Re: COBOL 3.2 on z/OS reading variable len files

On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:39:23 GMT, "William M. Klein"
<wmklein@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

There is no TRULY supported way in IBM mainframe COBOL to create an FD for an VB
file that will work for "any" (non-specific) LRECL.

There used to be a way to get around this with RECORDING MODE U, but if you look
at:
http://publibfp.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr/BOOKS/igy3mg40/3.5.3

you will see that "trick" no longer works.

The bottom-line is:
do NOT try and "lie" to your COBOL program about the LRECL of the files to be
opened, or FS=39 will be the result.

P.S. There ARE ways around this in COBOL on other environments and with other
vendors, but not IBM mainframe COBOL.

Was a SHARE requirement ever submitted to eliminate this ASININE check
(or make it optional via compile option)? I think I may have been
irritated enough at some point in the period 1995 - 2002 to have done
so. The way around the problem is to use a DD statement with the LRECL
= RECORD SIZE + 4. JCL overrides the Data Set Control Block (disk or
tape label).

Clark Morris
.