Tom Marchant wrote: >and it will not find >SO HKJHKJ EK
True. In that case, do this: Use =3.15 (Extended Search Function) Fill in 'Search DS Name'. Leave Search strings blank in ASIS and CAPS fields. Specify in 'Statements Dsn' where your search argument is. SRCHFOR 'SO' SRCHFORC 'EK',+ This will find this in member 'TOM': TOM 1 SOEK 2 SO1XXEK 3 SOAY YYEK 4 XXX SO HKJHKJ EK 5 SOBZ Z A A A A AEK 6 SO Z A A A A EK Batch version (also from =3.15): //SEARCH EXEC PGM=ISRSUPC, // PARM=(SRCHCMP, // '') //NEWDD DD DISP=SHR,DSN=<pds>, //OUTDD DD SYSOUT=? //SYSIN DD * SRCHFOR 'SO' SRCHFORC 'EK',+ Groete / Greetings Elardus Engelbrecht ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html