INT (Initialize Tape)

Purpose

Initialize tapes in IBM® standard label format, ASCII label format, or NL tape.

Usage notes

Use this function to initialize a labeled or unlabeled tape. File Manager first rewinds the tape. To initialize with labels, File Manager writes a volume label set in either IBM® standard format or ANSI type 3 or 4 (ASCII) format. For NL initialization, a single tape mark is written.

Specify a DDNAME for the tape. To check existing labels on the output tape before creating the new label set, specify the appropriate label value on the tape allocation panel. Specifying BLP initializes the tape unconditionally.

After completion of the function, the tape remains positioned after the label set. To make your system aware of the new volume serial number, rewind, unload, and reallocate it with the new volume serial number.

Options

You can initialize a tape with ANSI type 3 or 4 labels to be used with ASCII files. You can also specify a file identifier to be used for the file header label. Omit the volser to initialize an NL tape.

A scaling capacity can be added to the tape provided the function is supported by the hardware. The scaling capacity limits the amount of the tape actually used.

Related function

WTM: Write one or more tape marks

Figure 1. Syntax

ascii: Specify YES to format the tape with American National Standard labels for use with ASCII files. Specify NO to format the tape with EBCDIC labels. The default depends on the value of the SET TAPELBL parameter.
ddname: Refers to a DD or TSO ALLOC statement.
LABEL=BLP: Specifies that bypass label processing is used. This parameter must be specified with the first File Manager function that uses the tape. For BLP processing requirements, see “Customizing the Security Environment” in the File Manager for z/OS Customization Guide.
mm: A 2-byte tape mode as shown in Tape density and mode values.
scale: Limits the amount of data that can be stored on the tape to a percentage of its capacity. Allowed values are 0 (100% capacity; no limit applied), 25, 50, or 75. For example, SCALE=25 limits the tape to 25% of its normal capacity. Only valid for 3590 devices; it is not valid for a 3590 running in 3489E emulation mode.
tapefile: Name to be used to write the HDR1 label. The default is to create a HDR1 label with a dummy name for labeled tapes. This parameter is ignored for NL tapes.
volser: Volume serial number to be used for initialization. If omitted, an NL tape with no volser is produced.

//INT JOB (acct),'name'  Initialize SL Tape
//FMBAT    PROC
//FMBAT    EXEC PGM=FILEMGR
//STEPLIB  DD DSN=FMN.SFMNMOD1,DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSABEND DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//         PEND
//*
//FILEMGR  EXEC FMBAT
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//TAPE     DD UNIT=561,VOL=SER=FMO001,
//            DISP=SHR,LABEL=(,BLP)
//SYSIN    DD *
$$FILEM INT OUTPUT=TAPE,VOLSER=FMO001,
$$FILEM     SCALE=25,OUTFILE=MY.TEST.TAPE
$$FILEM EOJ
/*