Compare criteria keyword definitions
This section describes each Compare criteria keyword. The actions of some keywords depend on whether the input files (and/or member names) indicate a sequential Compare or PDS Compare.
File-AID performs a sequential Compare for sequential input files or PDS (PDSE) files with a single member name. If one of the input files is sequential or a PDS with a single member name, the other input file must also be sequential or a PDS with a single member name.
File-AID performs a PDS Compare for PDS data sets without a specified member name, with a member list, or with a member name mask specified. A member name mask can be specified online in the OLD dataset member name field or in batch with the MEMBER= control card.
PDS COMPARE
A PDS compare provides two output reports. The PDS_COMPARE keyword allows you to specify which report is printed. The default is both. This keyword is valid only for PDS compares.
DETAIL
BOTH
The NAME report is the member name report which lists the member names in columnar format and flags them as inserted deleted, changed, matched, or not found. A not found condition exists if a member name is coded in a MEMBER= control card and the member does not exist in either the OLD or NEW dataset. The DETAIL report is the normal compare detail report for the data compared between members on the OLD and NEW files with matched names.
MEMBER
The MEMBER keyword can be used to explicitly select a member or members or using a standard File-AID member name mask. This keyword is valid for both OLD and NEW input files. If this keyword is specified as an asterisk (*), blank, or is omitted, the Compare function selects all members from the input files.
(name,name...)
blank, *, or mask
MEMBER_OLD / MEMBER_NEW
The MEMBER_OLD and MEMBER_NEW keywords can be used to explicitly select a single member when one or both of the compared files is a PANVALET or LIBRARIAN data set. Both keywords must be coded. If specified, both input files must be PDS / PDSE / PANVALET / LIBRARIAN.
0000 MEMBER_NEW=name
MEMBER NAME REPORT COLUMNS
This keyword defines the number of columns into which the member names are formatted for the Member Name Report. This keyword is valid only for PDS Compare. Valid entries are 1 through 8. The default is 8.
0000 MEMBER_NAME_REPORT_COLUMNS=number
COMPARE MODE
The COMPARE_MODE keyword controls the mode used for compare processing. FORMATTED requires a valid record layout member specified in the FIELD SET, on the LAYOUT parameter of the COMPARE function, or on the DDxxRL/DDxxRLN JCL card.
If this keyword is omitted or null, COMPARE mode is assumed to be UNFORMATTED unless a valid record layout dataset and record layout name is provided, in which case the mode is assumed as FORMATTED. If the input files are load libraries, File-AID assumes a load library compare.
UNFORMATTED
LOAD_LIBRARY
SOURCE
JCL
COMPARE TYPE
The COMPARE TYPE keyword specifies the type of compare to perform. The value SORTED is functionally equivalent to KEYED. This default is KEYED if both input files have the same key length and location and have the same format. Otherwise, the default is READAHEAD.
KEYED
READAHEAD
1-TO-1
SORTED/KEYED
This indicates the input files are in sequence as defined by ASSOCIATION DESCRIBED in the SYNC/KEY keyword.
READAHEAD
This parameter specifies to perform a READAHEAD compare and the file has no defined sequence.
1-TO-1
File-AID compares OLD record 1 to NEW record 1, OLD record 2 to NEW record 2, etc.
READ AHEAD COUNT
The READ AHEAD COUNT keyword is used when you specify READAHEAD as the Compare Type, enter a value in this field.
When comparing non-sorted files that are essentially in the same sequence (READ_AHEAD_SEQUENCE=ENFORCE; see READ AHEAD SEQUENCE), use this field to specify a number to use to re-synchronize the records after inserted/deleted records are encountered. This number should be the estimated number of consecutive inserted/deleted records.
When comparing files not in the same sequence (READ_AHEAD_SEQUENCE=IGNORE; see READ AHEAD SEQUENCE), use this field to specify the number of records to search forward or backward for the corresponding record.
0000 READ_AHEAD_COUNT=number
Valid entries for number are 1-999. The default is 100. (COMPARE_TYPE=READAHEAD and READ_AHEAD_COUNT=0 are the same as COMPARE_TYPE=1-TO-1). This keyword is valid only when COMPARE_TYPE=READAHEAD.
READ AHEAD SEQUENCE
READ_AHEAD_SEQUENCE specifies whether the records you are comparing must occur in sequence to match. Specify E (Enforce) to enforce or I (Ignore) this rule. The default is ENFORCE. This keyword is valid only when COMPARE_TYPE=READAHEAD.
E
IGNORE
I
RECORDS TO COMPARE
The RECORDS_TO_COMPARE keyword specifies the maximum number of records to be compared. If you enter ALL, File-AID compares all records. A numeric value in this field places a limit on the total number of records that File-AID reads from both files.
number
Valid entries for number are 0-999. The default is ALL or 0.
DIFFERENCES TO COMPARE
The DIFFERENCES_TO_COMPARE keyword specifies the maximum changes, inserts, or deletes that you want to compare. If you enter ALL, File-AID compares all records. A numeric value in this field helps to avoid a comparison of incorrect data sets by placing a limit on the differences allowed before the compare process stops.
number
Valid entries for the number field are 1-999. The default is ALL or 0.