Using the Send Broadcast dialog

Notes:

  1. By default, you can use this facility only if you have a security authorization level of 9.
  2. The message will interrupt the recipient's current session, unless a receiving status has been set by the BRECEIVE command to prevent interruption, or the user is running a Windows script that cannot receive messages. If PCTRANSFER has been set then broadcasts are queued, regardless of the BRECEIVE setting.
  3. If you intend to broadcast a message to a Sysplex Group then, before proceeding, please review Broadcasting or sending a message to a Sysplex Group.

To specify the message details

Use these input fields in the Send Broadcast dialog:

Send to

Use the drop-down list associated with the left-hand field and, if applicable, the right-hand input field (see Note below) to specify the message destinations.
Note: If you select a value other than All Users then an additional input field will appear immediately to the right of the Send to field which enables you to specify a qualifying name or pattern. A pattern is a generic name where a '+' (plus) sign indicates one of any character, and a '*' (asterisk) symbol indicates any number of any character.
All Users All terminals logged in to IBM Session Manager.
Applid Users logged in to an applid, which may correspond to a VTAM or real applid, or an APPL statement name. Use the drop-down list associated with the additional input field to select a value, or use this field to specify a pattern.
Note: Applids view provides a list of applids - see Applids view.
Brdvar Users with a session which has been allocated an id-string. Use the drop-down list associated with the additional input field to select a value, or use this field to specify a pattern.
Note: The session can be active or inactive, so you can send a message to users of an abended application when it is has been restarted.
Group Users who are members of a group. Use the drop-down list associated with the additional input field to select the group name, or use this field to specify a pattern.
LU Terminals whose LU names match the name or pattern specified using the additional input field.
Profile Users or terminals whose PROFILEs match the name or pattern specified using the additional input field.
User Users whose userids match the name or pattern specified using the additional input field.
Note: You can also use the Send Message dialog (see Send Message dialog) from Users view to send a message to a particular terminal user.

Message

The text of the message.

Urgent

Overrides any inhibiting BRECEIVE setting in order to display the message immediately at the destination terminals. Use this parameter with consideration - if used for trivial messages then it might result in a certain amount of irritation.

Immediate

Causes the message to be sent immediately.
Note: If this value is selected then neither Hold for (see below) nor Hold until (see below) can be selected.

Hold for

Enables a message to be held for the (relative) period of time specified using the accompanying input fields.
Note: If this value is selected then neither Immediate (see above) nor Hold until (see below) can be selected.
The message is sent to the destination when that destination logs on, unless the time period has expired.

Hold until

Causes retention of the message until the time specified using the accompanying input fields, which may be up to 24 hours from the current time.
Note: If this value is selected then neither Immediate (see above) nor Hold for (see above) can be selected.
If the destination is a user or a terminal, after the message has been displayed at that destination during the login procedure it is not displayed again at subsequent logins. However, if the destination is a profile, or a group which may be used by a number of different users, then a user logging in several times will be presented with the message at each login.

To broadcast the message

Left-click the OK button. The Send Broadcast dialog will close and a Response pop-up box will appear, notifying you of the terminal users to whom the message has been broadcast. To close this pop-up box, left-click the OK button.

To cancel the operation

Left-click the Cancel button. The Send Broadcast dialog will close.

Broadcasting or sending a message to a Sysplex Group

If you broadcast or send a message to a Sysplex Group then, by default, the message will be distributed to all group nodes (that is, members). The global scope of these IBM Session Manager facilities can be changed by setting the variable t_global_msg in IBM Session Manager. A read-only variable, t_global_msgdef, reflects the value set by (SYSTEM statement) parameter SYSPLEXGROUP GLOBALMESSAGES.

If a message has been restricted in scope to the issuing IBM Session Manager node (by use of variable t_global_msg or the GLOBALMESSAGES sub-parameter of SYSPLEXGROUP) then only the issuing node will process it. Consequently, on whichever node you use to display held messages, all held messages will be listed irrespective of each message's scope.

This approach enables a newly started node to have access to all held messages previously generated.

Note: If all nodes in a Sysplex Group are shutdown then the held messages are lost. However, provided at least one node is active, the held messages will be maintained.

Related topics:

Parent topic: