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:
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:
For context-based resource definitions, the checksum also omits the following CICSPlex® SM-only attributes:
|
- 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:
An "all-zeros" checksum value 00000000 indicates that either:
- No attributes were used in the checksum calculation
- All attributes used in the checksum had blank or default values
To hide the checksum column, either:
- Select the action bar choice, and then select .
- On the command line, enter:
CHECKSUM OFF
LIST checksums with resource type filter * to 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.