The Data File Converter can create a new output file or overwrite an existing output file. For new output files, you must
provide all specifications manually. For existing output files, the Data File Converter picks up the organization and record
format from the file automatically; however, you can change these before converting.
- File Formats
- We support the following file formats:
| File Format
|
Purpose
|
| C-ISAM
|
Emulates files from old systems
|
| ESDS
|
Emulates VSAM ES files
|
| IDXFORMAT(4)
|
When converting an input file that has many duplicate keys
|
| IDXFORMAT(8)
|
For very large files
|
| IDXFORMAT(12)
|
As IDXFORMAT(8), except it uses a separate file to store the indexed keys
|
| Extended-ESDS
|
Emulates VSAM ES for very large files
|
| Level-II
|
Emulates files from old systems
|
| Micro Focus
|
In all other cases
|
The default format is Micro Focus, which is normally used for files downloaded from the host and recreated on the PC. If the
chosen file is an emulation of the mainframe VSAM entry-sequenced data set, choose ESDS or Extended-ESDS to provide the emulation
of VSAM ESDS on the PC.
- File Organizations
- We support the following file organizations:
- Indexed sequential
- Line sequential
- Relative
- Sequential
- VRECGEN2
- Maximum and Minimum Record Lengths
- You can increase or decrease the minimum and maximum record length for the output file. The Data File Converter makes adjustments
depending on the length of the original record and the specified new length, as explained in the following scenarios:
- Increase the minimum record length
- Records shorter than the new minimum length are filled in using the number of padding bytes needed to complete the record
length.
- Increase the maximum record length
- Records are filled in using the number of padding bytes needed to complete the record length.
- Decrease the maximum record length
- Records longer than the new maximum length are truncated.
Note: If you request a conversion of a sequential file to an indexed file with unique keys and some of the records contain duplicate
key values, the Data File Converter ignores these records and does not convert them. At the end of the conversion, the Data
File Converter informs you of the number of records rejected.