File-AID for IMS/ISPF data sets

All data sets must be cataloged and must reside on a direct access storage device or on a mass storage device, with the following exceptions:

• Extract TO/Load FROM files that reside on tape are allowed as output for database extract and input for database load.
• Temporary data files are allowed as input to independent batch extract and load jobs that you develop the JCL for (see Extract-Load).

File-AID for IMS/ISPF can display a member list for partitioned data sets. See Member List Processing.

Database dataset

A database dataset contains the data that is input to the Browse, Edit, Extract, and Load functions and output only from the Initialize function.

When used as input to File-AID for IMS/ISPF, the data set must be allocated and loaded as a valid IMS database. When used in the Initialize and Load (processing Option L) functions, the data set must be allocated only (not loaded) because these functions load and initialize the data set. For all functions, File-AID for IMS validates that its organization is ISAM, VSAM, OSAM Direct Access, or OSAM Physical Sequential (DSORG = IS, AM, DA, or PS). It does not validate the data set’s logical record length, block size, or record format.

File-AID for IMS/ISPF allows you to access OS password protected database datasets. Any database dataset can be protected to permit read-only or read/write access. More than one password can be assigned to the same database dataset. A database dataset that is read/write protected, for example, might allow several authorized users to read it, but only one user to write to it.

Specify the database dataset password in the Password field on the screens where you specify the database dataset name. A non-display input field is used so that the password does not appear on the screen.

Database description data set concatenation

The database description data set concatenation contains Database Description (DBD) load modules created using the IMS DBD generation utility. The data set characteristics must be those of a valid load module library. File-AID for IMS/ISPF validates that the data set is partitioned (DSORG=PO) and that it has an undefined record format (RECFM=U). The data set’s logical record length or block size is not validated.

DL/I Access Methods Supported

File-AID for IMS/ISPF supports databases with DL/I access methods of HALDB, HSAM, SHSAM, HISAM, SHISAM, HDAM, HIDAM, INDEX, LOGICAL, DEDB, and MSDB.

The DL/I access method of MSDB is not supported for the Initialize function. All the operating system access methods allowed by IMS for use with these DL/I access methods are supported by File-AID for IMS.

The DL/I access method of GSAM is not supported by File-AID for IMS/ISPF. GSAM databases that are organized sequentially as BSAM data sets are compatible with OS/VS sequential data sets. You can use BMC AMI DevX File-AID/MVS manipulation product to browse and edit this type of GSAM database.

Aside from GSAM databases, all IMS statement types, keywords, and operands available in a DBD generation are supported by the browse option of File-AID for IMS. Restrictions do exist within the edit option based on certain operand values for some keywords. Those restrictions are described in Optional IMS Functions.

The DL/I access methods of HSAM and SHSAM are not supported for the Initialize function and for the U and I options of the Load function.

INDEX and LOGICAL databases are not supported in the Initialize, Extract, and Load functions. These restrictions and where they affect File-AID for IMS processing are described in Utilities and Extract-Load.

Segment layout data set concatenation

The segment layout data set concatenation contains the COBOL or PL/I segment layouts used in many File-AID for IMS functions. The segment layout data set can be one of the following types:

Segment layout data set types

The segment layout can be a separate COPYLIB member or hard-coded in a COBOL or PL/I program. If the layout is in a program or if a COPYLIB member contains multiple segment layouts, you can isolate the specific layout or portion of a layout that File-AID for IMS should use by specifying a starting data-name (see Segment/Layout XREF Data set Concatenation). In these two cases, if you do not specify a starting data-name, File-AID for IMS uses every layout found in the program or COPYLIB member to format the data, treating the second through last layouts as redefinitions of the first.

The Segment Layout Member Name field, which appears on many screens, is 10 positions long to accommodate CA Panvalet members with nine or ten position names. However, names of members in CA Librarian and partitioned files must be less than or equal to eight positions.

File-AID for IMS supports two separate ddnames for use with segment layout data sets. You can use one or both of these ddnames to concatenate partitioned data sets for use with the product. You can also use each ddname to allocate a single Panvalet data set or a single Librarian data set. File-AID for IMS/ISPF continues to search these two ddnames in series as has been the case in releases prior to 7.0. With the introduction of concatenations in Release 7.0, search sequence and the definition of concatenations depend not only on data set names that you can enter on the screen, but also upon the concatenation lists defined to the current environment.

File-AID for IMS follows a simple algorithm to determine which data sets are concatenated and searched. All segment layout data sets for a given language are listed in the following order:

1. First layout data set (if any) that you entered
2. Second layout data set (if any) that you entered
3. All of the data sets listed in the first layout concatenation
4. All of the data sets listed in the second layout concatenation.

