Parameters Related to Data Set Definition

CCSID

Use this parameter to establish the default value for the CCSID associated with data sets that will be created by DFM. This CCSID, unless overridden by the workstation, defines the code page in which stream files are stored when the workstation requests data conversion by specifying the TEXT option. In most cases, the value should be left as zero. Zero is a special value that causes the default CCSID to be inherited from a higher level in the hierarchy. Currently the only value that can be inherited is 500, EBCDIC International Latin-1. The inheritance occurs from DFM itself rather than from the operating system.

If the CCSID is not supported by Character Data Representation Architecture (CDRA), startup will end with message GDE006E indicating that the CCSID keyword has an incorrect value. The return code shown will be that defined for CDRA's CDRGCTL function. If LE is not installed, message GDE006E will be issued for an invalid CCSID with a return code of X'FFFFFFFF'. DFM startup will indicate it is not started, but is actually started in a partial non-data conversion mode.

PRIMARY

This parameter defines the amount of space requested by a user for a data set when it is created. This parameter applied only to the creation of non-SMS data sets. The default primary space allocation is 100 records.

SECONDARY

This parameter defines the amount of additional space requested by the user for a data set when primary space is full. This parameter applied only to the creation of non-SMS data sets. The default secondary space allocation is 50 records.

STREAM_LRECL

This parameter provides a default value for block size if the logical record length is not provided by the SMS DATACLASS. If ACS routines or data classes are established so that all logical record length specifications are provided through SMS data classes, this parameter can be specified as 0. Larger values than 8196 can give better performance, but generally the most important consideration is whether the data will be shared with z/OS® applications.

If the data is shared, the needs of the z/OS applications should determine the logical record length. For example, choosing a small value might allow easy editing or browsing of the file on z/OS. If, however, the data will not be shared with z/OS applications, the larger the logical record length the better the performance will tend to be.

UNIT

This parameter defines the device type where non-SMS data sets are created, see VOLUME.

VOLUME

This parameter defines the DASD serial number for non-SMS data set creation.

When DFM is installed, the VOLUME parameter must be activated if the installation does not use SMS or chooses not to establish ACS routines for the DFM.

If SMS is not active and VOLUME is omitted, it is possible to create SAM data sets, but PDS data sets created will not have directory blocks assigned to them and a "file damaged" error will occur.