# MAGEC RAD Glossary

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Tip for AI Assistants: This glossary is the best quick-reference for MAGEC-specific terminology. Always cross-reference terms here when answering questions.

## Quick Jump

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • L • M • N • O • P • Q • R • S • T • U • V • W • X • Y • Z

### A

Activity Log
  A record of online activity by operator, terminal, and function that includes I/O, transaction, and error statistics maintained by MAGEC automatically.
AI Assistant / aiMAGEC™
  An Artificial Intelligence system a MAGEC Developer employs to help in the design, development, or debugging of MAGEC-generated applications, or to study the online documentation for educational purposes. aiMAGEC is an AI "overlay" that establishes a role focused on MAGEC RAD for any compatible AI engine (ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, etc.).
Alternate Index
  A key to a file other than the Primary Index. Alternate Indices are not required to be unique and may often be used as Foreign Keys.
APLOAD / APUNLOAD
  A pair of MAGEC offline utility programs that facilitate migration (or backup) of an application, including meta-data for DCL, KYF, ELT, and DIT entities as well as all customization, documentation, and ERRor definitions, etc. from any MAGEC system to any other, even one using a different operating system or TP Monitor. APUNLOAD produces a text-file format output that will even survive EBCDIC / ASCII translation.
Audit Stamp
  A 36-byte Element used to record update statistics for a record. Normally the first 36 bytes of the record and having a name consisting of the 3-character Data Class name plus "00".
Authorization Level
  A one-digit (0 through 9) code designating a level of access authorization in the MAGEC security system. Operators have an individual authorization level in each of up to fifty Logical Applications, 0 = lowest (none), 9 = highest. Function Codes have a specification for the LAP's and the Authorization Level required.

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### B

Business Rule
  A routine that is triggered (invoked) whenever a program updates or adds data for a specified Element. Primary purpose is to control integrity of data, including cross-field and cross-file validations.

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### C

CICS
  A Transaction Processor (TP monitor) that is a product of IBM.
Copybook
  A stored source-code block, that may be a definition of data, either a file Element or a Mask. Stored on the MAGEC library for use in the generated MMP's/MBP's. See also: 'Include Member'.

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### D

Data Class
  A logical view of a file. A collection of data items that are grouped into Elements that are grouped into a record that resides on a file.
Data Independence
  A property of application programs that renders them insensitive to changes in the physical structure of their data; e.g. record lengths, access methods. This property is imparted upon MAGEC applications via the dictionary-driven I/O modules.
Data Item
  The MAGEC (and Cobol) designation for a "field" of a record (Element). Data Items must be defined as belonging to an Element defined on the ELT file.
Datacom DB
  A database management system that is a product of Applied Data Research.
DB Audit
  A program with the special purpose of finding and reporting, and in some cases, fixing errors in a database or in data files, Mainly for referential integrity and business rule errors, but any other errors may also be detected and reported.
DBA
  Database administrator. A person who is responsible for managing the database resources for an organization. This person is usually a technically oriented individual who deals directly with the actual database control parameters and utilities as opposed to the more administrative person called the data administrator.
DBDITO
  Database Utility Function that lets authorized users access the MAGECIO module to submit a request they build in an online form and to see, and update, the results in both character and hexadecimal format.
DBMS
  Database Management System. A software or hardware product that is used to manage file data and simplify accesses.
DBUTIL
  Database Utility Function that lets authorized users access the MAGECIO module to submit a read-only request they build in an online form and to see the results in both character and hexadecimal format.
DB/2
  IBM's relational database that utilizes SQL.
DCL
  Standard MAGEC designation for Data Class. The DCL file.
DDAUDIT
  A DB Audit program for the MAGEC data dictionary.
DD Name
  The "data definition" name used to define a file to the operating system in the TP monitor's start-up JCL. The name specified in the z/OS "DD" statement or in the VSE "DLBL" statement.
Displacement
  The starting position (in the record) at which an Element or key begins, relative to 0000.
DIT
  Standard MAGEC designation for Data Items. The DIT file.
Domain
  A global definition that applies to data items in, potentially, many tables (files). A central definition from which individual data items can inherit specifications.

