SYSLOG

SYSLOG will usually be configured to be the default log on the system that can be accessed with the LOG command (the other most common option being OPERLOG)

If SYSLOG is not set to be the default, you can access it with LOG S command (if you have the sufficient authority)

The top of the SYSLOG contains fields that describe the characteristics of the log, including the name of it, the JES job number and the dataset number associated with the log, system ID, date, number of lines in the log, number of outstanding WTOR messagesetc.

When entering the log, you will be placed at the bottom, where the most recent data is placed. While the log will keep being updated while open, it will not update the display automatically, it will do so when you press the ENTER key.

Each line of data in the log is a maximum of 130 characters long and consist of multiple columns

The characters at the start of the line describe the record and request type
Common record types include

• N - normal, single line message
• M - Multi-line message
  And the common request types include
• C - Command
• R - Response to a command

What follows those is the routing code information for the first 28 routing codes (shown in hex)

The next column will display from which system name did the message originate, as well as a timestamp for it.

It also shows the TOS user / job DI / started task ID / or a multi-line ID associated with the message in the log.

The next column contains the user exit flag

And the final column, finally has the actual message .

The maximum length that the SYSLOG will display is 130 characters

WTOR messages

If you have the sufficient authority you can notice that when you access the log some messages at the bottom of the screen are displayed in a different colour.
Those messages are the WTOR (Write To Operator with Reply) messages. You can reply to those messages with the command line on the top of the screen

/02,U will reply with “U” to the WTOR message with the ID of 02

If those messages are not being displayed on your screen, you might not have the appropriate privileges granted by the administrator, or the ACTION command has been used to suppress them

ACTION command

You can enter te ACTION ? Command to check which WTOR messages are currently being displayed and which ones are currently being suppressed.

You can issue the command with different parameters to determine which WTORs to show or hide.

• ACTION 1 2 USER
  • Up to 4 routing codes can be specified in the command to be displayed. This command will display WTORs for routing codes 1, 2 and any of the organization’s own custom routing codes
• ACTION MVS
  • This will display WTORs for the action codes 1-12, which are reserved for MVS use
• ACTION ALL
  • This will display all WTOR messages incoming
• ACTION OFF
  • This will hide all WTOR messages

RSYS command

The RSYS command can also be used to limit the WTOR messages displayed in the SYSLOG and OPERLOG based on the system that produced the WTOR message.

RSYS ? Will display a pop up menu which will display what filter is currently enabled.

RSYS SYSTEMNAME can also be used to specify it without the use of the pop up menu.

SYSID command

You can issue SYSID ? Command to display the current SYSID setting, as well as a list of members within the MAS.

SYSID system can be used to display te SYSLOG for the specified system.