Requesting z/OS Datasets

The File-AID Data Editor Request dialog for z/OS data sets captures your options for accessing z/OS data sets. You can provide record layouts and specify selection criteria to limit the records and fields you wish to access. You can also establish other display and run options such as Browse mode or Edit mode.

You can save and re-use your request, making it easy to access your data the same way the next time you access this object. Your recently used requests are listed on the Data Editor menu accessed by clicking the toolbar File-AID icon image2021-8-18_11-53-6.png and selecting Data Editor.

Creating a New or Using a Saved Request

To create a new or use a saved request:

  1. At the top of the File-AID Data Editor Request for z/OS data sets dialog, enter a Request Name to create a new request, or select a request name from the request name pull-down list to use an existing request. 

    Important

    If you try to create a request with a name that has already been used, a message will appear asking whether you want to overwrite the existing request. z/OS data set request names created by a single user, or all users in a single workspace, must be unique even for different files. If you have requests for several files and have trouble remembering what request names you have already used, you could use naming conventions for your requests where requests for a specific file start with a specific letter or group of letters. For example, requests for files for the Human Resources department could start with HR and requests for the Sales department could start with SA. Then, request name HRTest would be different from SATest.

  2. You can optionally reassign the request to a different data set. Either type the new data set name in the Dataset field, click Browse to initiate the Dataset Selection dialog to navigate the catalog to find the desired data set, or select a previously used data set from the Dataset pull-down list. To save the request with the new data set name, enter a new Request Name and click Save. 

    Important

    After the request has been run, the newly specified data set will be available on the Data set pull-down list.

    Using Record Layouts

    Record Layout Information

    Select whether to use record layouts. The Use record layouts checkbox initial state is controlled by a preference. The default is that it is selected and that you will be using Record Layouts to format your z/OS data. When Use record layouts is selected, by default the Single layout radio button is selected. If you wish to use a layout cross reference (XREF) definition to automate layout presentation for files with multiple record types or multiple segments of data per record (segmented records), click the Record layout cross reference (XREF) radio button and go to step 4.

    Important

    • If Use record layouts is not selected, the Single layout and Record layout cross reference (XREF) radio buttons are disabled.
    • XREF support requires that File-AID/MVS be updated with current maintenance. If the Record layout cross reference (XREF) radio button is disabled, it is likely that File-AID/MVS is not current.

    Single Record Layouts

  3. For a Single layout, enter the Layout data set and member, then click the Get Layout button. Optionally you may use the pull-down control to list and select previously entered layouts, or click Browse to initiate the Data set List dialog to navigate the catalog to find the data set or member containing the layout you wish to use with this file.

    1. Click Browse. The Data set Selection dialog box appears.
    2. Enter a partial name in the Datasets Name box. You can use the asterisk wildcard. Click List. A list of all data sets that meet the filter requirements appears.
    3. Select the desired layout data set. If the data set is a PDS, this populates the list of members for this data set.
      To refine the list of data sets, use the Sequential icon (image2021-8-18_11-54-10.png) or PDS icon (image2021-8-18_11-54-44.png) (toggle buttons) to include only those types of data sets in the list. The default is for both to be selected when you first open the Dataset Selection dialog box. Clicking each icon the first time deselects that type of file.
      Clicking again, reselects that type of file. This updates the dataset list with only the selected type of data set making it easier to search the list for the desired file.
    4. For a selected PDS, click on the desired member name from the member list. Optionally, use the Member Name box to specify a partial member name to reduce the size of the member list. The list is dynamically refreshed with each character you type.
    5. To verify that you have chosen the correct data set and member, click View. This displays the file for viewing. Click Close to return to the Dataset Selection dialog box.
    6. After making your selection, click OK. You will return to the z/OS dataset Request window. To confirm that you have properly provided a layout, the Data Editor retrieves and compiles the layout and displays the metadata for the layout in the Fields tab of the selection criteria.
    7. If your layout has more than one 01 level name, select one from the list. Get Layout is only enabled if you entered the Layout dataset(member) manually. If you used Browse to make your selection, the layout is retrieved and compiled automatically.

    Record Layout Cross Reference (XREF)

  4. If you chose the Record layout cross reference (XREF) radio button, enter the XREF Dataset and member. Optionally you may use the pull-down control to select previously entered XREF dataset (member) names from the list, or click Browse to initiate the Dataset Selection dialog to navigate the catalog to find the data set and member containing the XREF you wish to use with this file. You must also fill in the name of the Record layouts PDS. Optionally you may use the pull-down control to select previously entered Record layout PDS names from the list, or use the Browse button to locate the PDS containing the COBOL or PL/I layouts referenced in your XREF. 

    Important

    XREF data sets and members are created and maintained with the XREF utility of File-AID/MVS or the XREF editor in File-AID/Eclipse. For more information, see Creating-a-New-or-Editing-an-Existing-XREF-Member.

