Comparing a list panel of objects with a checksum column

On the list panel for each level of hierarchy in a CICS® configuration (Lists/ResDescs, Groups/ResGroups, and resource definitions), you can choose to display a checksum column. The checksums are 8-digit hexadecimal numbers calculated from the details of each list item. These provide an easy way to compare items: if you sort the list by this column, then items with identical checksums appear consecutively. Each list panel offers one or more type of checksum, depending on the hierarchical level. Each type of checksum is calculated from a different set of item details. Items with identical checksums have identical values for that set of details:

Table 1. Types of checksum for comparing items at each level of hierarchy in a CICS configuration
CICS configuration hierarchy level Checksum
Type Identical checksum values indicate identical… …based on a comparison of…
Lists or ResDescs GROUPS Groups or ResGroups Group or ResGroup names, and the order in which they are specified.

In a CSD-based CICS configuration, two lists may contain the same groups, but if the groups are specified in a different order in each list, then the lists will have different checksums.

In a context-based CICS configuration, the ResGroups in a ResDesc are processed in alphanumeric order of ResGroup name.

Groups or ResGroups FULL Resource definitions All attributes.
LIST Your choice of attributes for each resource type.
NAME Resource definition names and types.
PARTIAL A fixed subset of attributes defined by CICS Configuration Manager for each resource type.  1 
Resource definitions FULL Attribute values All attributes.
LIST Your choice of attributes for each resource type.
PARTIAL A fixed subset of attributes defined by CICS Configuration Manager for each resource type.  1 
CRITICAL

(only available under option 4.7 Matching checksums)

All attributes except for the following, which are not critical to the operation of the resource:
  • NAME (omitted for all resource types except MAPSET, PARTITIONSET, and PROGRAM, where the NAME attribute identifies a member name, and is not just a mnemonic)
  • DESCRIPTION
  • CHANGETIME (last modification)

For context-based resource definitions, the checksum also omits the following CICSPlex® SM-only attributes:

  • CREATETIME
  • DEFVER (definition version number)
  • USERDATA, USERDATA1, USERDATA2, and USERDATA3
 1 
To view the attributes included in a PARTIAL checksum, select Checksum LIST from the Checksum action bar choice. This displays a panel of attributes for the resource type that is currently shown in the filter field on the list panel of objects. If the resource type filter field contains an asterisk, then a pop-up window appears before the panel of attributes, prompting you to select a resource type. On the panel of attributes, a Checksum PARTIAL column value of "On" identifies attributes included in the PARTIAL checksum.

To compare a list panel of objects with a checksum column:

  1. Display the checksum column. To do this, either:
    • Select a checksum type from the Checksum action bar choice.or
    • On the command line, enter:

      CHECKSUM checksum_type

      where checksum_type is one of the types in the previous table.

  2. If you selected the LIST checksum type: a panel appears where you can choose the attributes used to calculate checksums for the resource type that is currently shown in the filter field on the list panel of objects. If the resource type filter field contains an asterisk, then a pop-up window appears before that panel of attributes, prompting you to select a resource type.

    CICS Configuration Manager saves the LIST checksum settings for each resource type in your ISPF profile.

  3. Sort the list panel by the checksum column. To do this, either select the column heading, or enter SORT CHECKSUM on the command line.

    Objects with identical checksums appear together.

    To compare the details of two objects side-by-side, type CM next to each object, and then press Enter. For more information on these comparisons, see Comparing two objects side-by-side.

An "all-zeroes" checksum value 00000000 indicates that either:

To hide the checksum column, either:

LIST checksums with resource type filter * (show all types):

You cannot use LIST checksums to identify resource definitions with a common subset of attribute values across resource types. This is because CICS Configuration Manager generates different LIST checksums for each resource type, even when the LIST checksums include the same attributes. So, even if you define LIST checksums for several resource types that include only a common subset of attributes, and then you set the resource type filter to *, only the resource definitions of the same type with those attribute values will appear together.


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Timestamp icon Last updated: Friday, 8 February 2013


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