Having ftp issues with vb files.

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:42 pm

We are trying to develop a process for moving long-term archived files from the mainframe to the LAN for storage. The problem arises where we might need to copy a file back to the mainframe for data recovery.

I've attempted to use the Micro Focus Mainframe Access (MFA) Drag N Drop tool to move files, but am having issues copying files back to the mainframe. Also this tool is limited in that it can only work with DASD-based data.

I CAN use FTP to access tape-based datasets. An interesting point is that once the variable-blocked files have been downloaded, I can use them inside Mainframe Express projects without any apparent problems.

When I try to FTP the files back to the mainframe, then compare the newly copied file against the original (using a DASD-based copy) using SuperCE I'm seeing differences that appear to be in the record descriptor word for each record.

I do use syntax QUOTE SITE to pass the file attributes to the mainframe before doing the PUT operation from the PC.

Please note that I can move fixed block records up, down, etc., without any sort of issue.

I'm hoping that someone will have experience doing what I'm trying to do.

Thanks in advance for your consideration!

Dave

Robert Sample · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:47 pm

Are you transferring the variable blocked data in binary or text mode? Is your FTP configured to preserve trailing blanks? And do you have trailing blanks in your variable length blocks?

Fixed data transfers are never an issue -- they're easy (pretty much). Since the mainframe and PC use radically different methods to handle variable length data, however, that's where you can run into major issues.

The fastest, easiest solution might be to use TRSMAIN to terse the data (which creates fixed length data no matter the input) and transfer the tersed data file.

superk · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:49 pm

What options that specifically relate to VB datasets do you have specified in your process?

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:03 pm

I'm using BINARY to transfer the data.

The attributes I use when I enter the QUOTE SITE are:
RECFM=VB
LRECL=15830
BLKSIZE=27998
TR
PRI=35000
SEC=2000

Dave

Robert Sample · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:13 pm

You need QUOTE SITE RDW on both FTP transfers, I beileve. I've never really used QUOTE SITE RDW much so I'm not sure of the details (possibly you'll need QUOTE LOCSITE RDW on the transfer to the PC?) but I do know just doing a binary transfer will strip off the RDW fields.

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:17 pm

Thanks!

I'll give that a try and let you know how it worked out.

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:57 pm

I've now completed the download and upload back to the mainframe. I think I still have an issue with SuperCE telling me that the files have differences. A simple comparison of attributes is showing the number of tracks being different between files.

Original file: 35,022 tracks
Latest uploaded file: 40.403 tracks

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:02 pm

I'm going to try to upload a document that will show screen clips of screens where I'm browsing the files on the mainframe.

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:08 pm

Okay. I'm at a loss. How do I attach a document?

dchristensen · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:40 pm

Okay. I tried both ways for the upload. First with the RDW parm and second without. I can report that I lost record integrity both times.

Robert Sample · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:48 am

I tried it and lost the RDW as well. However, the RDW is preserved when I added to my FTP JCL:

dchristensen · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:05 pm

Thanks for the info, Robert.

I'll be continuing my efforts today. Thus far, I have been only working with the command line FTP client on my XP-based PC. I will keep you posted.

Thanks again!

Dave