IBM Mainframe Forum

IEHLIST LISVTOC will show if the name has unprintable characters in it?

like!

Pedro & Mr Jensen - I am concerned there are other junk characters in the data set name that didn't print. Mr. Jensen's idea about IEHLIST ought to get the real data set name - with all the junk characters - into a SYSPRINT data set. Pedro's idea of using quotes for the data set name in the JCL ought to work too. That's something I completely missed! Must be yet another senior moment. Transferring the data set name from the IEHLIST SYSPRINT to the JCL might be an interesting exercise, but it should be doable. This scheme is simpler that what I would have done!

other junk characters in the data set name that didn't print

I do not recall ever encountering this situation. The same situation (not printing name correctly) might apply to IEHLIST as well.

The last recourse is to use AMASPZAP to dump the VTOC. I recommend to not try to fix the problem with AMASPZAP through zapping it.

I agree with Pedro that zapping the VTOC is the last thing to try, but as a last resort you might have to do that. Before you start, turn off the VTOC index - you'll reindex the volume later, then ZAP a legal data set name into the bad DSCB or, ZAP it to a format 0 DSCB - this amounts to deleting the data set. If you have ZAPped a legal data set name into the DSCB, delete the data set, then reindex the volume.

Good luck.

use AMASPZAP to dump the VTOC

I was recommending to use the list feature of AMASPZAP to give you a hex dump of the VTOC so that you see any unprintable characters.