How to turn on Aux trace in CICS

The CICS INTERNAL trace stays on always. But it doesn't get externalized, so the trace data may not be available when you need it. When trace data is needed, you can turn on Aux Trace by changing the Auxiliary Trace Status to "Stopped" to "Started" using CETR transaction. The Aux Trace data set has initial value of A which is defined as DFHAUXT in the CICS started task. When A gets filled, it automatically switches to B which is defined as DFHBUXT in the started task. When B gets filled the status changes to STOPPED. You can do a STANDARD trace or a SPECIAL trace (with only the components that you want to trace - Standard usually captures lot more data than required). To set up values for special tracing, press PF4 and set the values under "special" as needed. The component abbreviations are defined in the help screen (press PF1). Once you make the required changes in this screen, press PF5 to define the transaction for which you want Aux trace turned on.

CETR                CICS Trace Control Facility                   
CICTTOR
Type in your choices.
Item                              Choice       Possible choices
Internal Trace Status       ===>  STARTED      STArted, STOpped
Internal Trace Table Size   ===>  400     K    16K - 1048576K
Auxiliary Trace Status      ===>  STOPPED      STArted, STOpped, Paused
Auxiliary Trace Dataset     ===>  A            A, B
Auxiliary Switch Status     ===>  NO           NO, NExt, All
GTF Trace Status            ===>  STOPPED      STArted, STOpped
Master System Trace Flag    ===>  OFF          ON, OFf
Master User Trace Flag      ===>  OFF          ON, OFf
When finished, press ENTER.
PF1=Help    3=Quit    4=Components    5=Ter/Trn    6=JVM    9=Error List

From the main CETR screen, press PF4 to get to the Component Trace Options screen where you can set the options for Standard and/or Special trace options.

CETR                    Component Trace Options                   
CICxxxx
Over-type where required and press ENTER.                         PAGE 1 OF 4
Component Standard                           Special
--------  --------------------------------------------------------------
  AP      1                                  1-2
  BA      1                                  1-2
  BM      1                                  1
  BR      1                                  1-2
  CP      1                                  1-2
  DC      1                                  1
  DD      1                                  1-2
  DH      1                                  1-2
  DM      1                                  1-2
  DP      1                                  1-2
  DS      1                                  1-2
  DU      1                                  1-2
  EI      1                                  1-2
  EJ      1                                  1-2
  EM      1                                  1-2
  FC      1                                  1-2
  GC      1                                  1-2
PF:  1=Help   3=Quit   7=Back  8=Forward  9=Messages   ENTER=Change

From the main CETR screen, press PF1 to get to this Trace Help screen where you can see the meanings of component abbreviations.

CETR             Help:  CICS Component Trace

(3) MEANINGS OF COMPONENT ABBREVIATIONS.

AP . . . Application domain            IE . . . ECI over TCP/IP domain
BA . . . Business Application Manager  II . . . IIOP domain
BM . . . Basic Mapping Support         IS . . . ISC
BR . . . Bridge                        KC . . . Task Control
CP . . . CPI-C interface               KE . . . Kernel
DC . . . Dump compatibility layer      LC . . . Local Catalog domain
DD . . . Directory manager             LD . . . Loader domain
DH . . . Document Handler domain       LG . . . Log Manager domain
DM . . . Domain Manager domain         LM . . . Lock Manager domain
DP . . . Debugging Profiles domain     ME . . . Message domain
DS . . . Dispatcher domain             MN . . . Monitoring domain
DU . . . Dump domain                   NQ . . . Enqueue Manager
EI . . . Exec interface                OT . . . Object Transaction domain
EJ . . . Enterprise Java domain        PA . . . Parameter Manager
EM . . . Event Manager domain          PC . . . Program control
FC . . . File control                  PG . . . Program Manager domain
GC . . . Global Catalog domain         PI . . . Pipeline Manager domain
IC . . . Interval control              PT . . . Partner Management

PF 3=End  7=Back  8=Next  ENTER=End

From the main CETR screen, press PF9 to get to this "Transaction and Terminal Trace" screen where you can set the transaction name and/or terminal name that needs to be traced.

CETR                    Transaction and Terminal Trace            xxx
CICxxxx
Type in your choices.
Item                              Choice       Possible choices
Transaction ID              ===>               Any valid 4 character ID
Transaction Status          ===>               STandard, SPecial, SUppressed
Terminal ID                 ===>               Any valid Terminal ID
Netname                     ===>               Any valid Netname
Terminal Status             ===>               STandard, SPecial
Terminal VTAM Exit Trace    ===>               ON, OFf
Terminal ZCP Trace          ===>               ON, OFf
VTAM Exit override          ===>  NONE         All, System, None
When finished, press ENTER.
PF1=Help      3=Quit      6=Cancel Exits      9=Error List

To print the trace data use the following job or use IPCS to analyze the trace data.

//PRINT    EXEC PGM=DFHTU640   <-- Program namechanges depending on the CICS version
//STEPLIB  DD   DSN=xxx.SDFHLOAD,DISP=SHR
//DFHAUXT  DD   DSN=xxx.DFHBUXT,DISP=SHR
//DFHAXPRT DD   SYSOUT=*
//DFHAXPRM DD   *
ABBREV
/*
//*TASKID=(74082)
//*TYPETR=(APE160,AP3180)