• SUBSET operator selects records from a dataset by keeping or removing the header, relative, or trailer records.
• SUBSET operators also include or exclude the records using the selection criteria for the first or last 'n' records or based on RRN (relative record numbers).
• DISCARD(savedd) is used to save the records that do not meet the selection criteria.
• DISCARD(savedd) may be used with or without TO(outdd).
• The DFSORT control statements in xxxxCNTL are used if USING(xxxx) is specified.

Syntax -

Required Operands

FROM -

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

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.

DISCARD -

• Specifies the ddname of the output dataset for the not selected records.
• DD statement should be for the DISCARD ddname.
• TO(outdd) and DISCARD(savedd) may be used together or separately.

KEEP, REMOVE –

• Indicates whether the records that meet the criteria are kept or removed.

INPUT, OUTPUT –

• Indicates whether the criteria applied to the input records or output records.

Optional Operands

VSAMTYPE -

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

HEADER, FIRST, TRAILER, LAST, RRN –

• Specifies the header records (first u records), trailer records (last v records) and/or relative records to be kept or removed.
• RRN(q,*) can specify relative records q through the last record.
• SUBSET allows up to 300 RRNs or a range of RRNs.
• 'u', 'v', 'q', and 'r' values can be 1 to 999999999999999.

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.

Example -

Scenario - Copy only data records (exclude header and footer).

INPUT - MATEPK.INPUT.PSFILE1

 BROWSE    MATEPK.INPUT.PSFILE1                       Line 00000000 Col 001 080 
 Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
ENO  NAME          TECHNOLOGY          COMPANY   STATE     COUNTRY              
========================================================================        
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                   
========================================================================        
TOTAL NUMBER OF RECORDS: 007                                                    
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

JCL -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7--
***************************** Top of Data ******************************
//MATEPKSS JOB (123),'MATEPK',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),        
//             NOTIFY=&SYSUID                                           
//*                                                                     
//STEP01   EXEC PGM=ICETOOL                                             
//INDD     DD DSN=MATEPK.INPUT.PSFILE1,DISP=SHR                         
//OUTDD    DD DSN=MATEPK.OUTPUT.PSFILESS,                               
//            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 *                                                         
  SUBSET FROM(INDD) TO(OUTDD) REMOVE OUTPUT HEADER(2) TRAILER(2)        
/*                                                                      
//TOOLMSG  DD SYSOUT=*                                                  
//DFSMSG   DD SYSOUT=*                                                  
//                                                                      
**************************** Bottom of Data ****************************

OUTPUT - MATEPK.OUTPUT.PSFILESS

 BROWSE    MATEPK.OUTPUT.PSFILESS                     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                                                
                                                                                
             SUBSET FROM(INDD) TO(OUTDD) REMOVE OUTPUT HEADER(2) TRAILER(2)  
 ICE627I 0 DFSORT CALL 0001 FOR COPY FROM INDD     TO OUTFIL   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.
• SUBSET FROM(INDD) TO(OUTDD) REMOVE OUTPUT HEADER(2) TRAILER(2)- Selects the subset of the records from the input which ignores first 2 records and last 2 records.