Data sets and records

File Manager provides production and development logical file manipulation for HFS files, sequential (PS and PDS(E)) and VSAM (including IAM) data sets.

You can view and edit or otherwise process these types of data:

  • Sequential (PS) and partitioned (PDS or PDSE) data sets: A member of a partitioned data set or a sequential data set, or like or unlike concatenations thereof (when used as input), with any of these data set attributes:
    • PS data set type
      • Basic
      • Library
      • Extended
      • Large
      • Compressed
    • Record format
      • Fixed, variable, or undefined
      • Blocked or unblocked
      • Spanned
      • ISPF packed format data
    • Record length
      • For fixed-length data: 1–32760, 10-65535 (for tape using LBI)
      • For variable-length data: 1–32752, 14-65531 (for tape using LBI)
      • For spanned variable-length data: 1–16MB
  • VSAM data sets:
    • ESDS, including spanned format
    • KSDS, including spanned format
    • RRDS (fixed-length or variable-length)
    • PATH (PATHs related to a non-unique alternate index are restricted to browse only)
    • AIX®
  • HFS files: A file contained in the z/OS® UNIX™ File System, including z/FS and HFS:
    • Record format
      • Text (delimited by CR,LF or NL)
      • Binary
    • Record length
      • Text mode files are variable length: 1-32752
      • Binary mode files are fixed length: 1-32760
  • Websphere MQ messages on a queue. Where allowed, an MQ queue can be specified in a data set name.
  • CICS® files, TS, or TD queues:
    • When used in conjunction with FM/CICS. See File Manager for z/OS User’s Guide and Reference for CICS.
    • In a non-CICS File Manager environment, by specifying the CICS® resource type, CICS® applid, and CICS® resource name as the data set name.
Note: Throughout this publication, where the term data set is used, it generally refers to any of the above resource types, rather than referring specifically to traditional z/OS® data sets, unless otherwise mentioned.

File Manager can use copybooks that are stored in a PDS, a PDSE, a CA-Panvalet library, or a library accessed using the Library Management System Exit.