Requesting spanned format

You can code RECORDING MODE S for spanned records in QSAM files that are assigned to magnetic tape or to direct access devices. Do not request spanned records for files in the z/OS® UNIX file system. You can omit the RECORDING MODE clause. The compiler determines the recording mode to be S if the maximum record length (in bytes) plus 4 is greater than the block size set in the BLOCK CONTAINS clause.

For files with format S in your program, the compiler determines the maximum record length with the same rules as are used for format V. The length is based on your usage of the RECORD clause.

When creating files that contain format-S records and a record is larger than the remaining space in a block, COBOL writes a segment of the record to fill the block. The rest of the record is stored in the next block or blocks depending on its length. COBOL supports QSAM spanned records up to 32,760 bytes in length.

When retrieving files that have format-S records, a program can retrieve only complete records.

Benefits of format-S files: You can efficiently use external storage and still organize your files with logical record lengths by defining files with format-S records:

• You can set block lengths to efficiently use track capacities on direct access devices.
• You are not required to adjust the logical record lengths to device-dependent physical block lengths. One logical record can span two or more physical blocks.
• You have greater flexibility when you want to transfer logical records between direct access storage types.

You will, however, have additional overhead in processing format-S files.

Format-S files and READ INTO: When you specify a READ INTO statement for a format-S file, the compiler generates a MOVE statement that uses the size of the record that it just read for that file. If the record just read does not correspond to the level-01 record description, you might not get the result that you expect. All other rules of the MOVE statement apply.