How to Read Empty VSAM file in a cobol program

pingte · Active User Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 120 Location: india

hi,

How can i read a empty VSAM file in a COBOL program.
Is there any special entry to be made in the FD section?

TIA

expat · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:43 pm

If it is empty, then there is nothing there to read.

Is there

pingte · Active User Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 120 Location: india

But how will we open the empty file in the cobol program?

expat · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:58 pm

Will this help ???

http://ibmmainframes.com/viewtopic.php?t=16516

pingte · Active User Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 120 Location: india

Expat,

That did not help.
I got the solution ...

it can be done thru OPTIONAL clause...

SELECT OPTIONAL LOGICAL-FILE-NAME ASSIGN TO PHYSICAL-FILE-NAME

This optional clause creates a dummy record in VSAM file through which it can be opened.

TIA

agkshirsagar · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 2:44 pm

Pinge,
Have you tried it?

I had some confusion regarding OPTIONAL clause before.
I have tried to read DUMMY vsam file by giving AMP='amorg', and it works fine but never really tried OPTIONAL clause to read a VSAM.

pingte · Active User Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 120 Location: india

Yes tried it

Where do u write AMP='amorg'?

agkshirsagar · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 7:07 pm

IN JCL.

rz061m · New User Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 48 Location: Chennai

Hi,

Open the file in OUTPUT mode and CLOSE the file immediately.

then open the file in INPUT mode, it will not abend this time, rather will set the VSAM status code to 10 - end-of file.

thanks,
Rz061m.

Pete Eagleton · New User Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Chicago

BEST IDEA. open the file for input and test your status code for a 35. if you get a 35 file is empty.