Assessing Errors

With online CA Dataquery, when an error occurs, an error message appears on the message line. You can press <PF1> HELP to get the Help Panel for Error Message. This panel provides an expanded explanation of the message. The information on the Help Panel for Error Message is designed for the end user.

The CA Dataquery Message Reference Guide provides error messages and explanations of those messages. The explanation included in the guide is more detailed and includes information for each audience that may deal with the error. There are some unnumbered batch error messages also included in that guide.

You can also receive CA Datacom/DB error messages and return codes from CA Dataquery. These error messages and return codes are described in the CA Datacom/DB Message Reference Guide.

Message Categories

The CA Dataquery error messages that you will handle fall into the following general categories:

Errors resulting from incorrectly specified System Option Table parameters
Errors resulting from problems with CA Datacom/DB (for example, MUF startup option specifications)
Errors resulting from CA Datacom Datadictionary definitions (for example, structures not defined)
Errors resulting from system tables not being large enough
Errors resulting from tables not being available

Each of these categories of errors has a suggested method for solving it.

Errors resulting from incorrectly specifying the System Option Table parameters are solved by locating the parameter, specifying the correct value, and reassembling the macro.

Errors resulting from problems with CA Datacom/DB are solved by locating the error message or return code in the CA Datacom/DB Message Reference Guide and following the instructions provided there.

Errors resulting from CA Datacom Datadictionary definitions are solved by locating the CA Datacom Datadictionary definition, or creating it if needed, and synchronizing the CA Datacom Datadictionary definition with the needs of CA Dataquery.

Errors resulting from system tables not being large enough are solved by enlarging the tables as described in Preparing and Maintaining the CA Dataquery System Tables.

Errors resulting from tables not being available are solved by determining the table that is not available, determining the reason that the table is not available, and either making the table available or communicating when it will be available.

When the error message directs you to contact CA Datacom support, and if you have a maintenance agreement, you need to do the following:

Document the steps that led up to the error.
Note the five-character ID of the panel on which the error message appeared.
Follow the instructions provided by the online HELP for the message.

When you have gathered all the materials, have one person from your site call support and take responsibility for getting the solution and communicating it. When many people call about a problem it complicates the situation. See the CA Dataquery Message Reference Guide for further instructions.