The PATH keyword

You can use the PATH keyword on a JCL DD statement to specify the path name for a z/OS UNIX file. When you use the PATH keyword, you can also use these keywords:

PATHOPTS to indicate the access for the file (for example, read or read-write) and to set the status for the file (for example, append, create, or truncate). This is analogous to the option arguments on the C open() function.
Note: If you specify either OCREAT or OCREAT together with OEXCL on the PATHOPTS parameter and the file does not exist, z/OS UNIX performs an open() function. The options from PATHOPTS, the path name from the PATH parameter, and the options on PATHMODE (if specified) are specified in the open(). z/OS UNIX uses the close() function to close the file before the application program receives control.
PATHMODE to indicate the permissions, or file access attributes, to be set when a file is being created. This is analogous to the mode arguments of the open() function.
PATHDISP to indicate how MVS™ should handle the file when the job step ends normally or abnormally. This performs the same function as the DISP parameter for a data set.

If PATHOPTS and PATHMODE are absent from the DD statement, an application needs to supply defaults for the options and mode, or issue an error message and fail.