z/OS User Exits › z/OS Batch User Exits › TIRRETCX—Batch Return Code Override Exit › Purpose

Purpose

The Batch Return Code Override Exit allows the user to override the CA Gen defined COBOL return code in batch job steps. It is called by the Batch Manager at the end of each job step, and by program TIRIOVFI.

The COBOL return code is used by CA Gen to implement transfer dialog flows in batch jobs. Due to the implications of the return code on job step execution, be sure you understand the behavior of JCL condition codes before modifying this exit.

The return code may be safely overridden if either:

• There is only one procedure step executed by the job, or
• All exit states in the job’s procedure steps cause a transfer either to the same procedure step (self-referencing flow) or to the next procedure step (no job steps are bypassed).

Under these conditions, all steps in the job are executed in order and the condition code may be safely set to another value (e. g., zero). If this is not the case, you must restructure the batch procedure or modify the JCL to prevent improper attempted execution of the job steps. An attempt to execute a job step without the proper control data in the TIRIOVF file will result in an ABEND.

Note that return codes are not used in the TSO testing of batch applications. Overflowing the return code will have no effect on the TSO testing of batch procedures.