FDRARCH FORMAT Statement

FORMAT Statement

The FORMAT statement formats an Archive Control File for use by ABR. The output control file must be a newly-allocated, empty data set unless ENABLE=ERASE is specified.

FORMAT statement syntax

ARCDD=

ddn

Specifies the name of the DD statement that is to be used to reference the Archive Control File.

Default: ARCHIVE.

BLKF=

n

Specifies the number of blocks to be placed on each track, from 2 through 5. FDRARCH automatically calculates the best block size for this device type.

Default: 2 (half track blocking) unless overridden in the FDR Global Options.

DISABLE=

ENABLE=

The options specified are disabled or enabled for this FORMAT operation. Multiple options are enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas. The options and their meaning if enabled are:

Validates the data set name of the Archive Control File. It requires that some index level in the name, not the first, is ARCHIVE.

DYNARC

Specifies the Archive Control File is to be allocated if the ARCHIVE DD statement is not present.

ERASE

Allows an existing, formatted control file to be reformatted. If disabled, a format can only be done to a newly allocated control file.

RESERVE

Protects the formatting with a RESERVE macro against the volume on which the control file resides.

Default: DSNCK and RESERVE are enabled; ERASE is disabled, unless overridden in the FDR Global Options.

RECORDS=

RECS=

Specifies the minimum number of data set entries that are formatted on the Archive Control File. The highest value that can be specified varies with the DASD device type, blocking factor, and size of the Archive Control File. With the default blocking factor B=2, the file can contain a maximum of 131070 blocks, which requires 65535 tracks. If the file is on a 3390, this translates to a maximum value for RECS= of 22806180. Sufficient space must be allocated to the Archive Control File to contain the required number of entries, otherwise FORMAT fails.

If the SPACE= JCL parameter specifies the RLSE operand, then FDRARCH formats as many blocks as necessary to contain the required number of records and any excess space is released.

If SPACE= does not include the RLSE operand (or SPACE= is omitted for an existing file), then FDRARCH formats all tracks of the initial allocation. If this is insufficient to hold the required number of records and a secondary allocation quantity was specified in SPACE=, FDRARCH takes secondary allocations until the space is sufficient, and formats all of the secondary tracks.

So, FORMAT formats all tracks allocated to the Archive Control File, with a guaranteed minimum capacity specified by RECS=. Once it has been formatted, it can only be expanded by FDRARCH.

Default: 2000 unless overridden in the FDR Global Options.

USERINDEX=

Specifies that the indicator will not be set and any Archive Backup files created using this control file will follow ABR's normal naming convention (as described in Tape Format and Naming Conventions in Introduction-to-FDRABR-Archiving-and-Superscratch).

Specifies that the Archive Control File is to be formatted with an indicator that causes FDRABR to change its normal convention for naming backup files on tape or DASD for any Archive (TYPE=ARC) or FDRAPPL Application Backup (TYPE=APPL) step that references this control file. The high-level index of such backup files is the same as the high-level index of this Archive Control File. This is intended for use with FDRAPPL (FDRAPPL-Application-Backup) and should not be used when formatting a control file for any other purpose.

Default: NO.

ABR archive file initialization ISPF dialog

A job to execute the FDRARCH FORMAT function can be generated by the ABR ISPF install dialog panel A.I.9, shown here:

ABR Archive File Initialization – Panel A.I.9

This will allocate, catalog and format the Archive Control File shown at the top of the screen:

• Archive Data Set Name - Name of the file to be created; quotes are not required.
• Standard Data Set Name - YES corresponds to ENABLE=DSNCK.
• Max Data Set Entries - Corresponds to RECS=.
• Blocks per Track - Corresponds to B=.
• Volume Serial Number - Specify the location, which must be an ABR-initialized volume.

The size of the file is automatically calculated based on the values you provided.

The FDR program library name is probably already filled in. If necessary update it and provide the volume serial if it is not cataloged. If necessary, update the JOB statement shown at the bottom to meet your installation's standards.

When done, enter SUBMIT on the command line to submit the job.