Why do we represent Temp files with double &&..

Deepa.m · Active User Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 88

Hi My doubt is Why do we represent Temp files with double &&..
what is its significance.. how do the temp files get allocated. if & represents address of any location like pointers why is that && ? pointer to a pointer concept ?

ankyhunk · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: &&temp files

Hi,
The temporary datasets arent retained beyond job termination.
When DSN=&&name is provided,
The system generates a name with the following format :
SYSyyddd.Thh.mm.ss.RV001.jobname.name
Yyddd ? Julian Calender;
hhmmss ? uses 24 hour clock ;
RV001 ?system provided information in reference to the reader;
jobname ? as it appears in the JOB statement ;
Name ? whatever is coded after &&.

If the DSN name is omitted from a DD statement (except DD * , SYSOUT and DUMMY) also indicates a temporary dataset. However the system generates a name with the following format :
SYSyyddd.Thhmmss.RV001.jobname.R0000001
//SORTWK1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(1,2),RLSE)

SYS00173.T100000.RV001.da0001ta.R0000001

This form is basically used when a step requires a work dataset (a dataset created at the beginning of the step?s exeution and deleted at the end). Mostly by utilities.