The data set organization of each data set on the list is examined. Data sets are assigned to the two ddnames according to the following rules:

1. If the data set is not partitioned, it is assigned the next available ddname. Only one non-partitioned data set may be assigned per ddname.
2. If the data set is partitioned, a partitioned concatenation list is started. Partitioned datasets immediately following the first one are added to the concatenation list. Construction of the concatenation list continues until a data set is encountered that is not partitioned.
3. If the second ddname has not been assigned, the assignment process begins again following rules 1 and 2.

Segment/layout XREF data set concatenation

The Segment/Layout XREF dataset concatenation contains information that was created and maintained using Option 7 of File-AID for IMS/ISPF. The data set organization can be sequential or partitioned (DSORG=PS or PO). The record format must be fixed or fixed-blocked (RECFM=F or FB), and the logical record length must be 80 (LRECL=80). The blocksize must be a multiple of the logical record length.

A segment/layout XREF dataset is created to communicate certain information about the COBOL or PL/I segment layout data set to File-AID for IMS/ISPF. For each segment type within a database that you want to manipulate, specify the segment layout that defines that segment type. Additional information is specified in the segment/layout XREF dataset in the following situations:

1. The database you want to manipulate contains a segment type with differing formats. Each of those formats requires a separate segment layout to define the segment type.
2. The segment layout that defines a segment type is hard-coded in a COBOL or PL/I program.
3. The segment layout that defines a segment type is stored in a COPYLIB member that contains multiple segment layouts.
4. The segment you want to manipulate is a logical child or a concatenated segment.

In the first situation, the segment/layout XREF dataset contains the following pieces of information:

• The length and starting position of the record type value that identifies the format of a segment type.
• A list of all the possible record type values and the corresponding segment layout data set COPYLIB member that defines segment type formats with those values.

In the second and third situations, the segment/layout XREF dataset contains the data name that indicates the start of the segment layout. File-AID for IMS/ISPF reads the layout from the COPYLIB member or program starting with the specified data name and stops reading when a data name item with a numerically equal or lower level number is encountered or when the end of the segment layout, COPYLIB member, or program is reached.

In the last situation, when IMS retrieves one of these segment types from a database, it places the segment’s destination parent concatenated key, followed by the segment’s data, in the I/O area of File-AID for IMS/ISPF. The segment/layout XREF dataset contains the segment layout name for the segment and indicates whether the destination parent concatenated key is defined in the layout.

See Segment/Layout Cross-Reference for examples of how to specify the record type value information and the starting data name.

Any File-AID for IMS/ISPF primary options that use segment layouts to define the data must have the segment layout data sets and segment/layout XREF dataset information specified as shown below.

Use Layouts is used to indicate whether you want to use the current function in Formatted (Y) or Unformatted mode (N).

The following table shows the valid data set and member entries for the segment layout and segment/layout XREF datasets for the two modes:

Use Layouts Indicator

More details on the specification and use of segment/layout XREF datasets are provided in the sections that discuss the screens where they are required.

Extract TO/load FROM file data set

The Extract TO/Load FROM File data set contains data that is extracted from and loaded into databases. For a complete description, see Extract-Load.

The data set organization can be sequential (DSORG=PS), partitioned (DSORG=PO), or VSAM ESDS. The record format for sequential and partitioned data sets must be variable or variable blocked (RECFM=V or VB). The maximum logical record length (LRECL) for all data set organizations is determined during the extract process and includes the maximum segment length plus the length of the prefix information used in the Load function.

Selection criteria data set concatenation

The Selection Criteria data set concatenation contains selection criteria information created using Option 6. You can use selection criteria in the Extract function. Selection Criteria describes selection criteria in more detail.

The selection criteria data set organization can be either sequential or partitioned (DSORG=PS or PO). The record format must be fixed or fixed-blocked (RECFM=F or FB), and the logical record length must be 80 (LRECL=80).

Application relationship data set concatenation

The Application Relationship data set concatenation contains data sets that define the application relationship between databases. Application Relationships describes the creation and maintenance of application relationships.

The application relationship data set organization must be partitioned (DSORG=PO). The record format can be either fixed or fixed-blocked (RECFM=F or FB), and the logical record length must be 80 (LRECL=80).

ISPF log and list files data sets

File-AID for IMS/ISPF llows you to use ISPF’s PRINT and PRINT-HI commands and to maintain a log of significant user activities using the List file and Log file, respectively.

See to the ISPF/PDF Program Reference Manual for a description of these files.

User profile data set

File-AID for IMS/ISPF retains certain information in a user profile data set that is used to preformat input fields with the values that you last entered on the same or a similar screen. Information maintained in your user profile includes the following:

• Data set and member names. Up to 300 database ddnames, including associated database data set names, are maintained and shared by the Browse, Edit, and Extract functions. Another set of 300 ddnames and data set names are maintained and shared by the Initialize and Load functions.
• JOB statement information.
• SYSOUT class for printed output.
• Terminal characteristics and PF key definitions.
• Current scroll amount.

This information is retained from one session to another. As a new user, you need to enter certain information the first time it is requested. However, from that point on, you simply verify the information and make any changes before proceeding.