Considerations when unloading LOB or XML data to unload data sets

In addition to the general considerations, the considerations in this section apply when unloading LOB or XML data to unload data sets.

In addition to the general LOB and XML data considerations (General-considerations-when-unloading-LOB-and-XML-data), the following considerations apply when you unload your LOB or XML data to unload data sets.

Inline LOB data

For inline LOB data, UNLOAD PLUS includes the INLINE LENGTH keyword in the field specification of your generated control cards only if DIRECT YES is in effect.

Standard unload data sets

For standard unload data sets, the output record for an unload job that includes LOB or XML data cannot be greater than 32 KB. If you attempt to unload LOB or XML columns that create an output record that is greater than 32 KB, UNLOAD PLUS discards that record.

Important

For larger output records, consider unloading to VBS data sets using SPANNED YES.

VBS unload data sets with SPANNED YES

When you specify SPANNED YES, UNLOAD PLUS unloads the data to a standard VBS data set. Unloading to these VBS data sets provides the following advantages:

You can unload output records that are greater than 32 KB.
You can take advantage of DIRECT YES features when unloading to an unload data set.

Important

The format of this data set is similar to the IBM proprietary spanned record format. However, the FORMAT SPANNED YES option of the IBM Db2 LOAD utility requires that the input be in this proprietary spanned record format. Therefore, you cannot use the IBM Db2 LOAD utility to load the VBS data set that UNLOAD PLUS produces.

General considerations

The following general considerations apply when you unload to VBS unload data sets with SPANNED YES:

UNLOAD PLUS terminates if you use SYSOUT=* as your SYSREC DD specification.
UNLOAD PLUS overrides any record format or record size that you specify in your JCL for output data sets.
You can use only LOADPLUS to load these data sets that UNLOAD PLUS creates.
UNLOAD PLUS adds the LOADPLUS option FORMAT SPANNED YES to the control cards that it generates.

Field specification considerations

The following considerations apply to your field specifications when you unload to VBS unload data sets with SPANNED YES:

The XML and LOB columns must be listed at the end of the field specification.
UNLOAD PLUS ignores any referenced file data types included in your field specification.

Additional option considerations

The following considerations apply to the options that you specify when you unload to VBS unload data sets with SPANNED YES:

UNLOAD PLUS terminates when you specify SPANNED YES and any of the following options are also in effect:
- ORDER YES
- ORDER BY
- Multiple SELECT statements
If you specify NULLTYPE with an L value, UNLOAD PLUS changes it to the comparable T value.
When you specify SPANNED YES, UNLOAD PLUS ignores FIXEDVARCHAR YES.