just look up VSAM browses or SQL commands or MRO without having to read the chapters leading up to it. I'm going to use this as a reference book. It has everything I need.

It was funny that the last two chapters were one on using CICS with web browsers and another on obsolete terms, like BLL-CELLS. I guess it's a reminder that CICS is still a developing system and we have to keep our knowledge fresh!