The File-AID Copy Utility copies records or members from one data set to another. It copies data; it does not move the data. File-AID copies data sets of all access methods. The From and To data sets can be different access methods; and the copy can be executed online or in batch.
Records and members can be copied selectively by using selection criteria or non-selectively. Complex sets of selection criteria can be specified. In addition, Copy supports backwards processing, which allows you to copy a subset starting from the end of the file.
Important
- File-AID copies load modules from one load library to another along with all directory information. Reblocking is performed automatically as necessary (online only, not supported in batch).
- File-AID supports copy of aliases. If an alias is selected along with the base member to which the alias refers, the base member will be copied and the alias will be stowed as an alias of the base.
- File-AID does not support copy of note-listed, scatter-loaded, or overlay structure programs. Selection Criteria is not supported for load modules.
- File-AID supports copy to a PDSE load library with restrictions. When aliases are to be copied to a PDSE load library, whether from a PDS or PDSE, aliases must be copied via member name mask without a member selection list (Display member selection list=NO, see also PDS Processing Options Screen). The mask must include the base and all its aliases. Otherwise the aliases will not be included in the output PDSE data set. If an alias is copied via member selection list to a PDSE, it will not be copied and error message ER451 will be displayed.
When copying from a Version 2 PDSE with member generations, Copy recognizes all member generations and copies all selected member generations (see also Maximum generations to copy) if you specify a single Version 2 PDSE in the “FROM” Dataset name field and a NEW “TO” Dataset.
File-AID Online Copy was designed to only copy generations when copying to a NEW V2 PDSE to ensure that the output PDSE is an exact copy of the input. If the Target PDSE is preallocated it could have members and/or Orphan generations with the same names resulting in possible old generation.
Member generation is only supported when you do not specify:
- I/O exits
- Selection criteria
- Batch processing
All other Copy options only recognize the current member (0 generation).
To select the Copy utility, enter a 3 in the OPTION field of the File-AID Extended Utilities Menu, or as described in Selecting Screens. When you press Enter, File-AID displays the Copy Utility screen as shown in Copy Utility Screen.
File-AID also has a F33 primary command that lets you recursively invoke the Copy Utility function. You can enter this command from any File-AID screen with a OPTION or COMMAND field. You have the option of entering a dataset name as a parameter when specifying the F33 command. If no dataset name is supplied, File-AID uses a default of the last data set accessed. When you invoke the Copy Utility in this way, use the END command (PF3) on the Copy Utility screen, or use the RETURN command (PF4) anywhere in the function to return to the screen from which you entered the F33 command. After the second session is completed, the original session is continued.
This section provides information about the following topics: