Assigning data sets to volumes

If the work configuration contains data sets that must reside on the IPL volume, the dialog assigns these data sets to the first target volume (T01). Then, the dialog assigns data sets to volumes, based on their element type. The dialog assigns element types in the following order (from first to last):

LMOD
PARM
PROC
CLIST
EXEC
PNLxxx
SKLxxx
TBLxxx
MSGxxx
HELPxxx
Data sets, which have TVOL set to FIRST, that should reside on the first target volume
All other element types and data sets having no element type
Data sets, which have TVOL set to LAST, that should be placed on the last volumes in the configuration.

For example, the dialog assigns your configuration's panel data sets (element type PNLxxx) to volumes before it assigns your skeleton libraries (element type SKLxxx).

Some products include one or more data sets that should reside either on the first target volume or on one of the last target volumes in the configuration. For example, a product might include several data sets of element type DATA that should reside on the IPL volume, which is always the first target volume. During automatic assignment, the dialog recognizes such data sets and attempts to place them according to this requirement, rather than with other data sets of the same element type.

When TVOL is set to FIRST, the dialog will attempt to place the data set on the first volume where it will fit. Therefore, this might not be the first volume in the configuration, which for z/OS® orders is the IPL volume. If there are multiple data sets for which the "Special target volume placement" attribute is set to FIRST, they might not all be placed on the first volume or the same volume in the configuration.

When TVOL is set to LAST, the dialog will attempt to place the data set on the volume that is last in the configuration at the time the data set is about to be assigned. If there is not enough room on that volume, the dialog will automatically create another volume. Therefore, if there are multiple data sets for which the "Special target volume placement" attribute is set to LAST, they might not all be placed on the same volume.