COPY Operator (for Experienced)


  • COPY operator is used to copying an input file to one or more output files.
  • The output files can be up to 10.
  • If USING(XXXX) operand is specified, the DFSORT control statements are mandatory and should code as XXXXCNTL.
  • The control statements and other options are used to copy some from total input records, reformat records for output, etc.

Syntax -

Copy to single output file -

  COPY FROM(indd) TO(outdd)

Copy to multiple output files -

  COPY FROM(indd) TO(outdd1, outdd2, outdd3)

Copy to output file using a control card -

  COPY FROM(indd) TO(outdd) USING(xxxx)

Copy to output file using a control card without outdd (Control card should have OUTFIL FILES) -

  COPY FROM(indd) USING(xxxx)

Copy for fixed or Variable length VSAM Files -

  COPY FROM(vsamin) TO(vsamout) VSAMTYPE(V/F)

Copy for join keys with outdd -

  COPY JKFROM TO(OUT1) USING(xxxx)

Copy for join keys without outdd -

  COPY JKFROM USING(xxxx)
COPY Operator

Required Operands


FROM -

  • FROM parameter specifies ddname of the input file.
  • indd DD statement is mandatory if FROM operand specified.

JKFROM -

  • JKFORM is used for a JOIN KEYS application.
  • JKFROM is mandatory for USING(xxxx) operand.
  • In xxxxCNTL, a JOINKEYS statement should provide F1=ddname1 for the F1 file, F2=ddname2 for the F2 file, JOIN and REFORMAT statements according to the requirement.

TO -

  • TO operand specifies 1 to 10 ddnames of output files.
  • outdd DD statement is mandatory if TO operand specified
  • Either TO, USING, or both operands can code at the same time.

USING -

  • USING operand specifies the first 4-characters of the ddname (xxxxCNTL) for the DFSORT control statement file.
  • XXXX name is the user-defined name.
  • xxxxCNTL DD statement is mandatory if USING(xxxx) is specified.
  • Either TO, USING, or both operands can code at the same time.

Optional Operands


VSAMTYPE -

  • VSAMTYPE operand specifies the record format for a VSAM input file (F or V).

Example -


Scenario - Copy all the records from input file to output file.

INPUT - MATEPK.INPUT.PSFILE

 BROWSE    MATEPK.INPUT.PSFILE                        Line 00000000 Col 001 080 
 Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
001  PAWAN         MAINFRAME           JPM       AP        IN                   
002  SRINIVAS      TESTING             ORACLE    TG        IN                   
003  SRIDHAR       SAS                 CG        OR        US                   
004  VENKATESH     ABAP                CSC       CA        US                   
005  RAVI          HADOOP              CTS       FL        US                   
006  PRASAD        HR                  INFOSYS   MI        US                   
007  RAJA          TESTING             IBM       CA        US                   
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

JCL -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7--
***************************** Top of Data ******************************
//MATEPKIT JOB (123),'MATEPK',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),        
//             NOTIFY=&SYSUID                                           
//*                                                                     
//STEP01   EXEC PGM=ICETOOL                                             
//INDD     DD DSN=MATEPK.INPUT.PSFILE,DISP=SHR                          
//OUTDD    DD DSN=MATEPK.OUTPUT.PSFILE,                                 
//            DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE),VOLUME=SER=DEVHD4,                
//            SPACE=(TRK,(1,1),RLSE),UNIT=SYSDA,                        
//            DCB=(DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=800)              
//TOOLIN   DD *                                                         
  COPY FROM(INDD) TO(OUTDD)                                             
/*                                                                      
//TOOLMSG  DD SYSOUT=*                                                  
//DFSMSG   DD SYSOUT=*                                                  
//                                                                      
**************************** Bottom of Data ****************************

OUTPUT - MATEPK.OUTPUT.PSFILE

 BROWSE    MATEPK.OUTPUT.PSFILE                       Line 00000000 Col 001 080 
 Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
001  PAWAN         MAINFRAME           JPM       AP        IN                   
002  SRINIVAS      TESTING             ORACLE    TG        IN                   
003  SRIDHAR       SAS                 CG        OR        US                   
004  VENKATESH     ABAP                CSC       CA        US                   
005  RAVI          HADOOP              CTS       FL        US                   
006  PRASAD        HR                  INFOSYS   MI        US                   
007  RAJA          TESTING             IBM       CA        US                   
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

TOOLMSG (SDSF SPOOL) - Verify TOOLMSG for the return code of the submitted job.

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8----+----9
********************************* TOP OF DATA ********************************************
1ICE600I 0 DFSORT ICETOOL UTILITY RUN STARTED                                   
                                                                                
 ICE650I 0 VISIT http://www.ibm.com/storage/dfsort FOR ICETOOL PAPERS, EXAMPLES AND MORE 
                                                                                
 ICE632I 0 SOURCE FOR ICETOOL STATEMENTS:  TOOLIN                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
 ICE630I 0 MODE IN EFFECT:  STOP                                                
                                                                                
             COPY FROM(INDD) TO(OUTDD)                                          
 ICE627I 0 DFSORT CALL 0001 FOR COPY FROM INDD     TO OUTDD    COMPLETED        
 ICE602I 0 OPERATION RETURN CODE:  00                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
 ICE601I 0 DFSORT ICETOOL UTILITY RUN ENDED - RETURN CODE:  00                  
******************************** BOTTOM OF DATA ******************************************

Explaining Solution -

  • INDD - Specifies the ddname for input file.
  • OUTDD - Specifies the ddname for output file.
  • TOOLIN DD * - Specifies the ICETOOL statements for DFSORT.
  • TOOLMSG - Specifies where to write the ICETOOL processing messages.
  • DFSMSG - Specifies where to write the DFSORT processing messages.
  • COPY FROM(INDD) TO(OUTDD) - Copies all the records from INDD file to OUTDD file.