---
title: "CICS Files, What’s CONSISTENT Option"
description: "A tricky file handling option in CICS is CONSISTENT. CICS handles integrity in two ways. There are two ways -One way is read waits till update completes, and option -2 is first READ completes and then..."
url: https://srinimf.com/2016/02/23/cics-file-read-command-option-consistent/
date: 2016-02-23
modified: 2026-10-10
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-photo-6801651.jpeg?fit=1880%2C1253&ssl=1
categories: ["CICS"]
tags: ["cics commands", "CICS tips and Tricks"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# CICS Files, What’s CONSISTENT Option

A tricky file handling option [in CICS](https://srinimf.com/2016/01/20/5-thoughts-on-cics-ridfld-updating-a-vsam-record/) is CONSISTENT. CICS handles integrity in two ways. There are two ways -One way is read waits till update completes, and option -2 is first READ completes and then UPDATE completes.

Related[CICS: GETMAIN Vs FREEMAIN to Manage Storage](https://srinimf.com/2016/03/16/4-most-popular-technics-for-managing-storage-with-getmain-and-freemain-in-cics/)

## **Details of CICS READ**

The record is read with a level of read integrity provided by a VSAM shared lock that lasts for the duration of the request.

Related: [2016 HOT IT SKILLS -Apply Today](https://srinimf.com/2015/12/13/the-10-best-it-skills-in-2016/)

### If the record is being modified by another task, which therefore holds an exclusive lock, the READ request waits until the update is complete (unless NOSUSPEND is also specified) as follows:

- For a READ request against a non-recoverable file, the READ completes as soon as any VSAM request performing the update completes.
- For a READ request against a recoverable file, the READ request completes when the updating task completes its next sync point or rollback.

CICS READ Syntax from IBM manual:

```
READ--FILE(filename)--+------------------------------+------->
                         +-UNCOMMITTED------------------+   
                         +-CONSISTENT-------------------+   
                         +-REPEATABLE-------------------+   
                         '-UPDATE--+------------------+-'   
                                   '-TOKEN(data-area)-'     

>--+-INTO(data-area)-+--RIDFLD(data-area)----------------------->
   '-SET(ptr-ref)----'                      

>--+------------------------------------+----------------------->
   '-KEYLENGTH(data-value)--+---------+-'   
                            '-GENERIC-'     

>--+--------------------------------------+--+--------+--------->
   +-SYSID(systemname)--LENGTH(data-area)-+  +-DEBKEY-+   
   '-LENGTH(data-area)--------------------'  +-DEBREC-+   
                                             +-RBA----+   
                                             +-RRN----+   
                                             '-XRBA---'   

   .-EQUAL-.                  
>--+-------+--+-----------+------------------------------------><
   '-GTEQ--'  '-NOSUSPEND-'
```

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