Chapter 24: CICS Transaction Processing Fundamentals -- Further Reading

Books

"CICS: A Practical Guide to System Programming" by Raul Menendez and Doug Lowe This is the standard reference for CICS application development, covering the EXEC CICS command interface, pseudo-conversational design, BMS maps, and COMMAREA usage with extensive COBOL examples. The step-by-step approach to building a complete CICS transaction from screen design through program coding to deployment is unmatched in clarity. Available from Murach and Associates and major technical booksellers.

"Murach's CICS Desk Reference" by Raul Menendez This compact reference organizes every EXEC CICS command alphabetically with syntax, parameters, and COBOL code examples. It is designed for daily use at the programmer's desk and complements the tutorial text with quick-lookup capability. The reference also includes BMS macro syntax, EIB field descriptions, and CICS abend code tables. Available from the Murach website and major technical booksellers.

"CICS Transaction Server for z/OS: Application Programming Guide" by IBM IBM's official application programming guide covers every aspect of writing COBOL programs for CICS, from basic command-level programming through complex multi-program transaction design. The guide documents each EXEC CICS command with syntax diagrams, parameter descriptions, and exception conditions. While comprehensive, it serves as both tutorial and reference. Available through the IBM Documentation website.

Online Resources

IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS Documentation Library The complete CICS documentation library includes the Application Programming Guide, Application Programming Reference, BMS Guide, and System Definition Guide. The Application Programming Reference is particularly essential, as it provides the authoritative syntax and semantics for every EXEC CICS command available to COBOL programs. Search for "CICS Transaction Server for z/OS" on the IBM Documentation website.

IBM CICS Transaction Server Application Programming Reference The programming reference documents every EXEC CICS command in detail, including SEND MAP, RECEIVE MAP, RETURN, LINK, XCTL, and all file control, queue, and interval control commands. Each entry includes syntax, parameters, conditions, and usage notes. This is the definitive quick reference for CICS COBOL programming. Available on the IBM Documentation website under CICS Transaction Server publications.

GnuCOBOL and Open-Source CICS Alternatives While full CICS is an IBM product, the open-source community has developed CICS-like environments for learning and development. Projects such as the Open Mainframe Project's educational resources and various CICS simulators provide environments where COBOL programmers can practice CICS concepts without mainframe access. Search for "CICS emulator" and "Open Mainframe Project" on technical community websites.

IBM Documentation

IBM Redbook: "CICS and COBOL: A Practical Approach" This Redbook provides tutorial-style coverage of CICS COBOL programming with complete working examples that progress from simple screen inquiry programs to multi-map, multi-program transactions. The treatment of pseudo-conversational design patterns and COMMAREA management is especially practical. The JCL and CICS resource definition examples show the complete deployment process. Search for this title on the IBM Redbooks website.

IBM Redbook: "CICS Transaction Server: From Entry Level to Performance Expert" This comprehensive Redbook covers CICS from basic concepts through advanced performance tuning. The early chapters provide excellent context for understanding how CICS manages tasks, programs, and storage, which helps COBOL programmers write more efficient CICS applications. The performance chapters explain how pseudo-conversational design affects system throughput. Search for this title on the IBM Redbooks website.

IBM CICS BMS Guide The BMS guide documents the BMS macro language (DFHMSD, DFHMDI, DFHMDF) used to define screen maps, the physical and symbolic map generation process, and the relationship between BMS maps and COBOL copybooks. Understanding BMS at the map definition level is essential for building and maintaining CICS screens. Available on the IBM Documentation website under CICS Transaction Server publications.

Standards and Specifications

"CICS Application Design Best Practices" -- SHARE Conference Proceedings SHARE presentations on CICS application design provide insights from experienced CICS developers and IBM product architects. Topics include pseudo-conversational design patterns, COMMAREA versus channel/container migration strategies, and modernization approaches for legacy CICS applications. These presentations often include architectural diagrams and pattern catalogs not found in standard documentation. Available through the SHARE association website.

"Transaction Processing: Concepts and Techniques" by Jim Gray and Andreas Reuter This foundational computer science text covers the theoretical principles underlying transaction processing systems like CICS. Understanding ACID properties, two-phase commit, concurrency control, and recovery principles provides the conceptual framework for making informed design decisions in CICS application programming. Available from Morgan Kaufmann Publishers and major academic booksellers.