Difference between FB and FBA

Alexis Sebastian · New User Joined: 04 Mar 2010 Posts: 38 Location: DC

Hi All,

I have faced a problem that when i am trying to use sort for FBA file, i need to give 1 byte additional to what we exactly look for?

I would like to know the difference between FB and FBA. Normally we use 4 bytes for RDW in VB file. Likewise why do we need to give 1 byte for FBA file?

Alex

Escapa · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 12:36 pm

FBA will have one extra byte at first position for cariage control information...

This information is used for printing purpose..
E.g
1 - New page
0 - double space
+ - suppress spacing
- a blank for single spacing

Escapa · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 2:57 pm

This will helop you for understanding
publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zos/v1r9/topic/com.ibm.zos.r9.cbcpx01/recfmf.htm#recfmf

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 3:34 pm

In RECFM, FBA, 'A' constant means that the data set contains the ASA print control parameter. It be a print data set. The print data set can write to magnetic diviceses to backup or this data sets can be print later.

If talk about COBOL, when you use FBA for any file in JCL, 1 byte is reserved for printing control character and thats why you have to declare minus 1 byte for the printing/report output file in the FD 01 level and use AFTER ADVANCING in procedure division. Compiler understands when it come accross this(AFTER ADVANCING) statement. For that matter, You might also check your compiler options, ADV/NOADV.