IEBGENER Tutorial


IEBGENER is a utility program in IBM Mainframe systems, particularly under z/OS. It is primarily used for copying and converting data sets, partitioned datasets, and generation data groups. It can also filter data, change the logical record length (LRECL), block size (BLKSIZE), and generate records.

IEBGENER mainly works on the PS (Physical sequential) files.

Usage -

Below is the list of tasks that IEBGENER can perform -

  • Copying Data Sets - It can copy one data set to another. It's often used for backing up data, creating duplicates, or moving data from one location to another.
  • Creating and Modifying Data Sets - It can create new data sets with specific attributes or modify existing ones, such as changing record formats or lengths.
  • Dataset Conversion - Converts between different data set formats, like from fixed to variable length.
  • Print Formatting - It can be used to format data for printing.
  • Dataset Concatenation - Combines multiple datasets into a single dataset.

Return Codes -

IEBGENER returns a code to indicate the program execution results. The return codes and their meanings are -

CodesMeaning
00 (X'00')Successful completion.
04 (X'04')Successful completion with a warning message.
08 (X'08')Either processing abnormally ended after requesting to process user header labels only, or a DBCS error was encountered.
12 (X'0C')An unrecoverable error exists, or a DBCS error was encountered.
Job execution gets stopped when an error occurs.
16 (X'10')A user specified return code.
The utility execution ends.
Note! We have explained about the IEBGENER frequently performing tasks below. To learn more, use the left navigation '+' for the topics explained in detail.

Creating a Backup Copy -


IEBGENER is used to create a backup copy of a sequential data set or PDS or PDSE member.

Example -

Scenario - Create flat (PS) file backup.

Input PS File - MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
E0001    EMPLOYEE1           DIR                 LOC1      0000100000    
E0002    EMPLOYEE2           MGR       DEPT1     LOC1      0000080000    
E0003    EMPLOYEE3           MGR       DEPT2     LOC2      0000075000    
E0004    EMPLOYEE4           TL        DEPT1     LOC1      0000050000    
E0005    EMPLOYEE5           SSE       DEPT1     LOC1      0000045000    
E0006    EMPLOYEE6           SE        DEPT1     LOC1      0000034000    
E0007    EMPLOYEE7           SSE       DEPT2     LOC2      0000046000    
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6
//MATEPKC  JOB (123),'MTH',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),
//             NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//***********************************************************
//* CREATE A BACKUP OF FLAT FILE
//***********************************************************
//STEP10   EXEC PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUT1   DD DSN=MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2   DD DSN=MATEPK.IEBGENER.BACKUPPS,
//            DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE),
//            SPACE=(TRK,(10,10),RLSE),
//            UNIT=3390,VOL=SER=DEVHD4,
//            DCB=(DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=800)
//SYSIN    DD  DUMMY

Output - MATEPK.IEBGENER.BACKUPPS

VIEW       MATEPK.IEBGENER.BACKUPPS                        Columns 00001 00072 
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
=COLS> ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7--
****** ***************************** Top of Data ******************************
000100 E0001    EMPLOYEE1           DIR                 LOC1      0000100000   
000200 E0002    EMPLOYEE2           MGR       DEPT1     LOC1      0000080000   
000300 E0003    EMPLOYEE3           MGR       DEPT2     LOC2      0000075000   
000400 E0004    EMPLOYEE4           TL        DEPT1     LOC1      0000050000   
000500 E0005    EMPLOYEE5           SSE       DEPT1     LOC1      0000045000   
000600 E0006    EMPLOYEE6           SE        DEPT1     LOC1      0000034000   
000700 E0007    EMPLOYEE7           SSE       DEPT2     LOC2      0000046000   
****** **************************** Bottom of Data ****************************

Explaining Example -

  • SYSUT1 DD maps the input data set (MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS).
  • SYSUT2 DD defines the output flat file (MATEPK.IEBGENER.BACKUPPS).
  • SYSIN DD defines the control data set as DUMMY to specify no control statements are using.

Creating a PDS or PDSE from Sequential File -


IEBGENER can logically divide a sequential file into record groups and assign member names to the record groups.

Example -

Scenario - Create PDS member from PS file.

