Might I give an example, from some things I have done in VSE to MVS migrations? Come to think of it, in just MVS systems where the security system was not strong.
DSN='.TAPE.FILE.A12345' will match the DSN on a tape label having the same content (forgive me if I miscounted, the data set name must be at least 17 characters for this). DSN=myuserid.TAPE.FILE.A12345 will past muster for RACF if you do not have a tape librarian (here, you could use ANY qualifiers you like as long as the last 17 characters match the tape label). So the idea that you can not start a DSN with a period is wrong -- where enclosed in apostrophes. This is also how you can access OLD data set names on VSE on DASD that is shared with MVS. E.g., DSN='PAYROLL 080925 DETAILS',VOL=SER=VSE000,UNIT=3380.... Dunno if z/VSE still allows a DLBL to specify such "non-standard" data set names. Regards, Steve Thompson -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bill Godfrey Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 9:05 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: DSNAME Syntax On Sat, 28 Sep 2013 21:59:32 -0500, Paul Gilmartin <[email protected]> wrote: > >(And I still see no good explanation of why data set names beginning >with a period are prohibited, at least by JCL.) > This is just wild speculation on my part, but maybe IBM is considering a future change to the rule for the DSNAME parameter in JCL, in both quoted and unquoted forms, such that a name will be allowed to start with a period. Names that start with a period would be prefixed with the job's userid or a prefix specified separately. It might be that a leading period is not currently allowed even in quoted names so there will not be any existing JCL that would be adversely affected by the future introduction of such a change. SAS already uses this convention for its FILENAME and LIBNAME statements, allowing the user to specify the prefix separately. Google for SAS and SYSPREF. Bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain CONFIDENTIAL material. If you receive this material/information in error, please contact the sender and delete or destroy the material/information. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
