Scanning the system catalog (3.4 catalog utility)

File-AID has a powerful utility (3.4 Catalog) for scanning the system catalog and listing data sets that match a pattern you specify.

This utility is dynamically invoked for you whenever you specify a pattern data set name (for example, FASAMP.*) in any dataset name prompt within File-AID.

Accessing the catalog utility (option 3.4)

The Catalog utility is located on File-AID’s Extended Utilities menu (option 3) as utility number 4.

First select option 3 to display the Extended Utilities menu.

File-AID Primary Option Menu. Selecting Option 3 for Extended Utilities Menu.

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From the File-AID Primary Option Menu (see the previous figure), select File-AID option 3 to view the File-AID Extended Utilities menu.

Selecting the catalog utility

Next, select option 4 to view the Catalog Utility entry screen.

File-AID Extended Utilities Menu - Choose Option 4 CATALOG

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From the File-AID Extended Utilities menu (see the previous figure), select option 4 to access the Catalog Utility entry screen.

Specifying catalog search options

The Catalog Utility entry screen enables you to generate a list of data sets that start with your user ID prefix by pressing the Enter key just once.

You may choose to specify an explicit search name or other options, including:

  • Format option: select the amount of information you want to see in your list of data sets:

    Q (Quick): Very fast; just looks up catalog entry.

    S (Short): Reads catalog entry to show volume.

    L (Long): Gets information from data set label including space allocated and percent of space used and record format.

    Multi-volume data sets are identified by the + (plus sign) following the Volume field with the Short and Long formats.

    The default value for the Format option is set by the Format option field on the Parameters screen (option 0.4).

  • Clusters only: option to show just cluster name or all components of VSAM clusters (for example, .DATA and .INDEX). The default is to show cluster name only.
  • Display confirm delete: option to suppress the display of the confirm screen for each delete request.

In this example, you list your user ID data sets using the LONG format.

Catalog Utility Entry screen

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Steps:

  1. Leave the OPTION field blank.
  2. Leave the Search name field blank.
  3. Set Format option field to L (long).
  4. Press Enter. File-AID generates the list of data sets and displays them on the Catalog Utility Dataset List screen as shown in Catalog Utility Dataset List - Long Format.

More about the catalog utility entry screen

Rules for the Search Name field include:

  • If you leave the field blank, File-AID automatically lists those data sets starting with your user ID. It also lists any data sets that start with your site optional VSAM high-level qualifier plus your VSAM intermediate name as defined in your 0.1 System Parameters default.
  • If you specify a name, you must enter the full, high-level qualifier name without quotes (for example, SYS1).

  • Valid pattern characters include:

    Character

    Description

    ? (Question mark)

    Single character wildcard (for example, SYS1.DB?LIB)

    * (Asterisk)

    Multiple character wildcard (for example, SYS1.DB* and SYS1.FA.*.NODEFOUR)

    + (Plus)

    Multiple node wildcard (for example, SYS1.+.NODEFOUR).

  • The Search Name is reset to blanks when you exit the Catalog utility.
  • The V option (Produce volume list of VSAM) is used primarily for sites having pre-ICF catalogs.

Working with your data set list (primary and line commands)

File-AID scans the system catalog and generates a list of data sets matching your search name. In this case, you used the default search name and are viewing a list of your user ID prefix data sets.

You can scroll the list down or up, use the FIND command, print the list, or use line commands to select one or more data sets for processing.

In this example, you look at the File-AID tutorial screen available on any screen by issuing the HELP command or pressing the PF key assigned to the HELP command (PF1). Later, you use the I (Info) line command to view information about a VSAM cluster.

Catalog Utility Dataset List - Long Format

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Press PF1 (HELP) two times.

File-AID contains comprehensive tutorials about each screen and command. Pressing PF1 (HELP) displays the tutorial describing your current screen.

If a short message is displayed in the upper right corner (for example, 22 DATASETS SELECTED), the first time you press PF1, File-AID displays the long message associated with the short message. The long message appears on screen line three or sometimes in a message window near the lower portion of your screen. The second time you press PF1, File-AID invokes the related tutorial screen that describes the current function or message.

From the tutorial, you can either select a specific topic when choices are provided or just press Enter from each tutorial screen to sequentially view the information.

Reviewing the tutorial - summary of primary and line commands

This tutorial on data set selection lists summarizes the valid primary and line commands for the Catalog utility and the VTOC utility.

Use the END command (PF3) to return to the File-AID screen you were on when you requested help.

Catalog Utility. The Dataset List Processing Commands Tutorial Screen.

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Steps:

  1. Review the primary and line commands shown in the tutorial in the previous figure. Notice that line command 1 invokes File-AID Browse, 2 invokes File-AID Edit and 6 is File-AID Search/Update.
  2. Use the END command (press PF3) to return to the list of your data sets.

More about the tutorial

  • In the tutorial, you can ask for help (PF1) to learn how the tutorial works.
  • You can use the TOC primary command to view the table of contents for the tutorial.
  • You can use the I primary command to access the alphabetical index for File-AID’s tutorial.

Selecting a data set for processing

In order to perform an action on any data set in the Dataset List, specify a valid line command to the left of the dataset name.

In this example you request information (I line command) on a VSAM cluster.

Catalog Utility Dataset List - I (Info) Request

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Steps:

  1. If necessary, use the command FIND FASAMP.COMPARE, to scroll the list of data sets so that your userid.FASAMP.COMPARE data set is visible in the list of data sets.

  2. Write down the VOLUME number of the hlq.FASAMP.COMPARE data set in the space below this sentence. You use this volume in a later example.

    VOLUME = ________ <-- Write VOLSER here

  3. Place an I to the left of the hlq.FASAMP.COMPARE data set.
  4. Press Enter. File-AID displays information about FASAMP.COMPARE on the VSAM Information screen shown in the following figure.

Ending data set processing

After performing the function you requested, use the END command to return to the Catalog Utility Dataset List screen.

If you selected more than one data set to process, File-AID immediately processes the next command request and displays the appropriate screen (File-AID does not display the Catalog Utility Dataset List screen first). After processing your last data set request, File-AID redisplays the Catalog Utility Dataset List screen scrolled to the last processed data set.

This example illustrates the processing of a single data set. In this step, you exit from the Catalog utility and return to the Extended Utilities menu.

Catalog Utility - Sample VSAM Information Display

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Use the END command (press PF3) THREE TIMES to return to the Extended Utilities menu.

Related topics

Catalog-Utility-3-4


 

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