LENGTH: Specifying the length of the data or of a new control data set record

Explanation: LENGTH(bytes) is an optional parameter specifying the length of the data you want to display or the length of a new control data set record. LENGTH applies to only the variable portion of a record. For a display, the record header is always displayed with the number of bytes you have specified with this parameter. For a new reocrd, FIXCDS alays creates the first 64 bytes that are the key and header fields.

For (bytes), sybstitute a decimal number from 1 through 1976 for the number of bytes you want to display or create for the variable portion of the record.

Abbreviations: None.

Defaults: If you do not specify LENGTH or you specify LENGTH without bytes, the displayed default length is the remaining length of the current record, or the created default length is the minimum valid length for the variable data portion of the type of record you want to create.

Note:

The LENGTH parameter applies only with the DISPLAY and CREATE parameters. If you specify LENGTH when it does not apply, DFSMShsm ignores it.
If you specify LENGTH with CREATE, the number of bytes you specify must be at least the minimum length allowed for the variable data portion of the record you are creating.