MVS: Utilities

Synopsis
MVS: Utilities explains how to use common MVS utility programs, including IDCAMS, SORT/MERGE and IEBCOPY.

The material in this course applies to all releases of the MVS operating system since the original release of MVS/ESA. The majority of the concepts presented can be used in all releases of MVS.

Information that is specific to a particular release of MVS (for example: OS/390 MVS) will be clearly labeled. Otherwise, when you see MVS in this course, it refers to MVS/ESA and all subsequent releases.

Audience
This course is for programmers and end users who work in an MVS environment.

Time
3 - 6 hours

Product Code: MVS201

After completing this course, the student should be able to:

Describe the purpose of each utility program

Specify when each utility should be used

Code execution JCL statements for each utility

Code each utility's control statements

Access Method Services
Explains the IDCAMS utility.  Discusses how to work with catalogs, VSAM data sets and GDGs.  Covers the format and purpose of control statements.  Provides sample JCL and program output.

Managing Catalogs
Execution JCL for IDCAMS..  Control statement format.  LISTCAT Function.  Changing catalog information.  Renaming Data Sets.  Processing GDGs.  The DELETE Function.  Defining VSAM data sets.

Using Data Sets
The PRINT Function.  Copying using the REPRO Function.

General Purpose Utilities
Explains the IEBGENER utility.  Discusses how to work with catalogs, VSAM data sets and GDGs.  Covers the format and purpose of control statements.  Provides sample JCL and program output.  Explains DD statements for using sequential data sets.

Processing Sequential Data Sets
The IEBGENER utility.  Copying and Printing.  The GENERATE control statement.  Defining fields.  Empty Datasets.  The IEFBR14 utility.  The DISP parameter.

Sort/Merge
Functions of the SORT program.  Work files.  Major and minor keys..  Defining fields.

Specialized Utilities
Explains the control statements and JCL DD statements.  Provides sample job setups and output.

Library Processing
The IEBCOPY utility.  The COPY control statement.  Specifying members using the SELECT and INCLUDE control statements.  Using the replace option.  Merging libraries.  The LIST option.

Printing
The IEBPTPCH utility.  Limitations.  Creating report titles.  The PRINT control statement.  Control characters.  Printing special characters and packed fields.

Maintaining library members
The IEBUPDTE utility.  Specifying sequence numbers.  Modifying individual records.  Creating a list of changes.