FCT: file control table

The file control table (FCT) describes to CICS® the Basic Direct Access Method (BDAM) user files that are processed by file management.

CICS user files correspond to physical data sets that must have been defined to MVS™ and allocated to the CICS system before they are used.
Note:
  1. To define VSAM files, use a FILE resource.
  2. Because CICS file management processes only VSAM and BDAM data sets, you define any sequential data sets as extrapartition destinations with a TDQUEUE resource.
The following macros specify file characteristics, and some of the characteristics of BDAM data sets referenced by the files:
  • DFHFCT TYPE=INITIAL establishes the beginning of the FCT.
  • DFHFCT TYPE=FILE defines the characteristics of a file, such as record characteristics and types of service allowed.
  • DFHFCT TYPE=FINAL concludes the FCT. (See TYPE=FINAL (end of table).)