Gibberish Signs in file.

[Omar001]

Hello,
Im fairly new to mainframes (~6 months).
Im trying to access data in a file (its a GDG file, if that's relevant) in an English readable format.

The CopyBook states something similar to this:

Code: Select all

01  WS-OUTPUT-FILE-REC.
05 WS-WS-OUTPUT-FILE-REC PIC X(2404).
05 :TAG:-HDR-AIMS-RAP REDEFINES
WS-WS-OUTPUT-FILE-REC.
10 :TAG:-HDR-REC-TYPE-CD         PIC  X(02).
10 :TAG:-HDR-PROC-DT             PIC  X(10).
10 :TAG:-HDR-EXTRACT-FROM-DTTM   PIC  X(26).
10 :TAG:-HDR-EXTRACT-TO-DTTM     PIC  X(26).
05 :TAG:-DATA-AIMS-RAP REDEFINES
WS-WS-OUTPUT-FILE-REC.
10 :TAG:-DATA-REC-TYPE-CD        PIC  X(02).
10 :TAG:-DATA-CLIENT-ID          PIC S9(09) COMP.

etc.

But when I look at the output in the GDG I see gibberish signs mixed with readable data. When I use File-AID (also a newbie to this) and input the copybook... it helps a bit but much of it is still gibberish.
What are the gibberish signs? Why are they there? Is it possible to get rid of them? Shouldn't it just be the data that is in the copybook in the output file?

Example of gibberish:

Code: Select all

Dá   dØ -     Dñ

[NicC]

There is "gibberish"! It is all data but some of it will be PACKED DECIMAL or binary data - your DATA-CLIENT-ID is in binary for example. To see the actual data display the dataset (not file) in hex ("HEX ON" ISPF command).

When posting data, code and screen shots from cut'n'paste please use the code tags to preserve spaces and present your post in a better format. Use the Full Editor / POSTREPLY button to write your posts until you have learnt how to manually code the tags. I have coded your post for you.

[Omar001]

Thanks,
Hex was useful.

Ill use the editor more carefully in future.