    Edit z/OS Dataset Selection Criteria

    Selection criteria determines what portion of the selected z/OS data set becomes available for viewing or editing. You can choose which fields will be displayed and conditions for selecting records. Only records that match your selection criteria will appear in the editor data display.

    To edit z/OS dataset selection criteria

  5. Optionally, click on the Fields tab and select the desired fields. The search box near the top can be used to quickly find the desired fields. The fields you select are the only fields that will be viewable when you navigate to the Layout Formatted tab of the Data Editor. By default, all fields are automatically selected. 

    Important

    The Fields tab indicates "no layout information" and is empty when using an XREF. Field selection is not currently supported when using an XREF.

  6. Optionally, click on the Conditions tab. Records will be chosen based on the conditions selected. You can add conditions or sets. Sets can contain multiple conditions. If you prefer, you can optionally select Use selection criteria data set (member). In this case, enter or search for the desired selection criteria data set and member.

    Important

    Some Edit mode functions (Insert, Repeat, and Delete) are restricted for certain data set types. VSAM ESDS non-reusable or not exclusive, VSAM ESDS or KSDS reusable exclusive when using selection criteria Conditions or Options. Note: Selection Criteria you use from the mainframe must be a valid selection criteria member in a File-AID/MVS Selection Criteria PDS.

  7. Under Field, click on <select field>.
    If you have provided a single record layout, the Choose Field Mode dialog box appears. From the Choose Field Mode dialog box, select Formatted or Unformatted fields when defining conditions for this set and click OK.
    1. If you selected Formatted, the Select filter field window appears. Click the field name to select the desired field and click OK. You can select only one field. You will return to the File-AID Data Editor Request window. 
    2. Select an Operator from the list (is equal to is the default). Operators are only available for selection after you have selected a field under Column Name. For more information, see z-OS-Selection-Criteria-Operators.

    3. Type a value in the Value column. Not all operators require a value. For more information, see z-OS-Values. 

      Important

       When entering a value for a Formatted Set condition, the value must match the format of the field layout. You must enter decimal numbers for numeric fields. If you need to specify values more explicitly, use the User Defined Field unformatted condition. There, you can specify your own data type including hex (X).

      If you selected Unformatted, or if you have not provided a record layout, or if you selected Record layout cross reference (XREF), the User Defined Field window appears.

    4. Enter a column Location where this user-defined field begins: A number from 1 to 32,767, as long as it is not larger than the maximum record length permitted for this file. If the specified location is beyond the end of a record, the condition is ignored and not used to select records.
      Location can also be specified as a relative number. +0 indicates the current location pointer (byte 1 initially). The location pointer is advanced when a prior condition uses the Contains operator and the data is located in the record. Relative locations can be negative as long as the sum of the relative location and the current location pointer is not 0 or less. If a location is zero or negative, the condition is ignored.
    5. Optionally, enter the field Length: Length is generally not required. The length of the Value you enter is used as a default. For the Contains operator, a length of 0 or blank implies “to the end of the record”. For Data Type B (Binary), you must specify a length of 1, 2, or 4. Length is ignored for data type M (Mask) as only one byte (2 hex digits) of value is allowed for this data type. For P (Packed) data types, length is automatically determined based on finding a valid packed field of any length at the specified location. If specified with data type P (Packed), the condition looks for a packed field of the length you provide.
    6. Select a Data Type: Choices include:
      • Any Case Text (T) (default): The values you enter are used to compare with the data at the specified location and will match any case (upper, lower, or mixed) of the entered strings.
      • Exact Case Text (C): The values you enter are used to compare with the data at the specified location and will match only the exact case of the entered strings.
      • Hex (X): The value is expected to be one or more even pairs of hex digits 0-9,A-F. The values you enter are used to compare with the data at the specified location and will match the hex values of the data in the record.
      • Packed (P): Typically the value you enter is a signed or unsigned decimal integer, it is used to compare with the data at the location in packed format. If the value you enter is unsigned or positive, it will match a positive or an unsigned packed number at the specified location. If negative, it will only match a negative packed number at the specified location.
      • Binary (B): Similar to Packed, the value you enter is a signed or unsigned decimal integer. A length (1, 2, or 4) is required with this data type. The value you enter is converted to a binary value and compared to the binary data at the specified location.
      • Numeric (N): Also similar to packed, the value you enter is a signed or unsigned decimal integer, it is used to look for zoned numeric data at the specified location (and for the specified length or the length of the value you enter). If the value you enter is unsigned or positive, it will match a positive or an unsigned zoned decimal number at the specified location. If negative, it will only match a negative zoned decimal number at the specified location. Signs are checked in the last digit of the field only. (Unsigned or positive numbers will match F zone or C zone numbers, and negative numbers will match D zone numbers. Example: Numeric -15 matches a data value of Hex F1D5.)
      • Bit Mask (M): This data type tests for individual bits in one byte of data at the specified location. The value specified is a pair of hex digits 0-9, A-F. Example: FF is a binary mask equivalent to 11111111. Special operators are provided when using this data type: is equal to (all ones, all 1s in the mask are on in the data), is not equal to (not ones, all 1s in the mask are off in the data), are mixed ones and zeros (some 1s, but not all, in the mask are on in the data), are not ones (not all 1s in the mask are on in the data). The operators are mixed ones and zeros and are not ones are only used when the bit mask contains more than one 1 and have no meaning if there is only 1 bit to test. When the mask has only one bit, the operator is equal to is the same as are mixed ones and zeros, and the operator is not equal to is the same as are not ones.
    7. Enter an Operator: Operators for user defined fields are the same as those provided for Formatted conditions. In addition, there are some special operators for the Bit Mask (M) data type as described in Data Types. Is equal to is the default. For more information, see z-OS-Selection-Criteria-Operators.

