Mainframe, MVS and zOS Discussion

Hi,

Can some one help me in creating an XREF File in File-Aid? How Can I view a file in Fileaid which has multiple Record Layouts.

Thanks,

You need to find the File Aid manuals at your site (if your site is licensed for File Aid, you have access to the manuals, via harcopy at your site or internal web site or through the vendor web site) and read up on this. Or you could try the online help by hitting F1 after doing option 7 for XREF from the File Aid main menu.

If you look in the manual, you can find this

For an XREF dataset, the dataset organization must be partitioned (DSORG=PO). The record format must be variable-blocked (RECFM=VB). The logical record length must be 300 (LRECL=300). And the XREF dataset must have a minimum block size of 304 (BLKSIZE=304). XREF and selection criteria members can stored in the same dataset.

You can view a file in File Aid with multiple record layouts; check the manual for more details.

Hi,

For creating an XREF follow the following steps,

1. Take option 7 (labeled XREF) from the primary menu of File-AID.

2. Enter the dataset name of your XREF library and a member name for the XREF you want to create. For example, FILEAID.XREF as the dataset and CREDITS as the XREF member name, if this is for a credits data file. Note, the following are the attributes for the XREF dataset if you don't have one already allocated RECFM=VB, LRECL=300, BLKSIZE=304 and this MUST be a PDS, as Robert has also indicated.

3. On the same screen, enter the name of your record layout dataset (usually a copybook library). Then press enter.

4. On the next screen, enter a description for this XREF (this is optional). Then, on the bottom half of the screen, enter member names of members in the layout dataset which you want to use. When you press enter, File-AID automatically gets the 01 level record definitions from the layout members.

5. Using the S line command, against each of the record layout members, will bring up the record layout on the screen for you. Here is where you specify the condition that must be met in order for File-AID to use this record layout in your edit/browse session. For example, if you have a field called CREDIT-TYPE, then under the RO column (which stands for relational operator) enter EQ and then to the right of that you can specify a value, for example DIRECT. This means that this record layout will be used whenever the CREDIT-TYPE field has a value equal to the literal DIRECT. You will need to repeat this process for every record layout that you want to use in this XREF, obviously each one will have a different condition attached to it. Once you have finished, simply PF3 back out to your primary menu of File-AID.

6. You are now ready to use the XREF. Take option 2 (EDIT) from the primary menu. Enter the name of the dataset you want to edit and select edit mode of F (formatted). Enter record layout usage of X, specify the record layout data-set but NO member name. Specify the name of your XREF data-set and also the XREF member name. Then press enter. Now you will be in your edit session in formatted mode. As you scroll through your records, using PF11, File-AID will automatically select the correct layout definition depending on the selection criteria you defined in the XREF set up.

You're done.

That's an excellent explanation.

Glad you find it helpful...

Thanks Anuj. This helped and I could create the XREF.

Regards,

Great - Thanks for the feedback. Appreciate that.