Environment
Situation
Resolution
One way to run applications that interact with application programs running within a given CICS region on the IBM mainframe is by calling a transaction via Distributed Program Link (DPL).
The DPL method involves passing 0-32,500 bytes of information in a structure called a COMMAREA. This COMMAREA is processed by the application program residing in the mainframe CICS region, and the output from that mainframe program is returned to the client program in a similar COMMAREA.
Although IBM enhanced CICS to provide the option of passing data via "Containers," which can far exceed the 32,500-byte limit, Verastream Bridge Integrator and Verastream Transaction Integrator do not support the use of CICS Containers.
When using the DPL method with Verastream Bridge Integrator or Verastream Transaction Integrator, data is exchanged via the DFHCOMMAREA, and the limit is 32,500 bytes.
Note: This limit honors IBM's long-standing restrictions for maximum COMMAREA length.