What is difference between && temp and &temp

reena_preethi · New User Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 14

hi friends
i got one question
1.what is difference between && temp and &temp?

thanks in advance

regards
reena

ksk · Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:55 am

Single Ampersand (&) denotes a Symbloic Parameter, for which a value can be assigned in an Exec statement or on Proc staement and down the line u can use that parameter with prefix &.

Double ampersand (&&) denotes a temporary dataset.

u can get this info in any JCL book.

ksk

reena_preethi · New User Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 14

thanks a lot ksk

regards
reena

khamarutheen · Active Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 677 Location: NJ

Reena,

& -->To identify a symbolic parameter, for example, &LIB
&& --> To identify a temporary data set name, for example, &&TEMPDS, and, to identify an in-stream or sysout data set name, for example, &&PAYOUT

Real Time Example

reena_preethi · New User Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 14

thanks a lot khamarutheen for explain with example

regards
reena

mmwife · Super Moderator Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 1592

Both & and && can be used to define a temp dataset.

The difference is that if &xxx is used somewhere else in the JCL for a symbolic, it will be used as a symbolic in the dsn too.

For example;

// set pgm1=abc
//s1 exec pgm=&pgm1
//dd1 dd dsn=&pgm1,disp=(,pass),...

pgm abc will be executed and a permanent ds with dsn abc will be created.

If
//s1 exec pgm=def
//dd1 dd dsn=&pgm1,disp=(,pass),...

a temp ds with a temp dsn beginning with "pgm1" is created.

That's why it's best to use && for temp datasets.