Don't like this concept at all. Much too easy for people that don't think about what they are doing to overwrite data. Instead, what I would like to see is the JCL functionality to do something like SPACE=*.<refdd> or SPACE=(LIKE=<dsname>), in much the same manner as you can copy DCB attributes using REFDD or DCB=*.<refdd>. Then write to a new file and rename if you must.
Also, with reference to Jim Firebird's comment: ' How about adding this clause: If the dataset is migrated, skip the recall. This might get tricky, because if the dataset is not opened, then would you not want the migrated version to remain cataloged?' This functionality already exists in dynamic allocation (the S99NOMIG flag). I think it's been there since ESA. Again, not at all certain this should be available in JCL. JCL essentially defines the resources that a program needs to work with; the software that works in that environment would have to cope with the lack of an expected resource (and probably just terminate with error like they do now anyway? Which is handled by OS recovery, not left to the application). Ant. -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of John P. Baker Sent: Friday, 24 February 2012 1:41 PM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: Thought: new DISP "status" function John, How about DISP=OVR (i.e., overwrite) ? If the dataset exists, then have the initiator perform a delete / hdelete operation. Thereafter, change the disposition to DISP=NEW. John P. Baker -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of McKown, John Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 3:29 PM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Thought: new DISP "status" function We all know that you can specify DISP=OLD|SHR|NEW|MOD for a dataset. I just had another wacky thought of a new one that I would like. I can't really think of a good, three character, value for it. But what it would do is what UNIX does with a PATHOPTS=(OTRUNC,OCREAT). It would, like MOD, either reuse an existing allocation, or create a new one. But, unlike MOD, it would not add to the end, but put an EOF at the beginning of the dataset and start writing over the old data. What do others think? John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * john.mck...@healthmarkets.com * www.HealthMarkets.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
