First Failure Data Capture (FFDC) records can be written in the
current working directory if the XMS library
code finds a condition that it cannot handle. If an FFDC record
is written, this often indicates a serious condition, and it is likely that XMS functions incorrectly
because of the same unhandleable condition.
The type of FFDC record that XMS generates
depends on the type of failure that has occurred. There are two distinct types
of FFDC record:
- The first type of FFDC record is sometimes, but not always, generated
as a result of a user's own application causing a failure, and usually results
in the application being terminated. This type of failure is often characterized
in the FFDC record as 'Unhandled Exception detected' or 'SIGNAL xx received'.
The FFDC record contains detailed information describing the cause of the
failure and also contains a function stack back-trace which shows the failing
function stack.
- The second type of FFDC record is generated by XMS itself
in cases where it has detected an unexpected condition. Generally, the application
continues to run but, depending upon the reason for which the FFDC record
was generated, XMS API
function calls may return negative responses.