Defining fixed-length records

To define fixed-length records in your program, use either the RECORD CONTAINS integer clause, or omit this clause and specify all level-01 record descriptions to be the same fixed size. In either case, use a value that equals the value of the length attribute of the data set. When you intend to use the same program to process different files at execution and the files have differing fixed-length record lengths, the recommended way to avoid record-length conflicts is to code RECORD CONTAINS 0.

If the existing file is an ASCII data set (DCB=(OPTCD=Q)), you must specify the CODE-SET clause in the program's FD entry for the file.