Automatic transaction initiation (ATI)

The CICS® server API call EXEC CICS START allows a server program to start a transaction on a particular terminal. This mechanism, called Automatic Transaction Initiation (ATI), requires additional programming at the client side to handle the interaction between these transactions and normal client-initiated transactions.

ATIs are queued for a terminal while a transaction is in progress. By default ATI requests are held, and not started against a terminal. The CICS_EPIATIState function enables and disables ATI requests. If ATIs are enabled, they are run only when the terminal is in an idle state (no transaction is currently running against the terminal). The ATI is started when the CICS_EPI_EVENT_START_ATI event is retrieved.