File Allocation Parameters

To create an output file, specify the file name and, optionally, parameters for attributes such as block size and processing mode. Usually only a few parameters are necessary to allocate a file, as shown in the following examples:

To create a new archive file on disk, allowing Optim™ to compute the space needed, and using site defaults for unit and volume information, specify:

ARCHIVE_FILE (DSNAME FOPUSER.NJCUST04)

The next example creates an external file, with a specified block size, volume assignment and space requirement. If the file name already exists, it will be deleted and reallocated.

EXTERNAL_FILE (DSNAME FOPUSER.CUSTOMER.NEWYORK
               MODE REP VOLUME FOP003 BLKSIZE 8000
               PRIMARY 100T SECONDARY 20T)

The parameters in this section should be used in any batch statement syntax where the words “File Allocation Parameters” appear.

type_FILE( { USEDD |DSNAME dsname }
   [ MODE { REP | STOP | USE | GEND | GENT } ]
   [ TAPE  { YES | NO } FILENBR [ n ] ] 
   [ MGMTCLASS mgmtclass ]
   [ STORCLASS storclass ]
   [ DATACLASS dataclass ]
   [ DSNTYPE {BASIC | LARGE | EXTREQ | EXTPREF} ]
   [ VOLUME volser ]
   [ VOLCOUNT n ]
   [ UNIT unit ]
   [ PRIMARY n { C | T | K | M } ]
   [ SECONDARY n { C | T | K | M } ] 
   [ BLKSIZE nnnn ] } )

Parameters must be enclosed in parentheses and may be in any order. DSNAME is always required. Multiple parameters can be specified on a single line.

File Type parameter

type_FILE

The file type parameter is required in the Archive, Extract, Deferred_Delete, Insert, Convert or Compare statement and must precede any additional parameters. Valid values are:

• ARCHIVE_FILE
• DUPE_ARCHIVE_FILE
• INDEX_FILE
• DUPE_INDEX_FILE
• COMPARE_FILE
• CONTROL_FILE
• CONVERTED_FILE
• EXTRACT_FILE
• EXTERNAL_FILE
• SUBSET_FILE

USEDD

Indicates that a DD statement is present in the JCL to define the file. If you use the USEDD parameter, you cannot specify any other file allocation parameters.

The ddnames are:

• PSDFEXTR for archive and extract files
• PSDFCTRL for control files
• PSDFIDX for archive index files
• PSDFASUB for subset files

DSNAME

Fully qualified name of the file. You may specify the name of a new or existing file.

dsname

The name of the file. If the file exists, you must use MODE REP or MODE USE.

MODE

Processing mode for the file. Allowable values are:

REP

Allocate the file unconditionally. If the file exists, delete and reallocate it.

STOP

Stop processing and display an error message if the file exists (default).

USE

Use the existing file. Data in the existing file will be overwritten. If the file does not exist, stop processing and display an error message.

GEND (for archive files only)

Generate the file name by appending the suffix “.Dyyymmdd” to the DSNAME value, where yyy is the last 3 bytes of the year. If this option is used, the maximum size of the DSNAME parameter is 32 characters.

Note: If you use this parameter and a file already exists containing the name to be suffixed, the existing file will not be deleted or renamed to include the suffix and may consequently be orphaned.

GENT (for archive files only)

Generate the file name by appending the suffix “.Dyymmdd.Hhhmm” to the DSNAME value. If this option is used, the maximum size of the DSNAME parameter is 26 characters.

Note: If you use this parameter and a file already exists containing the name to be suffixed, the existing file will not be deleted or renamed to include the suffix and may consequently be orphaned.

TAPE

Indicator for tape file. This setting applies to archive files, any duplicate archive files, and extract files.

YES

Assign the file to tape.

NO

Assign the file to disk (default).

FILENBR

The sequence of the file on the tape. If omitted, the default value is 1.

n

File sequence number.

MGMTCLASS

The management class used to obtain data management information to allocate the data set. If omitted, the installation default is used.

class

The management class.

STORCLASS

The storage class used to obtain storage information to allocate the data set. If omitted, the installation default is used.

class

The storage class.

DATACLASS

The data class used to obtain information to allocate the data set. If omitted, the installation default is used.

class

The data class.

DSNTYPE

The data set name type, as defined by the Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem (DFSMS) allocation documentation. Optim supports both extended and large sequential data sets. Specify:

BASIC

An extended or large format sequential data set need not be allocated (default).

LARGE

A large format sequential data set is to be allocated. Cannot be specified for a Compare file.

EXTREQ

An extended data set is required.

EXTPREF

An extended data set is preferred.

VOLUME

The serial numbers of the volumes on which the file is to reside. A maximum of six volsers are allowed. If more than one volser is specified, the values must be enclosed in parentheses. If this parameter is omitted, the operating system assigns a value.

volser

The volume serial number.

VOLCOUNT

The maximum number of volumes that may be assigned to this file. If you specify this parameter, omit the VOLUME parameter. If you omit VOLCOUNT, the VOLUME parameter controls the maximum number of volumes assigned.

nn

The maximum number of volumes.

UNIT

The UNIT parameter used to allocate the data set. If omitted, the site default is used. Omit this parameter for an index file.

unit

The unit type.

PRIMARY

The primary quantity of space to allocate in the indicated space units. If omitted, Optim computes a default space allocation.

Note: For an archive or extract file, any unused space remaining after the job completes is automatically released.

n

The space allocation followed by the space unit. Valid space unit values are:

C

for Cylinders

T

for Tracks

K

for Kilobytes

M

for Megabytes

SECONDARY

The secondary quantity of space to allocate in the indicated space units. If omitted, Optim computes a default space allocation. (The SECONDARY parameter has the same operands as the PRIMARY parameter.)

BLKSIZE

Specifies the block size to be used for the file. If omitted, Optim will calculate an appropriate block size. For an archive file or an extract file, the minimum value is 7944.

nnnn

The block size.

Allocating Image Copy Data Sets

To archive, extract or compare data from DB2 image copy data sets in multiple partitions of the same tablespace stored on the same tape volume, you must manually edit the JCL to allocate the data sets. Multiple image copy data sets cataloged on the same tape volume can not be allocated using dynamic allocation. This is a z/OS limitation. If you attempt to use dynamic allocation, the archive, extract, or compare process fails with a dynamic allocation error.