What is the diff bet var len and fixed lengh sorting?

priyamnavada · New User Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 52 Location: hyderabad

Hi,

Is there any difference while sorting Variable lenght records and the fixed length records....

If there is any difference, tell me how to handle it...

expat · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:51 pm

For VB records add 4 to the position of the data you wish to SORT to cater for the RDW of a VB record

priyamnavada · New User Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 52 Location: hyderabad

Is it possible to explain with an example?

expat · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 3:03 pm

DATA = AAAAAA

To sort if this was FB - SORT FIELDS=(1,5,CH,A)

To sort if this was VB - SORT FIELDS=(5,5,CH,A)

A VB record has a 4 byte RDW in positions 1-4.

Frank Yaeger · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 8:53 pm

priyamnavada,

See this explanation in "z/OS DFSORT: Getting Started":

publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/ICE1CG20/2.1.3?DT=20060615173822

If you're not familiar with DFSORT and DFSORT's ICETOOL, I'd suggest reading through "z/OS DFSORT: Getting Started". It's an excellent tutorial, with lots of examples, that will show you how to use DFSORT, DFSORT's ICETOOL and DFSORT Symbols. You can access it online, along with all of the other DFSORT books, from:

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