OUTPUT command

Use the OUTPUT command to:
  • Direct the output from a job to your terminal. The output includes the job's job control language statements (JCL), system messages (MSGCLASS), and system output (SYSOUT) data sets.
  • Direct the output from a job to a specific data set.
  • Delete the output for jobs.
  • Change the output class(es) for a job.
  • Route the output for a job to a remote workstation.
  • Release the output for a job for printing by the subsystem.

OUTPUT is a foreground-initiated-background (FIB) command. This command is generally used in conjunction with SUBMIT, STATUS, and CANCEL commands.

The OUTPUT command applies to all jobs whose job names begin with your user identification. Access to jobs whose job names do not begin with a valid user identification must be provided by an installation-written exit routine. The SUBMIT, STATUS, and CANCEL commands apply to batch jobs. You must have special permission to use these commands.

You can simplify the use of the OUTPUT command by including the NOTIFY keyword either on the JOB card or on the SUBMIT command when you submit a job for batch processing. The system notifies you when the job terminates, giving you the opportunity to use the OUTPUT command. MSGCLASS and SYSOUT data sets should be assigned to reserved classes or explicitly held to be available at the terminal.

If your installation uses security labels and security checking, the output for a job has a security label associated with it. To use the OUTPUT command to process job output, the security label you are logged on with must be equal to or greater than the security label at which the job ran.

Note: You cannot specify both the KEEP and DEST keywords while using the OUTPUT command. These two keywords, when specified together with the OUTPUT command, cause a message to appear stating that the specification is not valid because of conflicting keywords.