The POINT macro repositions a magnetic tape or direct access volume to a specified block. The next read or write operation begins at this block. See Using the POINT Macro to Position to a Block for information on using the POINT macro to process PDSEs.

In a multivolume sequential data set you must ensure that the volume referred to is the volume currently being processed. The user sees a multistriped extended-format data set as a single logical volume; therefore, no special positioning is needed. However, a single-striped multivolume extended-format data set does require you to be positioned at the correct volume.

For disk, if a write operation follows the POINT macro, all of the track following the write operation is erased, unless the data set is opened for UPDAT. Closing the data set after such a write truncates the data set. POINT is not meant to be used before a WRITE macro when a data set is opened for UPDAT.

If you specify OPTCD=H in the DCB parameter field of the DD statement, you can use the POINT macro to position VSE tapes even if they contain embedded checkpoint records. The POINT macro cannot be used to backspace VSE 7-track tapes that are written in data convert mode and that contain embedded checkpoint records.

If you specify TYPE=ABS, you can use the physical block identifier as a search argument to locate a data block on tape. The identifier can be provided from the output of a prior execution of the NOTE macro.

When using the POINT macro for a direct access storage device that is opened for OUTPUT, OUTIN, OUTINX, or INOUT, and the record format is not fixed standard, the number of blocks per track might vary slightly.