Specifying a ddname in the JCL

In the JCL for a job, you use a DD statement to associate a ddname with the name of a specific MVS™ data set or z/OS UNIX file.

To specify a file, use the PATH keyword.

Example: To associate the path name for the file /u/fred/list/wilma with the ddname FRED, specify:

//FRED     DD  PATH='/u/fred/list/wilma'

At another time, you might specify a different file to be associated with the ddname FRED.

To specify a data set, use the DSN keyword.

Example: To associate the data set FRED.LIST.WILMA with the ddname FRED, specify:

//FRED     DD  DSN=FRED.LIST.WILMA,DISP=SHR

At another time, you might specify a different data set to be associated with the ddname FRED.