Technology Practices Group

BASIC FUNCTIONS OF FILE-AID

An Interactive File Handling System

for IBM Mainframes

Submitted By
Chandrashekhara K

June 2007

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction
1.1 About File-AID……………………………………………………… 3

2. Basic functions . ………………………………………………………. 4

2.1 Parameters ….…………………………………………………………………… 5
2.2 Browse ………………………………………………………………………… 7
2.3 Edit …..…………………………………………………………………………. 15
2.4 Utilities …………………………………………………………………………… 17
2.5 View …..…………………………………………………………………………. 33
3 Tutorial ……..……………………………………………………………. 35

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 About File-AID

File-Aid is an extremely powerful interactive software product that increases productivity

by simplifying daily file and record maintenance. File-Aid browses, edits, allocates,
compared, copies, deletes, and prints files of any standard MVS access method including
CA-Panvalet and IAM. File-Aid allows you to browse, edit, and copy PDS fields as
individual members or as an entire data set. Record processing and information retrieval
are extremely fast. Most functions are available in batch as well as TSO.

File-Aid’s powerful editor expands your editing capabilities to include the following
features:

• A character mode for browsing and editing DASD datasets with any
record format and record length up to 32kb.
• A formatted mode that allows you to browse or edit one record at a time,
field-by-field, using your COBOL or PL/1 record layout field names to
describe each field.
• A vertical formatted mode that allows you to browse or edit records on
field-by-field basis using record layout as column headers.
• A compare function that compares two datasets field by field using the
specified record layouts and reports the differences between the files.
• A reformat function for selectively reformatting records using old and
new record layouts to guide the process.

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2. Basic Functions
Accessing the file-AID

Selecting option F on START Primary Option Menu displays the File-AID Primary
Option Menu .This screen lists all of the functions available in File-AID/MVS. Selecting
the number or letter of a function on the File-AID/MVS Primary Option Menu displays
the screen for that function.

This is the main menu of File-AID.

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2.1 PARAMETERS

The Parameters function allows you to display and modify the settings of a variety of
parameter at any time during a File-AID session. These parameters are used throughout
File-AID.

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The above Parameter Selection Menu provides access to the File-AID parameter default
settings that you can modify.

File-AID has divided the parameters into groups as listed on the Parameter Selection
Menu. Select the option group by entering its number in the OPTION field:
0 ISPF
View/change settings of ISPF parameter options and File-AID’s PF keys.
1 SYSTEM
View/change Browse and Edit function defaults, specify work file allocations, set
VSAM intermediate name, and enable the jump function.
2 SELECTION
View/change settings of selection criteria options, processing direction, and
Unformatted selection defaults.
3 PRINT
View/change settings of print parameter defaults.
4 PROCESSING
View/change record processing options and partitioned dataset processing defaults.
5 AUDIT
View/change audit file allocation parameters.
6 HFS
Set Hierarchical File System (HFS) Home Directory.
7 CATALOG
Search for datasets in a user catalog that cannot be located from the master catalog.

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2.2 BROWSE

The option 1 in Primary Option Menu will take you to browse mode.

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The browse window will looks like bellow.

Now you can enter the name of the file here as bellow.

Here OPD.OP8702.OPEN.ORDER is the file name to be browsed.

There are 3 options you will have.

a) C -- You can browse the file in character mode.
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b) F --You can browse in the formatted mode.

c) VFMT – you can browse in Vertical Formatted mode.
d) U- Unformatted browse.

The character browse mode provides full-screen viewing of data and enables you to
Invoke either formatted browse or vertical formatted browse modes. The entire dataset or
a selected subset may be displayed by using selection criteria. The HEX command lets
you toggle the display to show hexadecimal values for each character.

The formatted browse mode provides viewing capability for data using a record layout or
XREF to identify each data field in a record. This mode presents data one record at a time
and formats each record field by field with the field names describing each field.

The vertical formatted browse mode also provides full-screen viewing of data using a
record layout. This mode presents multiple records at a time. The display is in a vertical
format that uses the record layout to organize each record field under its record layout
field name

Unformatted browse mode displays data one record at a time without using a record
layout.

For the F and VFMT option you need to provide the the Record layout in record layout
information.
The PBP.PRODCOMB.COPYLIB is the PDS and OSEG32OF is the member name.

Record layout usage is S for single. And X for XREF or we can use N for none.

Selection criteria usage may be E, T, Q, M, or N. This will depends on how we need to

select the record. If we need to search a particular field we can use option Q.
The option T can be used when we can to select the records starting with some record.

If you want to go for selection with T option the the screen will looks like

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You can go for the option 1. It will show the screen

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Here you can specify the starting record key. From where the file needs to be displayed.
Also you can skip some records by using ‘Initial records to skip’ option. Here you can
give some records which you want to skip.
There is other option like you can select only particular number of records and you can
skip some number of records by giving the numbers.

Also there is option B by that you can go backward also.

Now command F3 option will leave you on the screen

Again command F3 to view the file.

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Now you can give command FMT will give you formatted display

You can also give VFMT command to display in vertical format.

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This will display the records in vertical format.

In this format also you can locate a filed by giving its name as in FMT command.(‘L
fieldname’)
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You can you scroll left, right, up, down to see other records. F8 will take you down, F7
will take you up, F10 will take you Left and F11 will take you right.

You can search a particular value in the file

This will find the value AR21

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Apart from this you can select the criteria as Q in the browse window.

If you press Enter it will take you to the screen

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Now you can give the conditions to select. You can search for particular values in the file
in a particular field.
Ex. You can display the records which have I23751 value starting from the position 3 and
of next 6 characters.