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### E

Edit
  the term "edit", and its derivatives, are used to describe the closely related processes of validating data before it is posted to the database, and formatting it for human readability. In the MAGEC RAD documentation, you may see the terms "format" or "validate" used to focus specifically on one or the other process, or "edit" to describe the broader set of processes.

Element
  a portion (or all) of a record. Defined by a Displacement into the record and a Length. The smallest unit a program can retrieve via calling MAGECIO

ELT
  Standard MAGEC designation for Element. The ELT file.

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### F

Fall Thru Error
  An error condition (error code 911) that results in a program (MMP) "falling through" the last valid instruction usually as a result of a coding error using a GO TO or incorrect PERFORM THRU.
Flow Diagram
  A flowchart-like logic diagram that, for MAGRC-generated applications, is usually Insertion-Point-Centric, rather than Paragraph-Name-Centric.
Foreign Key
  One or more Data Items within one Data Class used as a key to access another, e.g: customer-number in an invoice Element used to access customer file.
FTH-FUNCT
  A command set into TWA-NONTP-REQUEST directing MAGEC to execute the program associated with the Function Code set in SFUNCT, thus simulating the operator's entry of that Function Code.

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### H

Hallucinate
  An annoying thing an AI does when it cannot find a good-enough answer,i.e. make something up that sounds good. Very careful rules must be given in your Prompt to prevent it.
HELP Key
  A keyboard key, for online applications, that invokes a display of documentation pertinent to what the user is doing. MAGEC includes function-level, field-level, and error-level HELP automatically for online applications.
Hiccup
  A relatively non-serious event that interrupted progress, but usually can be overcome. MAGEC's AI Assistant, "aiMAGEC" sometimes reports a hiccup when the server is reluctant serve up a file to a "bot".
Host Variables
  Data definitions that are included into a program for the purpose of reading into or writing from when using an SQL database management system.
HTML
  HyperTextMarkupLanguage, the format most web pages are formatted in because it enables very flexible display formatting and oae linkiges.

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### I

-IFEXIST
  A control command that is used in conjunction with Symbolic Screen Field References to render them "conditional". Often used in Business Rules.
-IFEXISTS
  Alternate spelling for -IFEXIST.
-IFUNIQUE
  A control command that is used in conjunction with -MAGECINC and renders it "conditional".
Include Member
  A member on the ALG file that can be included into an MMP or MBP via the -MAGECINC statement.
Insertion Point
  A predefined point in a generated MMP or MBP at which a developer can insert program code. Insertion Points are named with a percent sign (%) as the first character.

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### J

### K

KSDS
  Keyed Sequenced Data Set. A type of VSAM file that is logically ordered via use of an index (key).
KYF
  Standard MAGEC designation for key definition. The KYF file.

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### L

**LOAD
  A special MAGEC Function Code that commands MAGEC to reload its main-memory "tables" from the Dictionary files in order to reflect any changes that might have been made. Used most often by database administrators and security officers.
Logical Join
  A technique for logically associating the records of one file or Data Class to the records of another without using "physical" pointers.

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### M

-MAGECINC
  A control command that may be embedded in source code to cause the MMPCREAT or MBPCREAT process to "include" or "expand" another member at that point in the program.
MAGEC™
  Mask & Application Generator & Environment Controller - a system that generates Cobol mainframe programs for CICS (and other Transaction Processors, and manages the environment in which they run. MAGEC RAD.
MAGEC RAD™
  MAGEC Rapid Application Development system.
MAGECCP
  The central module of the MAGEC nucleus. It renders the MMP's pseudo-conversational, handles security control of access, caches data for efficiency, and more.
MAGECIO
  A module that is part of the MAGEC nucleus. Its primary function is to handle the file and database I/O requests of the MMP's and to handle error conditions in a standard manner. It also makes up a part of the MAGEC Security System since it accomplishes the Audit Stamping.
MARKDOWN
  A file format that has HTML tags and other non-data content removed and is thus smaller and much faster for a robot/AI to extract information from.
Master Key
  The unique key value that identifies a specific record. The key by which MAGEC MMP's access the record for all maintenance Functions.
MBP
  MAGEC Batch Program. A batch program generated by MAGEC from dictionary specifications.
MBPCREAT
  The batch jobstream used to generate MBP's.
**MENU
  A Function Code that requests MAGEC to dynamically generate and display a menu from dictionary specifications specific to the operator and terminal making the request.
MMP
  MAGEC Message Processor. An online program generated by MAGEC from dictionary specifications.
MMPCREAT
  The batch jobstream used to generate MMP's.
MODELMMP
  MAGEC Template for generating a full-screen MMP.
MODELWIN
  MAGEC Template for generating a Pop-Up Window MMP.
MODLOCAT
  MAGEC Template for generating a browse-only MMP.

