Browsing a data file

File-AID enables you to browse a file created through any standard MVS access method (including IAM files). You can display the entire data set or a selected subset of records. You can supply record layouts and view your data in four display modes:

• Character
• Formatted
• Vertical formatted.
• Unformatted

This section discusses several of the primary commands that you can use in the Browse function. See File-AID/MVS Online Reference for a complete list of the primary and line commands that are supported in the Browse and Edit functions.

Character mode

The character browse mode provides a full-screen view of the data. From character mode, you can use the FMT primary command to redisplay the data in formatted mode, the VFMT primary command to redisplay the data in Vertical Formatted mode, or UNFMT primary command to redisplay the data in Unformatted mode.

Formatted mode

The formatted browse mode lets you view data using a record layout. This mode presents data one record at a time and formats each record field-by-field. Record layouts can be either COBOL (FD: 01 level) or PL/I (Declare). Cross references (XREFs) are used to define automatic selection of record layouts for data sets with multiple record types.

From Formatted mode, you can use the CHAR primary command to redisplay the data in Character mode, the VFMT primary command to redisplay the data in Vertical Formatted mode, or UNFMT primary command to redisplay the data in Unformatted mode.

Vertical formatted mode

The vertical formatted browse mode also provides a full-screen view of the data. This mode, however, uses the record layout fields as column headers.

From Vertical Formatted mode, you can use the CHAR primary command to redisplay the data in Character mode, the FMT primary command to redisplay the data in Formatted mode, or the UNFMT primary command to redisplay the data in Unformatted mode.

Unformatted mode

The unformatted browse mode provides a full-screen display of your data one record at a time without record layout formatting. File-AID displays 70 characters of data per line until all data for the record is shown or the screen is filled.

Access Unformatted mode by selecting Browse or Edit mode U (Unformatted) or entering the UNFMT primary command from Character, Formatted, or Vertical Formatted mode of Browse or Edit. From Unformatted mode, use the CHAR primary command to redisplay the data in Character mode, the FMT primary command to redisplay the data in Formatted mode, or VFMT primary command to redisplay the data in Vertical Formatted mode.