Creating data without using a template

To create data in a new or existing data set, without using a template:

  1. From the Primary Option Menu panel, select option 3. Utilities and then option 1. Create.

    The Data Create Utility panel is displayed.

  2. Do one of the following:
    • Specify the name of an existing data set; for PDS(E) data sets, also specify a new or existing member.

      The new records replace or are appended to the records in the existing data set or member, depending upon how you set the Disposition Processing Option.

    • Specify the name of a new data set; for PDS(E) data sets, also specify a new member name.

      When you press Enter to process this panel, you are asked to allocate and define the new data set.

  3. If you are creating data in variable length records and you want the new records to have a length less than that of the maximum record size, type a value in the Record length field. Otherwise, leave this field empty. (The field is ignored for fixed length and undefined length records.)
  4. Enter the number of records that you want to create, in the Records field.
    Note: To create an empty data set, specify the number of records as 0.
  5. To initialize the data at the record level, enter a value in the Fillchar field.
  6. If you would like to include a sequence field as part of the record, specify the Sequence field position, Sequence field length and Sequence field increment values.
  7. If you have specified the name of a new data set and you want to use another data set as a model, spedify the name of the model data set in the Like data set field.
  8. Select your Disposition Processing Option.
    1. Old/Reuse
    Choose this option when you want your new data to initialize from the beginning of an existing data set, replacing any existing records.
    Note: If your VSAM data set is set to NOREUSE, selecting this option results in an error when the panel is processed.
    2. Mod
    Choose this option when you want your new data to be appended to any existing records in the data set.
    Note: You cannot append records to a PDS or PDSE member or to a packed sequential data set. You also cannot append packed records to a non-packed sequential data set. You must use the Old/Reuse option to replace these records.
  9. In the Copybook or template processing option, select 3. None.

    The contents of the Copybook or Template Data set name and Member fields are ignored.

  10. If you want to select a range of PDS(E) members based on one or more criteria, select the Advanced member selection option to display the Advanced Member Selection panel.

    For details about selecting a range of PDS(E) members, see Selecting a range of PDS(E) members.

  11. If you want to generate the JCL needed to run this function in batch, select the Batch execution option. The generated JCL is displayed in an Edit session when the panel is processed.
  12. If you want to run a user I/O exit in conjunction with your create action, select the Use I/O exit option and then specify the exit name in the adjacent field.

    This option is only available when File Manager is installed with the option USEIOX=ENABLE, and the Exit enabled field in the Set System Processing Options panel is set to YES. If a default is specified with either of those options, it is displayed in the field to the right of Use I/O exit.

  13. If you want to create the new records in ISPF PACK format, select option 2 Pack in the ISPF Packing field.
    Note: This option is only applicable to PDS or PDSE members. You cannot specify Pack if you have elected to use an I/O exit.
  14. Press Enter.

    If you have specified an existing data set and the process is successful, a message is displayed to show the number of records written to the file.

    If you have specified a new data set name, you are asked to allocate it. When the data set has been successfully allocated, the Data Create panel is displayed again, with a message to show the number of records written to the file.

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