Using the Standalone Batch Compression Utility

To invoke the standalone batch compression utility (cdsacomp), type the following command at a UNIX prompt:

cdsacomp

Following are the parameters for the cdsacomp utility:

Parameter Description Values
-m Specify which mode to use: precompress or decompress. This argument is required. compress | decompress

The default is compress.

-i Specify the input file to precompress or decompress. This argument is required. full or relative path of input file
-o Specify the output file to save. If the output file already exists, it is overwritten. This argument is required. full or relative path of output file
-z Use this option with “-m compress” to override default compression values. This argument is optional.

When decompressing, the values used during compression are used.

level, window, memory

level—Compression level. The range is 1–9. The default is 1.

1—Provides the least compression, but is the fastest.

9—Provides the most compression, but is the slowest.

window—The size of the compression window and history buffer. Increasing the window increases the compression, but uses more virtual memory. The range is 9–15. The default is 13.

memory—The amount of virtual memory to allocate. The range is 1–9. The default is 4.

1—Uses the least virtual memory.

9—Uses the most virtual memory.

-x Use this option to translate the file.

If this parameter is not specified, the file is not translated.

This parameter is mutually exclusive with -codepage.

full path to translate table file | relative path to translate table file
-p Use this option to specify codepages for file conversion. Default is no codepage translation.

This parameter is mutually exclusive with -xlate.

source codepage, destination codepage
-d Specify the datatype of the file.

When you use “-m compress”, the datatype values result in the following:

  • text

    Strips newline characters from each record

    Supports -s and -a parameters

    Uses data attributes of blocksize=23040, recfm=vb, lrecl=23036, dsorg=ps

  • binary

    Uses data attributes of blocksize=23040, recfm=u, lrecl=0, dsorg=ps

    Does not support -s and -a parameters

  • VB

    Does not support -x, -p, -s, and -a parameters

    Uses data attributes of blocksize=23040, recfm=vb, lrecl=23036, dsorg=ps

    When you use “-m decompress”, the datatype values result in the following:

  • text

    Inserts newline characters into each record

    Supports the -s parameter

  • binary

    Does not support the -s parameter

  • VB

    Does not support -x, -p, and -s parameters

text | binary | VB

The default is text.

-b Specify the block size of the output file.

This parameter is valid only when you specify 
“-m compress” for the compression option.

nnnnn

The range is 4096–32760. The default is 27920.

-s Use this option to strip trailing blanks.

This parameter is valid only when you specify 
“-d text” for the datatype of the file.

y | n

y—yes

n—no

The default is y.

-a Use this option to replace zero-length records with a single, blank character.

This parameter is valid only when you specify the following: “-d text” and “-m compress”.

y | n

y—yes

n—no

The default is y.

Specify n if the data is copied to an i5OS or mainframe node.

-h Use this option to display online help for the utility. No values are available for this parameter.