Example: entries for alternate indexes

The following example maps the relationships between the COBOL FILE-CONTROL entry and the DD statements or environment variables for a VSAM indexed file that has two alternate indexes.

Using JCL:


//MAINA     DD   DSNAME=clustername,DISP=OLD      (1)
//MAINA1    DD   DSNAME=path1,DISP=OLD            (2)
//MAINA2    DD   DSNAME=path2,DISP=OLD            (3)

Using environment variables:


export MAINA=DSN(clustername),OLD                 (1)
export MAINA=DSN(path1),OLD                       (2)
export MAINA=DSN(path2),OLD                       (3)
. . . 
FILE-CONTROL. 
  SELECT MAIN-FILE ASSIGN TO MAINA              (4)
      RECORD KEY IS EM-NAME
      PASSWORD IS PW-BASE                           (5)
      ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS EM-PHONE              (6)
          PASSWORD IS PW-PATH1 
      ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS EM-CITY               (7)
          PASSWORD IS PW-PATH2.

(1): The base cluster name is clustername.
(2): The name of the first alternate index path is path1.
(3): The name of the second alternate index path is path2.
(4): The ddname or environment variable name for the base cluster is specified with the ASSIGN clause.
(5): Passwords immediately follow their indexes.
(6): The key EM-PHONE relates to the first alternate index.
(7): The key EM-CITY relates to the second alternate index.

Related tasks
Creating alternate indexes