This may be another weird desire on my part. But I'm wondering why IBM does not enhance the QSAM and BSAM access methods to support the OPTCD=Q and CCSID= parameters on the DD statememt to work with datasets on media other than tape. Especially z/OS UNIX files. There are times when I would really like to keep some data in z/OS UNIX files using the ISO8859-1 code page. This works fairly well with z/OS UNIX commands when I use the chtag and extattr commands to properly tag the files. It would be really helpful to me if I could then read those files into standard legacy applications using PATH=...,FILEDATA=TEXT,RECFM=..,LRECL=..,CCSID=819 on the DD. There must be some sort of code in QSAM and BSAM already since you can read ASCII tapes using DCB=OPTCD=Q. Of course, I don't know how "creaky" that code is. I think that IBM avoids touching some old parts of z/OS just out of fear.
Perhaps it is time to download GPSAM from the CBT and write my own code to do something like this. -- John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * john.mck...@healthmarkets.com * www.HealthMarkets.com Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
