RECORD Instruction

You use the RECORD instruction to specify the format and length of records in the:

Sort work file
Input and output files when the instruction follows the associated USE or GIVE instruction

The RECORD instruction takes the following form:

RECORD format,rec-len,max-len

where the parameters are:

Parameter	Description
`format`	The record format, one of: F - fixed-length records of length `rec-len` V - variable-length records with a minimum length of `rec-len` and a maximum length of `max-len`
`rec-len`	If `format` is set to F, the record length If `format` is set to V, the minimum record length
`max-len`	If `format` is set to V, the maximum record length

Parameter

Description

format

The record format, one of:

F - fixed-length records of length rec-len

V - variable-length records with a minimum length of rec-len and a maximum length of max-len

rec-len

If format is set to F, the record length

If format is set to V, the minimum record length

max-len

If format is set to V, the maximum record length

If you do not specify a RECORD instruction for the sort workfile, the format defaults to fixed record format, with the record size equal to the largest record specified in the USE or GIVE instructions.

You do not need to specify a RECORD instruction for input files that are either variable length or indexed files as the file characteristics can be deduced from the file itself.

You must use a RECORD instruction if the record size is greater than 256.

If you do not specify a max-len for a line sequential input file, mfsort assumes 256. If you exceed this, the output file will have the input records split into several records.