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Data File
Information Gathering Create and Leverage a File Properties Repository http://www.simotime.com |
| When technology complements business | Copyright © 1987-2010 SimoTime Enterprises All Rights Reserved |
Creating and maintaining an inventory of data files can be a challenge. The challenge is not with the degree of difficulty or complexity. The challenge is with the realization of the value, a commitment to the task and elevating the priority of doing a very boring task. However, once it is accomplished it becomes a very worthwhile repository of information that can be used in the planning, development, testing and production environments.
Information about the characteristic (or properties) of a file or VSAM data set is not always readily available. In today's world when application processing is being moved between systems and data is being transferred, shared, converted and compared an inventory of data files can be quite helpful.
This example will use a Windows System running a Micro Focus sub-system to create a Key-Sequenced-Data-set containing an inventory of traditional sequential files and VSAM Data Sets. Once the inventory of files has been created it will be possible to use this information to build a catalog for Micro Focus Mainframe Express or Micro Focus Studio/Server environments.
Note: This item is currently a Work in Progress
There are numerous ways to gather information about the existance of files and the file properties. This section will discuss various meyhods for collecting information about files used by an application.
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A program is provided that will access the File Properties repository (FPMASTER.DAT) and generate the necessary JCL. The JCL is then submitted via the Internal Reader to create a catalog entry for a sequential file or to Define a Cluster for a VSAM data set. Refer to the document for building a Micro Focus catalog for additional information.
The following is the column structure for an Excel spreadsheet to be used as a startting point to populate the catalog.
| Column | Column Header | Description |
| A | Level Number | This should be a "1" for the primary file definition information. |
| B | DSN | This is a forty-four (44) byte text string that is the fully-qualified MVS Data Set Name (DSN) or VSAM Cluster Name |
| C | DD Name | This is the eight (8) character DD Name. |
| D | DSORG | This is the Data Set Organization. |
| E | RECFM | This is the Record Format. |
| F | lrecl-MIN | This is a five (5) digit field for the minimum or average record length. |
| G | lrecl-MAX | This is a five (5) digit field for the maximum record length. |
| H | KeyPos | This is a five (5) digit field for the key starting position. The first position in a record is 1 |
| I | KeyLen | This is a five (5) digit field for the length of the key. |
| J | VSAM Data Name | This is a forty-four (44) byte text string that is the VSAM Data Name for KSDS and ESDS |
| K | VSAM Index Name | This is a forty-four (44) byte text string that is the VSAM Index Name for KSDS |
| L | Override Job | This is an eight (8) byte JCL Member name that will be used to override the generated JCL that is used to create the catalog entry. |
| M | User Job 1 | This is an eight (8) byte JCL Member name for a job that will be submitted to the internal reader after the catalog creation process is complete. |
| N | User Job 2 | This is an eight (8) byte JCL Member name for a job that will be submitted to the internal reader after the previous steps are completed. |
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The purpose of this document is to assist as a tutorial for new programmers or as a quick reference for experienced programmers. In the world of programming there are many ways to solve a problem. This suite of programs is provided as a COBOL programming example of one of the possible solutions to the problem of managing an inventory of data files.
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You may download this example at http://www.simotime.com/sim4dzip.htm#zPackdatrak01 as a Z-Pack. The Z-Packs provide individual programming examples, documentation and test data files in a single package. The Z-Packs are usually in zip format to reduce the amount of time to download.
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The hexadecimal dump of the parameter-buffer uses the same technique as describe in another SimoTime example that describes the dumping of a data string using COBOL. The name of the member that does the actual hexadecimal dump is called SimoDUMP. A copy file (PASSDUMP.CPY) is provided for defining the pass area.
The SimoZAPS Utility Program has the capability of generating a COBOL program that will do the conversion of sequential and VSAM (KSDS) files between EBCDIC and ASCII. SimoZAPS can also read a sequential file in EBCDIC format and create an ASCII/CRLF file or VSAM KSDS file in ASCII format. The conversion tables may be viewed or modified to meet unique requirements. The Hexcess/2 function provides the capability of viewing, finding or patching the contents of a file in hexadecimal.
Check out The COBOL Connection for more examples of mainframe COBOL coding techniques and sample code.
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