For a multivolume input data set, you must specify the serial numbers
of all the volumes to be processed. Specify the serial numbers either
directly in the DD statement or indirectly through the catalog procedure.
Specify the serial numbers in forward sequence, regardless of whether
the tapes are to be read forward or backward.
- For noncataloged data sets, you specify the volume serial numbers
in the VOLUME parameter of the DD statement. The system processes
the group of volumes in whatever order you specify and processes only
the volumes you specify. If you specify volumes out of order or omit
volumes, you will get warning messages IEC709I or IEC710I.
- For cataloged data sets, the system processes the group of volumes
in sequential order.
You can begin processing
at any volume of the group by specifying a volume sequence number
in the VOLUME parameter of the DD statement.
For input, the label identifier of the trailer labels determines
whether the system continues processing the data set. When the system
finds an EOV label, it performs volume switching. When the system
finds an EOF label, it passes control to the user's end-of-data routine,
with these exceptions:
- If the DD statement specifies OPTCD=B, and if an additional volume
is available, then the system performs volume switching. If OPTCD=B,
no volumes are available for switching, and no data set is concatenated
after the current one, then the system passes control to the user's
end-of-data routine.
Guidelines: Know these guidelines when you specify
the OPTCD=B parameter:
- If you specify the OPTCD=B parameter on the DD statement for a
multi-volume tape data set, the system will generate the equivalent
of individual concatenated DD statements for each volume serial number.
This means that the system allocates one tape drive for each volume.
- Be aware that you might receive an ABEND002 when the following
conditions occur:
- If you are using unlike attributes concatenation to process a
multi-volume variable blocked spanned (VBS) tape data set and each
volume serial number is specified on individual concatenated DD statements
because you specified them that way, or because OPTCD=B was specified,
and
- If the data set spans volumes in such a way that one segment (for
example, the first segment) is at the end of the current volume and
the next segment (for example, the middle segment) is at the beginning
of the next volume.
- If you are using unlike attributes concatenation path for tape
with OPTCD=B and VBS, and
- If you have a VBS data set whose records span from one volume
to the next, and
- If you attempt to treat these volumes as separate data sets, the
integrity of the data cannot be guaranteed. QSAM will abend. QSAM
is designed to ensure that all of the segments can be put together,
but will be unable to do so. This restriction will also be based on
the data and whether or not the segments are split between volumes.
- If another data set is concatenated after this one, the system
processes it. If the user has not set on the unlike-attributes bit
(the DCBOFPPC bit), then the system treats the concatenated data set
as if it began another volume of the current data set. If the user
defined an EOV exit, the system calls it (not a DCB open exit). If
the unlike-attributes bit is on, then the system closes the current
data set and opens the concatenated data set. If the user defined
a DCB open exit, the system calls it (not an EOV exit). For more information
on using concatenated data sets, see z/OS DFSMS Using Data Sets.
To determine whether additional volumes are required, the system
maintains a volume sequence number in the DEB in storage.
- For read forward operations, the volume sequence number in the
DEB is increased as each volume is processed. This count is compared
to the total number of volumes requested, as shown in the JFCB.
- For read backward operations, the volume sequence number in the
DEB is initialized to the total number of volumes requested, as shown
in the JFCB. The DEB count is decreased as each volume is processed
until the count reaches 0.
If another volume is not required (end-of-data-set condition),
control is given to the user's end-of-data routine that is specified
in the data control block (DCB) or DCBE. Subsequently, the processing
program or the operating system closes the data set.
- The user's end-of-data routine is not entered until the last specified
volume or the last concatenated data set is processed.
- If an input data set is closed before the end of the data is reached,
the user's end-of-data routine is not entered.
If another volume is required (end-of-volume condition), the system
obtains the next volume serial number from the JFCB and performs volume
switching. If the new volume is not already mounted, the EOV routine
issues a mount message to the operator.
When multiple tape units are being used, the EOV routine also checks
to see if a next-plus-one volume is specified, and if the volume just
completed can be rewound and unloaded. If so, the EOV routine issues
a message directing the operator to mount the next-plus-one volume
on the tape unit just used. This is a premounting aid; the next-plus-one
volume label is not verified at this time.
The next-plus-one volume mount is referred to as a lookahead
mount. This lookahead or parallel mounting will result in an IEC501E
mount message.
Lookahead mount processing is disabled when the volume sequence
number that EOV is currently processing equals either the number of
volsers in the JFCB or the JCL volume count. To ensure that lookahead
mount processing stays enabled up to the maximum allowed volume sequence,
specify a JCL volume count equal to this maximum allowed volume sequence.
The smallest maximum allowed volume sequence is 5 to which you can
add multiples of 15. For example, you can specify the JCL volume count
as 5, 20, 35, and so on.
Note: The IEC501E message has a type 2 descriptor code that
will cause the message to be retained on the screen.
If you do not
want message retention, turn off the message retention attribute.
You can accomplish this by either:
- Specifying RETAIN(NO) for the message id in an MPFLSTxx record
- Using a WTO message exit (an MPF specific exit or IEAVMXIT) to
alter the message descriptor code or to request "do not retain this
message"
For tape mounts, the IEC501E message will remain on the
screen until the mount is satisfied or until EOV has occurred on the
previous volume. EOV will delete the IEC501E message and will issue
the IEC501A message.