Input PS File - MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
E0001    EMPLOYEE1           DIR                 LOC1      0000100000    
E0002    EMPLOYEE2           MGR       DEPT1     LOC1      0000080000    
E0003    EMPLOYEE3           MGR       DEPT2     LOC2      0000075000    
E0004    EMPLOYEE4           TL        DEPT1     LOC1      0000050000    
E0005    EMPLOYEE5           SSE       DEPT1     LOC1      0000045000    
E0006    EMPLOYEE6           SE        DEPT1     LOC1      0000034000    
E0007    EMPLOYEE7           SSE       DEPT2     LOC2      0000046000    
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6
//MATEPKC  JOB (123),'MTH',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),
//             NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//***********************************************************
//* COPY FALT FILE DATA INTO THE NEW MEMBER OF NEW PDS       
//***********************************************************
//STEP10   EXEC PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUT1   DD DSN=MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2   DD DSN=MATEPK.IEBGENER.NEWPDS(BACKUPPS),
//            DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE),
//            SPACE=(TRK,(10,10),RLSE),
//            UNIT=3390,VOL=SER=DEVHD4,DSNTYPE=LIBRARY,
//            DCB=(DSORG=PO,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=800)
//SYSIN    DD  DUMMY

Output - MATEPK.IEBGENER.OUTPDS(BACKUPPS)

VIEW       MATEPK.IEBGENER.NEWPDS(BACKUPPS) - 01.00        Columns 00001 00072 
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
=COLS> ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7--
****** ***************************** Top of Data ******************************
000001 E0001    EMPLOYEE1           DIR                 LOC1      0000100000   
000002 E0002    EMPLOYEE2           MGR       DEPT1     LOC1      0000080000   
000003 E0003    EMPLOYEE3           MGR       DEPT2     LOC2      0000075000   
000004 E0004    EMPLOYEE4           TL        DEPT1     LOC1      0000050000   
000005 E0005    EMPLOYEE5           SSE       DEPT1     LOC1      0000045000   
000006 E0006    EMPLOYEE6           SE        DEPT1     LOC1      0000034000   
000007 E0007    EMPLOYEE7           SSE       DEPT2     LOC2      0000046000   
****** **************************** Bottom of Data ****************************

Explaining Example -

  • SYSUT1 DD maps the input data set (MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS).
  • SYSUT2 DD specifies the output file as PDS member MATEPK.IEBGENER.NEWPDS(BACKUPPS). MATEPK.IEBGENER.NEWPDS and BACKUPPS are the newly created in this job.
  • SYSIN DD Specifies the control data set as DUMMY to identify no control statements are used.

Changing Logical Record Length -


IEBGENER is used to produce a output data set that can contain either fixed-length or variable-length records with a logical record length different from the input logical record length.

Example -

Scenario - Create new PS with different length from input PS file.

Input PS File - MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
********************************* Top of Data **********************************
E0001    EMPLOYEE1           DIR                 LOC1      0000100000    
E0002    EMPLOYEE2           MGR       DEPT1     LOC1      0000080000    
E0003    EMPLOYEE3           MGR       DEPT2     LOC2      0000075000    
E0004    EMPLOYEE4           TL        DEPT1     LOC1      0000050000    
E0005    EMPLOYEE5           SSE       DEPT1     LOC1      0000045000    
E0006    EMPLOYEE6           SE        DEPT1     LOC1      0000034000    
E0007    EMPLOYEE7           SSE       DEPT2     LOC2      0000046000    
******************************** Bottom of Data ********************************

Code -

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6
//MATEPKP  JOB (123),'MTH',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),
//             NOTIFY=&SYSUID
//***********************************************************
//* COPY INPUT PS DATA TO NEW PS FILE BY CHANGING LENGTH
//***********************************************************
//STEP10   EXEC PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUT1   DD DSN=MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2   DD DSN=MATEPK.IEBGENER.OUTPUT1,
//            DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE),
//            SPACE=(TRK,(10,10),RLSE),
//            UNIT=3390,VOL=SER=DEVHD4,
//            DCB=(DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,LRECL=70,BLKSIZE=700)
//SYSIN    DD  *
  GENERATE MAXFLDS=1
    RECORD FIELD=(70,1,,1)
/*

Output - MATEPK.IEBGENER.OUTPUT1

VIEW       MATEPK.IEBGENER.OUTPUT1                         Columns 00001 00070 
Command ===>                                                  Scroll ===> CSR  
=COLS> ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7  
****** ***************************** Top of Data ******************************
000001 E0001    EMPLOYEE1           DIR                 LOC1      0000100000   
000002 E0002    EMPLOYEE2           MGR       DEPT1     LOC1      0000080000   
000003 E0003    EMPLOYEE3           MGR       DEPT2     LOC2      0000075000   
000004 E0004    EMPLOYEE4           TL        DEPT1     LOC1      0000050000   
000005 E0005    EMPLOYEE5           SSE       DEPT1     LOC1      0000045000   
000006 E0006    EMPLOYEE6           SE        DEPT1     LOC1      0000034000   
000007 E0007    EMPLOYEE7           SSE       DEPT2     LOC2      0000046000   
****** **************************** Bottom of Data ****************************

Explaining Example -

  • SYSUT1 DD maps the input data set (MATEPK.IEBGENER.INPUTPS).
  • SYSUT2 DD specifies the output file MATEPK.IEBGENER.OUTPUT1 with record length 70.
  • SYSIN DD specifies the control data set as DUMMY to identify no control statements are used.