    8. Enter the Value: Values are expected to be consistent with the Data Type you selected. Alphanumeric strings for Any Case Text (T) or Exact Case Text (C), decimal (0-9) signed or unsigned numeric values for Packed (P), Binary (B), and Numeric (N) data types. For Hex (X) you must enter one or more contiguous pairs of hex digits (0-9,A-F). 0000-FFFF. For more information, see z-OS-Values.

      Important

      For Bit Mask you must enter exactly two hex digits (0-9,A-F) or eight binary digits (0-1). Examples 0F or 00001111. You may specify multiple values separated by commas to create an OR test for this condition. For example, a,b,c means a or b or c. When using the special operators is a valid field and is an invalid field for numeric fields, do not specify a value. Instead, leave it blank.

    9. Click OK. You will return to the File-AID Data Editor Request window.

  8. To enter more than one condition, click When entering a value for a Formatted Set condition, the value must match the format of the field layout. You must enter decimal numbers for numeric fields. If you need to specify values more explicitly, use the User Defined Field unformatted condition. There, you can specify your own data type including hex (X). and repeat the previous step for each additional condition. 

    Important

    • When multiple conditions are created (for z/OS) AND is always used to match how conditions are used on the mainframe.
    • To eliminate a condition, click on the condition to select it, then click the Remove button. To remove all conditions, click the Remove All button.
    • You may optionally click on the condition to select it, then click the Duplicate button to insert a copy of the condition following the current condition.

  9. To enter more than one set, click Add Set.

    Important

    When multiple sets are created (for z/OS) OR is always used to match how sets are used on the mainframe. You cannot mix formatted conditions and unformatted conditions in one set.

    Options - Starting Point and More

  10. Optionally, click on the Options tab. Options allow you to set a starting point in your file by Key or RBA or by skipping a number of records. You can also set up a random selection interval and limit the number of records searched or selected before returning data. Finally, you can specify read backward for most file types. If you want to use any of the options, you must select the Yes radio button on the Activate these options prompt at the top of the Options tab. Activating options may limit edit functionality. Hover your mouse over the information icon at the beginning of the Activate prompt to view the restrictions.

    Query and Display Options

    Records to display per page

  11. Enter the Records to display per page. The default is 2000. This value determines page size for large files and allows rapid response to MVS data requests when the number is smaller. Maximum limit of page size varies based on the amount of free memory available to the File-AID Data Editor and the size of the records in the file.

    Important

    The Records to display per page is set in the Windows > Preferences > Compuware > File-AID Data Editor preferences.

    I/O Exit

  12. Optionally, enter the name of a valid File-AID/MVS I/O exit. Your exit must exist in the File-AID/MVS authorized customization load library. I/O exits are used to allow user control for handling record data. Refer to the File-AID Single Install Image Installation and Configuration Guide for details on I/O exits. 

    Important

    Selection criteria Conditions and Options are not supported when using a Type 2 (full I/O control) I/O exit.

    Run Mode Settings

  13. Specify whether you want to view your data in Browse or Edit mode. Edit is the default. If you select Edit, specify whether to Enable Auditing. Enabled is the default. Also specify whether you want Exclusive use or shared use. Shared (unchecked) is the default. 

    Important

    • The Records to display per page and Enable auditing default is set in the Windows > Preferences > Compuware > File-AID Data Editor (MVS tab) preferences.
    • Maximum audit trail data area is 32724. If this size is exceeded, an error message will appear.

    Request Actions

  14. Once you have completed your request, it is a good practice to assign a Request Name and click Save to ensure that you can reuse the request in the future. Saved requests are accessible via the pull-down control in the Request Name field or via the Data Editor menu accessed by clicking the toolbar File-AID icon image2021-8-18_11-56-12.png and selecting Data Editor.

  15. Click Run. You will navigate to the data display view.

    Important

    After you navigate to the data display, you can return to the Request by clicking the Return to Request link. There you may choose to update your criteria selections. Then optionally click Save to save your updates, and click Run again. Your data display view will be updated immediately with the new selection criteria.

  16. Click Close to exit the Request dialog.
  17. To delete a saved request permanently, click Delete.

  18. To return to the last saved state of a request, use the Revert button. 

     

     

     

     

     

     


 

Tip: For faster searching, add an asterisk to the end of your partial query. Example: cert*