AID Keys

When entering the data on the screen, CICS required some keys to identify the end of the input. CICS detects only those keys to understand the end of the input by the user.

Those keys are called AID keys and that includes ENTER, PF1 to PF24, PA1 to PA3 and CLEAR. AID keys are abbreviated as Attention IDentifier keys.

Once the AID key entered, the CICS continue with processing the input to get the results. AID keys are identified by using EIBAID field is 1-byte length.

AID keys are included in the application program by copying copy library member (COPY DFHAID). Some of the AID keys are used for various functions like clear the screen etc and not used to specify the end of the input. DFHAID Copybook layout with full set of keys specified below -

COPY DFHAID.

The copybook expansion look like -

01    DFHAID.                             
   02  DFHNULL   PIC  X  VALUE IS ' '.     
   02  DFHENTER  PIC  X  VALUE IS ''''.    
   02  DFHCLEAR  PIC  X  VALUE IS '_'.     
   02  DFHCLRP   PIC  X  VALUE IS '¦'.     
   02  DFHPEN    PIC  X  VALUE IS '='.     
   02  DFHOPID   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'W'.     
   02  DFHMSRE   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'X'.     
   02  DFHSTRF   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'h'.     
   02  DFHTRIG   PIC  X  VALUE IS '"'.     
   02  DFHPA1    PIC  X  VALUE IS '%'.     
   02  DFHPA2    PIC  X  VALUE IS '>'.     
   02  DFHPA3    PIC  X  VALUE IS ','.     
   02  DFHPF1    PIC  X  VALUE IS '1'.     
   02  DFHPF2    PIC  X  VALUE IS '2'.     
   02  DFHPF3    PIC  X  VALUE IS '3'.     
   02  DFHPF4    PIC  X  VALUE IS '4'.     
   02  DFHPF5    PIC  X  VALUE IS '5'.     
   02  DFHPF6    PIC  X  VALUE IS '6'.     
   02  DFHPF7    PIC  X  VALUE IS '7'.     
   02  DFHPF8    PIC  X  VALUE IS '8'.     
   02  DFHPF9    PIC  X  VALUE IS '9'.     
   02  DFHPF10   PIC  X  VALUE IS ':'.     
   02  DFHPF11   PIC  X  VALUE IS '#'.     
   02  DFHPF12   PIC  X  VALUE IS '@'.     
   02  DFHPF13   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'A'.     
   02  DFHPF14   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'B'.     
   02  DFHPF15   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'C'.   
   02  DFHPF16   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'D'.   
   02  DFHPF17   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'E'.   
   02  DFHPF18   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'F'.   
   02  DFHPF19   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'G'.   
   02  DFHPF20   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'H'.   
   02  DFHPF21   PIC  X  VALUE IS 'I'.   
   02  DFHPF22   PIC  X  VALUE IS '¢'.   
   02  DFHPF23   PIC  X  VALUE IS '.'.   
   02  DFHPF24   PIC  X  VALUE IS '<'.

How the AID Keys Handled in Program?

These AID keys can handle in application program using HANDLE AID Command.