To request vital record processing, specify the VRSEL parameter. You can submit a job with JCL as shown in Figure 1:

 //HSKP     EXEC PGM=EDGHSKP,
 //     PARM='VRSEL'
 //MESSAGE  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=HSKP.MESSAGES
 //REPORT   DD DISP=SHR,DSN=HSKP.VRS.REPORT
 //ACTIVITY DD DISP=SHR,DSN=HSKP.ACTIVITY

To run a trial run of vital record processing, you can submit a job with JCL as shown in Figure 2.

 //HSKP     EXEC PGM=EDGHSKP,
 //     PARM='VRSEL,VERIFY'
 //MESSAGE  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=HSKP.MESSAGES
 //REPORT   DD DISP=SHR,DSN=HSKP.VRS.REPORT
 //ACTIVITY DD DISP=SHR,DSN=HSKP.ACTIVITY

You can request that DFSMSrmm create a REPORT file shown in Using the vital records retention report. DFSMSrmm creates a report that contains data sets and volumes being retained, the vital record specification that is retaining the data set or volume, the required location for the data set or volume, and lists of the unused vital record specification chains.

You can specify the LRECL for the REPORT file. The LRECL can be a value from 133 to 255. If you specify an LRECL that is 148 or higher, only a single line is displayed for a retained data set. If you specify a value less than 148, DFSMSrmm uses two lines to display data set information. The page, date, and time fields in the report are right aligned assuming a record length of 133 characters.

The minimum LRECL must include one byte for the ASA print control character. If you use variable length record format for the REPORT file, then you must add four bytes to the minimum record length to hold the descriptor word. This means that if your REPORT file contains variable length records with a data length of 132 bytes, then you must define the minimum LRECL as 137 bytes.

You can also request an ACTIVITY file as described in Using the inventory management ACTIVITY file. The ACTIVITY file is optional except when the VERIFY EXEC parameter is used to request that DFSMSrmm performs a trial run of vital record processing.