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If you press F3 it will go into search these records.

Here are the records which have I23751 value starting from the position 3 and of next 6
characters. Now you can give all scrolling methods which are used in the above T
options.

2.3 EDIT.
From the main menu the option 2 will take you to the edit mode.

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The File-AID Edit - Data Specification screen above, allows you to select
the mode to begin your edit session, and specify information about the edit, record
layout, XREF, and selection criteria datasets.
The Navigation methods are same as which used for the browse mode.

If you edited some records and if you do not want to save the data then you can give
CANCEL command which will prevent the saving of file.

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You can update data which shown in green in the file bellow.

Also you can do this in Character or VFMT edit mode.

2.4 UTILITIES:

You can give option 3 in the main MENU to list the utilities available.

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This will take you to the screen

These are the option that you have.

LIBRARY

The Library utility enables applications and systems programmers to manage libraries
online.

The option 1 Will help Display and modify directory entries; display load
Module CSECT maps; browse, delete, rename PDS members

The following screen will appear if you selected 1. (Library).

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OPTION
Enter one of the following option codes in the OPTION field on the Library Utility
screen and a library name.
A
Map CSECTs in address order. Displays a map of load module control sections
(CSECTs) in address order.
N
Map CSECTs in name order. Displays a map of load module CSECTs in name
order.
I
Display directory entry of member. Displays the directory entry and link-edit
attributes of a specified member.
B
Browse member. Used to browse a specified member. This option can be used to
browse a member instead of going to the Browse function.
D
Delete member. Used to delete a specified member.
R
Rename member. Used to rename a specified member.

BLANK
Display member list. Displays a list of the specified library members. Use the
Library option codes (A, N, S, B, D, R) as line commands on this Member List
screen to execute the Library utility options.

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You need to give the PDS name. And Disposition will be SHR or OLD.
You can process the utilities in online or batch mode.

The address-sequence and name-sequence mapping options (A and N) show all linked
components of a load module along with compiler name, compile dates, and applied zaps.
The displayed information is identical except for the sequence of the listing. Option A
displays CSECTs in sequence by address. This format indicates any segment overlays
that are present in the module.

Here if you want to display member list in a PDS you just press ENTER.

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If you want to display all members press ENTER.

Here it will display all members in the PDS A753CHK.TEST.JCLLIB

Now you can see the directory entry for these members.
I–Directory entry.
D-Delete a member.
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R- Rename the member

B-Browse the member
E-Edit the member.
The option I will Display the directory entry in HEX format.

Press ENTER will display the information.

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B –Will display the content of the member.

Press ENTER will display the content.

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Option E will allow editing the member

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Press ENTER will display the content in edit mode.

You can rename the member by using R command option and giving the new name.

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This will rename the file OPTTEMP to TESTFILE.

Pressing <Enter> renames the member. Use the END command (PF3) to cancel the
process. When the member is renamed, File-AID displays the Library Utility screen with
the following message in the upper-right corner: MEMBER RENAMED.

Here multiple members can be renamed. Enter an R next to the member name, and
specify the new name in the Rename column.

The option D will delete the file.

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Press <ENTER>

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If you know the member name then you can directly specify in the main LIBRARY
menu.

And you can perform the operations like Browse, DELETE, and Rename etc.

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DATASET FUNCTIONS.
The option 2 in the UTILITIES is for dataset operations.

The function for Display dataset information; allocate non-VSAM datasets and GDGs;
catalog, uncatalog, delete, or rename datasets are available here.

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You can create the GDG base by using option G here.

Depending on the specification of the GDG required you can give the count and other
info.
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Press <Enter> to allocate the GDG base dataset, or use the END command to cancel the
allocation. When allocation is complete, File-AID displays the message: GDG BASE
ALLOCATED in the upper-right corner of the Dataset Utility screen. If an error occurs
(such as duplicate dataset name), File-AID displays the appropriate error message. Use
the HELP command (PF1) to obtain information on the error.
COPY FUNCTION.

Similarly the option 3 will allow performing COPY operations.

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You can copy from one file to another in batch mode or in online mode depending on
your choice of Execution Information. (O –online, B – Batch)
The B option will allow you to submit the job to copy.

You can select the records by using the Selection Criteria T , Q ,N options as in the
browse mode.
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If the file does not exist you can give the option NEW as disposition.
It will allow to creating a file.

The online mode will allow the copy in online and you can view the process that how
many are selected or how many are read etc.

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Similarly the option B will allow you to do this in batch.

You can specify the job details for this.

And the options JCL will allow to to edit the JCL and SUMBIT will allow submitting the
job. And END will allow you to cancel the operation.

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This option will helpful because there is no need to wait till the copy completes and it
will take allow to do some other task parallel.
The option 4 is for CATALOG information’s like Display generic catalog entries or
VSAM datasets on a
Volume in list forms and does dataset list processing

VSAM

The option 5 will be used for VSAM operations.

It will take you the screen

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From this you can do Allocate, display, delete, modify, or rename VSAM clusters,
Alternate indexes, or paths; manage IAM files.
Here also you have the options to Online or Batch mode.

2.5 VIEW

The option 8 in main Menu used to view the file layout.

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This will display the records format of CTRCOPY copylib.

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We can see the type of data type, Starting position of the record field, and length of that
field.

3. TUTORIAL

Tutorials are available for each function and option in File-AID to provide detailed
information on the function and explain error conditions. Access tutorials by using the
HELP primary command (PF1) from any File-AID screen, or by selecting option T on
the File-AID Primary Option Menu.

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