PDS Support

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Connect:Direct® for z/OS® supports transmission of all PDS files, including load modules and overlay files.

You can specify whether:

  • An entire PDS is sent.
  • Specific members are selected for transmission (SELECT parameter).
  • Specific members are excluded from transmission (EXCLUDE parameter).
  • One member is sent to a sequential file.
  • A sequential file is sent to a PDS member.
  • File aliases are sent along with the requested file (ALIAS parameter).
  • A member is renamed (NEWNAME parameter).
  • Members replace existing members of the same name at the receiving node
  • (REPLACE and NOREPLACE parameters, R and NR subparameters of the SELECT parameter).

The following are the guidelines for copying a PDS:

  • EXCLUDE or SELECT cannot be used if the FROM DSN parameter contains a member name or if the TO clause specifies SYSOPTS=“UNIQUE=YES”.
  • The hierarchy for the SELECT and EXCLUDE parameters proceeds from top to bottom (highest override priority to lowest) as follows:
    • Exclude by member name
    • Select by member name
    • Exclude by generic (or range)
    • Select by generic (or range)
    • Combine various specifications in a list after the EXCLUDE parameter

      If EXCLUDE is specified and SELECT is not specified, all members not excluded are copied. If EXCLUDE is not specified and SELECT is specified, only selected members are copied.

  • If a non-PDS file is specified in the FROM DSN, the TO DSN must specify a single member.
  • When the COPY statement involves two PDS files, all members are sent unless one of the following conditions exists:
    • The SELECT option is specified.
    • The EXCLUDE option is specified.
    • A member name is specified in the COPY FROM statement.
    • A member name is specified in the COPY TO statement.
    • UNIQUE=YES is specified in the COPY TO SYSOPTS statement. With UNIQUE=YES, only single-member transfers are supported.
  • When the TO DSN contains a member name, EXCLUDE (in the COPY FROM statement) cannot be used. Also, the SELECT entry (also in the COPY FROM statement) is only valid if it contains one member.
  • The FROM DSN must specify a single member when a non-PDS is specified in the TO DSN.
  • If specifying a non-PDS in the TO DSN, only the data portion of a PDS member is stored in a SAM file. Directory information is ignored.
  • When the TO DSN is a tape file, the FROM DSN must specify a single member.