Gibberish Signs in file.



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Gibberish Signs in file.

Postby Omar001 » Mon Nov 16, 2015 7:44 pm

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:

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:
Dá   dØ -     Dñ
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Re: Gibberish Signs in file.

Postby NicC » Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:07 pm

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.
The problem I have is that people can explain things quickly but I can only comprehend slowly.
Regards
Nic
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Re: Gibberish Signs in file.

Postby Omar001 » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:40 am

Thanks,
Hex was useful.

Ill use the editor more carefully in future.
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