DADS Plus CICS batch job allocate fails with message DADSA687 not allocated RECALL IS PENDING.

Products

• DADS Plus

Issue/Introduction

The client cics region has been active for a few days. The client submits a DADS Plus CICS batch Interface job to allocate a VSAM file. The allocate of the batch job fails with a return code of 4 with the following message.
DADSA687 05:30:17 PMCSFOR1   JOBN=JSDSDRGO 'FILE'='DRGCVMS2' NOT ALLOCATED, RECALL IS PENDING. 

Environment

Z/OS

CICS

Resolution

In the DADS control file are the DADS global parameters. In CICS if you enter the DADC transaction at an clear screen and press enter you will see these parameters.

See chapter 4 DADS Plus Install Guide for the Global parameters

The parameter MIGRATEDDSN    ==>     N          is used by DADS to determine how to handle migrated Data sets.  

N is the default

N basically tells DADS  at CICS STARTUP time,or for batch interface jobs or ONLINE DADS Plus menu NOT TO  wait to allocate a file if the file is archived.

DADS Plus does not wait but it issues a RECALL request to unarchive the file. That's why you received the message below.

DADSA687 05:30:17 PMCSFOR1   JOBN=JSDSDRGO 'FILE'='DRGCVMS2' NOT ALLOCATED, RECALL IS PENDING.  

It is the USERS responsibility to allocate any RECALLED files after they are recalled.

Other options for  MIGRATEDDSN  are

B BYPASS   no recall done.
W Wait   for the file to be unarchived.

MOST clients use N. You DO NOT want DADS Plus to wait at CICS startup time for archived datasets. You can have a bunch of files archived for whatever reason and this can delay CICS initialization.
You could have archived data sets and software that is unarchiving the files may not be working and CICS will not initialize(control given to CICS). 
...
In the batch job I you receive the message below with a return code 4 which indicates a problem with the step. When sites run with the QUEUE option the return code is ZERO if CICS is DOWN and when CICS is active and all the requests- Files are successfully processed the return code is zero. 

FUNCTION=DADS,APPLID=(A11IC4S5,QUEUE)          
REQUEST=(A,F,FMMVSKEY)                         
CONDITION CODE=004 DADSA464 REQUEST COMPLETED, WITH WARNINGS.     
HIGH CONDITION CODE=004                                                

The DADSLOG will have the following entries.

DADSB962 15:53:41 A11IC4S5 JOBN=ALLOC  REQUEST(S) STARTED   FOR APPLID=A11IC4S5       01/23/2020 JOB#=0050402   
DADSB963 15:53:41 A11IC4S5 JOBN=ALLOC  REQUESTS  ALLOC/ENABLE    OF FILE =FMMVSKEY               JOB#=0050402   
DADSA687 15:53:41 A11IC4S5 JOBN=ALLOC  'FILE'='FMMVSKEY' NOT ALLOCATED, RECALL IS PENDING.  

Below is from the DADS Plus installation Guide chapter 4.

MIGRATEDDSN=WAIT/NOWAIT/BYPASS

This parameter controls what action is to be taken when an allocation request is
made for a data set, which is migrated by DFHSM.

Wait Wait for the data set to be recalled.

Nowait Issue the recall request to DFHSM and do not wait for the
recall to complete. Data set allocation must be requested after
the recall has completed.

Bypass Bypass data set allocation.