Verification state: modelled, not yet run against IDCAMS on z/OS. The LISTCAT reader is checked on AWS CardDemo's real LISTCAT.txt (all 10 clusters), and the jobs' IDCAMS control statements are read back by the module's own IDCAMS reader. How z/OSMF lists VSAM entries is taken from Zowe Explorer. The verification kit defines, loads, lists, reads, updates, prints and deletes a scratch KSDS, and cleans up after itself.
As ISPF 3.4 and IBM File Manager do, the module drives IDCAMS. Every action runs as an ordinary IDCAMS batch job through the z/OSMF jobs interface (not z/OSMF's AMS endpoint), so it leaves an audit trail on the spool. IDCAMS messages (IDC codes) land in Problems.
Clusters in the z/OS Data Sets view
Each cluster is listed once, with its data and index components below it, instead of three unrelated entries.
Look at a cluster
- Show VSAM Cluster Details runs LISTCAT ENTRIES ALL and shows organisation, key, record sizes, CI sizes, SHAREOPTIONS, statistics, HI-U-RBA, SMS classes and volumes.
- Open VSAM Records reads the cluster by REPRO into a work data set and opens it in the Record Viewer with a copybook. A cluster above
neuralInverse.mainframe.largeDownloadMegabytesasks first. - Print VSAM Records... runs IDCAMS PRINT.
Save a KSDS
When you save records of a KSDS opened with Open VSAM Records:
- You confirm, and the confirmation names the cluster and the system.
- The cluster's statistics are checked: if they changed since you read it, the save stops.
- A backup copy is made with REPRO and kept.
- Only if the backup ends with condition code 0 does REPRO REPLACE write your records.
Deleted records need a REUSE cluster. ESDS, RRDS, protected clusters and partial reads open read-only, with the reason.
Define, load, copy, verify, delete
| Command | IDCAMS |
|---|---|
| Define VSAM Cluster... | DEFINE CLUSTER, with the record size and key taken from a copybook |
| Load VSAM Cluster with REPRO... | REPRO from a sequential data set into the cluster |
| Copy VSAM Cluster to Data Set with REPRO... | REPRO from the cluster to a sequential data set |
| Verify VSAM Cluster | VERIFY |
| Delete VSAM Cluster | DELETE, with PURGE if you choose it |
Every change is confirmed naming the cluster and the system, and refused before any job for a cluster matching neuralInverse.mainframe.readOnlyDatasets.
Settings
| Setting | Meaning |
|---|---|
neuralInverse.mainframe.idcams.jobCard | The JOB statement of the IDCAMS jobs |
neuralInverse.mainframe.idcams.workQualifier | The qualifier of the work data sets REPRO reads into |
VSAM clusters on the workstation, defined and read by local IDCAMS steps with GnuCOBOL, are on Run JCL with GnuCOBOL.