IBM Mainframe Forum

[chettiha]

how to know the LRECL of a tape entry?
Actually I couldnot view the content of a tape Entry.Hence I could copy the content to other File and see what are its content.
But how could I know wht its LRECL.

[dick scherrer]

Hello Chettiha and welcome to the forums,

I'd suggest you talk with your tape management people or your operations support people and ask them to look in the tape management system (if there is one) or to "print the tape header labels". DCB info is in the header labels.

[chettiha]

Hello,
Thanks fo the Quick Response.
But can we copy it using some IDCAMS Utility and use its DCB default as that of the reqired tape entry and
know its LRECL.

[jayind]

Hi,
I was going through your second question but unclear about the default DCB that you are talking about. Please mention an example. To my knowledge you cant use a different LCREL to get the data, your job may fail.
If you are hesitating to approach the system support people to find the header information (as they ask many approvals etc..) as Dick mentioned, my suggestions to find the LRECL, (if you have not done the following)
1. Search for the dataset name (at least partial) in the PRODUCTION JCL library, PROC library, datacard library to check whether any job created that dataset (If it is created in the recent past then definitely you will find the job)
2. If you dont find the dataset name in the production then, as per the naming convention used in your TEST region, search for the dataset name using the prefix used in test region
3. If you dont find in both the above cases, then try for any similar kind of dataset name may be for different purposes, like backup or Inbound/Outbound files for different vendors etc.. with the approximate you may find the LRECL
4. If you dont find the dataset (at least partial) name in any of your dataset libraries, then only way to find is as mentioned by Dick
Hope this information helps..

[Bill Dennis]

If the tape has Standard Labels (containing the info Dick mentioned) then some utilities (IEBGENER, SORT w/COPY, etc) will allow you to copy the file and automatically create the output file with the same LRECL. SORT messages will show the LRECL of the files.

[jayind]

Hi Bill Dennis,

Could you please give an example on how it creates automatically with the same LRECL using IEBGENER? I am curious..

Regards,
Jayind

[Bill Dennis]

Just a simple step without DCB info on SYSUT2

Select all

//GEN2A    EXEC PGM=IEBGENER                                 
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*                                       
//SYSUT1   DD DSN=your.tape.dsname,DISP=OLD,UNIT=TAPE,VOL=SER=tapeno       
//SYSUT2   DD DSN=your.copy.dsname,DISP=(NEW,KEEP),UNIT=TAPE
//SYSIN    DD DUMMY                                         

The SYSOUT msgs will show the LRECL of the input and it will be used for copy file.