EXPLORE - Search ICF Catalogs for Data Sets

Use the EXPLORE command to search through your ICF catalog environment for data sets with attributes that match the specified criteria.

The EXPLORE command has an extensive list of criteria keyword filters that can be specified. These criteria keyword filters can be applied using full Boolean logic, allowing you to develop simple or complex searches, as your needs require.

EXPLORE has these search capabilities:

  • Catalog-centric mode searches primarily use the DSN and UCAT filters to select data sets from the catalog(s). This search mode has been the basis of standard EXPLORE.
  • Volume-centric mode uses the INCLUDE-STORAGEGROUP/EXCLUDE-STORAGEGROUP or INCLUDE-VOLUME/EXCLUDE-VOLUME keywords of the BY-VOLUME keyword as the source of data set names that drive the search. In volume-centric mode, the DSN and UCAT filters serve only to filter the data selected. You can use volume-centric searches to find uncataloged data sets.
  • BY-DSNDD uses the specified DD name to name an input data set containing the data set names or data set masks that drive the search. In this mode, the DSN filter must be coded as DSN EQ **. If the UCAT filter is specified as a criterion, it serves only to filter the data selected.

After the search is complete you can have the EXPLORE command produce these types of reports on the selected data sets:

  • A single or multiple column data set name list report.
  • An improved CATLIST report for each selected data set.
  • An extract flat file that you can post-process with the Advanced Catalog Management REPORT command, MQFL, or with your own software (for example, with REXX, SAS, or any user written program).