z/OS UNIX file attributes

This topic lists various attributes that DFSMSdss can set or change for a given z/OS UNIX file, and identifies where DFSMSdss gets the attribute information.

Since DFSMSdss behaves as a Virtual File System (VFS) server when processing z/OS UNIX files, it leverages the attributes of a file as mapped by the BPXYATTR macro.

Dump
DFSMdss only updates the last backup date (AttrRefTime64) for regular files when the RESET keyword is specified. Other attributes can be updated by z/OS UNIX System Services as a result of processing files.
Restore
The restored file’s attributes depend on whether the file was returned to the same location from which it was dumped, or if it was restored to a different location. If the file is being restored to a different location, then DFSMSdss identifies this as introducing a new file to the system. The resulting attributes are described in the following table:
Table 1. Attributes of the restored files
Attribute Attribute determined by
ADMINISTRATOR keyword specified No Administrator keyword
Same Location Different Location
File name Source value Source value Source value
Character set information (Attcharsetid) Source value Source value Source value
Permissions (Attrmode) Source value1 Source value1 DSS defaults2
Owning UID (AttrUid) Source value Source value Effective UID
Owning GID (AttrGid) Source value Source value Effective GID
Sticky bit (AttrNoDelFiles) Source value Source value Not set
Shared Library (AttrShareLibMask) Source value Not set Not set
Do not run in shareas (AttrNoShareasMask) Source value System default System default
APF authorized program (AttrApfAuthMask) Source value Not set Not set
Program controlled (AttrProgCtlMask) Source value Not set Not set
External symlink (AttrExtLinkMask) Source value Source value Source value
File size (AttrSize) Source value Source value Source value
Auditor audit (AttrAuditorAudit) Source value Source value Not set
Auditor user (AttUserAudit) Source value Source value Not set
Last access time (AttrAtime64) Source value Source value Current time
Last modification time (AttrMtime64) Source value3 Source value3 Current time
Last file stat change time (AttrCtime64) Source value Source value Current time
Last reference time4 (ATTRREFTIME64) Source value Source value Not set
Creation time (AttrCreateTime64) Current time Current time Current time
File format (ATTRREFTIME64) Source value Source value Source value
Security label (ATTRSECLABEL) Source value Source value System default
Notes

1Base and extended ACLs, if any, are preserved.

2Permission octets result in 640 for files and 750 for directories

3When restoring a directory, its modification and change time can reflect the time of the restore operation because DFSMSdss restores the directories first followed by any files (if any) to the directories. Such operation results in those time fields being updated.

4The last reference time is used as the last backup date. Refer to the RESET keyword for further information.