If you specify CATALOG on a physical data set restore operation, DFSMSdss creates catalog entries for single-volume, non-VSAM data sets that were allocated by DFSMSdss. The cataloging is done immediately after successful allocation of a data set. Failure in cataloging does not prevent the data set from being restored. A data set that was allocated and cataloged but encountered errors during the restore operation is neither uncataloged nor scratched by DFSMSdss. You must not specify the RECATALOG keyword for physical restore.

DFSMSdss does not catalog VSAM data sets during physical restore processing. If the CATALOG keyword is specified, it is ignored when processing VSAM data sets. You should use the IDCAMS DEFINE RECATALOG command to catalog VSAM data sets that were allocated by DFSMSdss (not preallocated). To recatalog and later access the VSAM data set, the volume serial numbers for the target and source volumes must match and the data set must be cataloged in the same catalog from which it was dumped. The volume serial number and the catalog name are printed in message ADR4181 during restore.