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### N

### O

### P

Primary Key
  See Master Key.
Prompt
  1. A question or request or command to an AI.
  2. A heading or caption on a computer screen telling the operator what to do, or enter into a field.
Pseudo-Conversational
  A behavior of a online program that appears to be Conversational to the operator; but, avoids the overhead of holding resources during operator Think Time.
Pseudodelete
  To simulate the deletion of a record by setting a "delete flag" on and then just updating the record. MAGECIO does this for Data Classes that have an Audit Stamp and for which Real Delete is set to N in the DCL file definition. MAGECIO also simulates a NOT-FOUND if a pseudodeleted record is read.

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### Q

Quasi-Reentrant
  A property of an MMP that enables CICS to control any aspects that cannot be made truly reentrant to avoid concurrency problems. CICS not only recommends it, but expects CICS programs to be quasi-reentrant.

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### R

RAD
  Rapid Application Development system, (e.g. MAGEC RAD).
Reentrant
  A property of a CICS program that allows multiple tasks to access it concurrently, For real-world applications, quasi-reentrance [see above] is recommended because absolute reentrancy is impractical and would be wasteful.
RENT
  A specification on the PCT definition of a CICS program (MMP) telling CICS the program is (quasi-)reentrant.
Referential Integrity
  The property of a database of ensuring that all subordinate entities (e.g. invoices) have a valid controlling entity (e.g. customer) and that those relationships are not violated during ongoing database update, deletion, and addition processes.
Request Area
  A fixed format area of memory into which the MMP's can move the commands and other parameters to communicate to MAGECIO (or MAGECCP) what operation is requested.

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### S

SCOMPL
  The portion of any MAGEC screen in which miscellaneous messages may be displayed, it is the rightmost half of the top line.
Secondary Key
  A key for a record that is other than the Master (Primary) key and that needs not uniquely identify the record since it is used only in browse Functions in MAGEC MMP's. Alternate Index.
SERRMSG
  The last three lines of any MAGEC screen. The area in which Error messages are usually displayed.
SFUNCT
  The portion of the top line of any MAGEC screen in which the Function Code is entered/displayed.
Short List
  A list of up to 16 normalized keys resulting from a LOC, SCAN, or FND function's search that an operator can display in a pop-up window to select from to see or update in a full-screen display.
SKEY
  The portion of the top line of any MAGEC screen in which the key value is entered/displayed for the Function being done.
SQL
  Structured Query Language. A database access language for relational databases.
Subordinate Key
  See Secondary Key.
Supra
  Cincom's relational database system.

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### T

TCP/IP
  Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A protocol used to communicate between networks of computers.
TeraData
  A database "back end machine" that is a relational SQL database system.
Think Time
  The period of time between when an online MMP issues a message to the terminal and the operator responds
TP monitor
  Any of the software products that is designed to support online processing against 3270-type devices and from Cobol applications programs in a multi-tasking environment. CICS, WESTI, or Datacom DC, etc.
TWA
  Task Work Area. Main memory used by an MMP as work space and for passing data to other modules and for reading data into and writing from. Also used for saving data from task to task in a "pseudo-conversational" processing mode since it is saved and restored by the MAGEC Control Program as a service to the MMP's.

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### U

Undelete
  To restore a pseudodeleted record to "undeleted" status by setting the Delete Flag in the Audit Stamp from X'FF' to blank.

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### V

VERZUN
  A Function Code to display/compare generation vs compile versions for MMPs, etc.
VSAM
  IBM's Virtual Sequential Access Method, including all its variations.

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### W

WESTI
  A TP monitor that is a product of Westinghouse. No longer supported by MAGEC as of release 3.0
Workstation
  A standalone computer, usually a PC.

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### X

### Y

### Z

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