Function
Causes a question to be sent to the CENTRAL console, the cluster console, the monitoring file system or combinations thereof.
Format
QUESTION routing parameter,text
As in the DISPLAY command, the routing parameter is a number (0, 1, 2 or 3). If the job is a background job, this parameter must not be 0.
The text, which should be a question, may be up to 40 characters long. Any excess characters will be lost.
Forbidden contexts
NO USER, BREAK-IN
Execution
If the routing parameter is 0, the message
QUESTION TO USER: text
is sent to the monitoring file system (DISPLAY category). The
text is the second parameter of the QUESTION command. No output
is sent to the operator's console.
If the routing parameter is 1, the message
user name,job name QUESTION:
text
is sent to the cluster console (which will be the central console if the
user's terminal does not belong to a remote cluster). The
user name and job name are those of the job from which the
QUESTION command was issued, and the text is the second parameter
of the QUESTION command. This message is repeated periodically until an
ANSWER command is given. In
this case, a message is also sent to the monitoring file system (DISPLAY
category); this has the form
QUESTION: text
Either the operator or the user (in a MOP job) may reply to a question by means of an ANSWER command. If the user wishes to give the answer, he must first break in. The job will wait until an answer has been given.
If the routing parameter is 2, the action is the same as if it were 0 and additionally the message is sent to the central console. This value is for use in jobs initiated from remote clusters.
If the routing parameter is 3, the action is the same as for 2 and 1 combined.
Examples
QUESTION 0,WHICH INPUT FILE FOR THE PROGRAM?
QUESTION 1,IS (1234)(*MT) LOADED?
Notes
If the question is to be output on a console, it will be repeated at the interval specified in the installation parameter MESSAGETIME.
Error Messages
INVALID ROUTING PARAMETER
TRACING AND REPORTING ARE SUCH THAT YOU WILL GET NO OUTPUT FROM THIS
COMMAND