Allocating space for the utility work data sets

EDIT uses permanent or temporary utility data sets to record user input and perform certain other functions. These other functions include, but are not limited to, the RENUM subcommand and some variations of the MOVE or COPY subcommands.

EDIT uses temporary data sets if:

The user's profile specifies NORECOVER, or
The user is invoking EDIT in the background

EDIT uses permanent utility work data sets when the user's profile specifies RECOVER and the user is not invoking the EDIT command in the background

You have two options for space allocation for both temporary and permanent utility work data sets:

Default space allocation
EDIT uses its own algorithms to calculate the default space allocation. Default space allocation describes the algorithms.
Controlled space allocation
You can preallocate the data sets to control the space allocation and direct access space for the data sets. Controlled space allocation describes controlled space allocation.