If you move a number of datasets from one place on your PC or PC network to another - from one directory to another, from one network server to another, or from the control of one Fileshare server to another - you need to make sure each one's catalog entry shows the new path in the physical filename.
If the catalog and the datasets reside together on the same path, there is no problem. By default, paths in the catalog are stored as relative paths (although they are expanded before being displayed), so the relocation of the files is reflected automatically.
However, if the catalog resides in a different location to the data files, you must update the catalog entries. You can update them all in one command, using the utility mvspcrn.exe in a COBOL command environment.
Before running the utility, you must set the environment variables:
MFSYSCAT - full path and filename of the catalog to be updated.
MFALLOC_LOC - full path of the Default Allocated Dataset Location.
In fact the value in MFALLOC_LOC is ignored, but it must be set. It's good practice to set it to the Default Allocated Dataset Location.
The format of the command line is:
mvspcrn old-string new-string [options]
The options are:
-y Specifies quiet mode - no prompts are given
In each catalog entry where the physical filename (including path) starts with old-string, old-string is replaced by new-string.
If the quiet mode option is not set the utility displays two prompts, asking you to confirm the setting of MFSYSCAT and the parameters, and then updates the catalog.
The parameters are not case sensitive.
The utility does not actually move or rename any files. It only updates their catalog entries.
The utility affects entries for spool files as well as entries for cataloged datasets.
We strongly recommend that you back up your catalog before running this utility. Check that your MFSYSCAT points to the correct catalog.
old-string is compared to the string actually stored in the catalog, so, in the case of a file accessed via a Fileshare server, old-string should start with the Fileshare server name preceded by $$.