JCL-5

Q)      What are SD37, SB37, SE37 abends?

A)        All indicate dataset out of space. SD37 - no secondary allocation was specified. SB37 - end of vol. and no further volumes specified.  SE37 - Max. of 16 extents already allocated.

Q)      What is S322 abend ?

A)        Indicates a time out abend. Your program has taken more CPU time than the default limit for the job class. Could indicate an infinite loop.

Q)      Why do you want to specify the REGION parameter in a JCL step? 

A)        To override the REGION defined at the JOB card level.  REGION specifies the max region size. REGION=0K or 0M or omitting REGION means no limit will be applied.

Q)      What does the TIME parameter signify ? What does TIME=1440 mean ?

A)        TIME parameter can be used to overcome S322 abends for programs that genuinely need more CPU time. TIME=1440 means no CPU time limit is to be applied to this step.

Q)      What is COND=EVEN ?

A)        Means execute this step even if any of the previous steps, terminated abnormally.

Q)      What is COND=ONLY ?

A)        Means execute this step only if any of the previous steps, terminated abnormally.

Q)      How do you check the syntax of a JCL without running it?

A)        TYPERUN=SCAN on the JOB card or use JSCAN.

Q)      What does IEBGENER do?

A)        Used to copy one QSAM file to another. Source dataset should be described using SYSUT1 ddname. Destination dataset should be described using SYSUT2. IEBGENR can also do some reformatting of data by supplying control cards via SYSIN.

Q)      How do you send the output of a COBOL program to a member of  a PDS?

A)        Code the DSN as PDS (member) with a DISP = SHR. The DISP applies to the PDS and not to a specific member.

Q)  I have multiple jobs ( JCLs with several JOB cards ) in a member.  What happens if I submit it?

A)        Multiple jobs are submitted (as many jobs as the number of JOB cards).

Q)  I have a COBOL program that Accepts some input data.  How do you code the JCL statement for this?

( How do you code instream data in a JCL? )

A)        //SYSIN DD*

input data

input data

/*

Q)  Can you code instream data in a PROC ?

A)        No.

Q)  How do you overcome this limitation ?

A)        One way is to code SYSIN DD DUMMY in the PROC, and then override this from the JCL with instream data.

Q)  How do you run a COBOL batch program from a JCL?  How do you run a COBOL/DB2 program?

A)        To run a non DB2 program,

//STEP001 EXEC PGM=MYPROG

To run a DB2 program,

//STEP001 EXEC PGM=IKJEFT01

//SYSTSIN DD *

DSN SYSTEM(....)

RUN PROGRAM(MYPROG)

PLAN(.....)  LIB(....)  PARMS(...)

/*

Q)  What is STEPLIB, JOBLIB?  What is it used for?

A)        Specifies that the private library (or libraries) specified should be searched before the default system libraries in order to locate a program to be executed. STEPLIB applies only to the particular step, JOBLIB to all steps in the job.

Q)  What is order of searching of the libraries in a JCL? 

A)        First any private libraries as specified in the STEPLIB or JOBLIB, then the system libraries such as SYS1.LINKLIB. The system libraries are specified in the link list.

Q)  What happens if both JOBLIB and STEPLIB is specified ?

A)        JOBLIB is ignored.

Q)  When you specify mutiple datasets in a JOBLIB or STEPLIB, what factor determines the order? 

A)        The library with the largest block size should be the first one.

Q)  How to change default PROCLIB?

A)        //ABCD  JCLLIB ORDER=(ME.MYPROCLIB,SYS1.PROCLIB)

Q)  The disp in the JCL is MOD and the program opens the file in OUTPUT mode. What happens ? The DISP in the JCL is SHR and the program opens the file in EXTEND mode. What happens ?

A)        Records will be written to end of file (append) when a WRITE is done in both cases.

Q)  What are the valid DSORG values ?

A)        PS - QSAM, PO - Partitioned, IS - ISAM

           

Q)  What are the differences between JES2 & JES3 ?

A)        JES3 allocates datasets for all the steps before the job is scheduled. In JES2, allocation of datasets required by a step are done only just before the step executes.

 

Q)  What are the causes for S0C1, S0C4, S0C5, S0C7, S0CB abends ?

A)        S0C1-May be due to 1.Missing or misspelled DD name 2.Read/Write to unopened dataset 3.Read to dataset opened

         output 4.Write to dataset opened input 5.Called subprogram not found

S0C4-may be due to 1.Missing Select statement(during compile) 2.Bad Subscript/index 3.Protection Exception

         4.Missing parameters on called subprogram 5.Read/Write to unopened file 6.Move data from/to unopened file

S0C5-May be due to 1.Bad Subscript/index 2.Closing an unopened dataset 3.Bad exit from a perform 4.Access to I/O

                  area(FD) before read

S0C7-may be due to 1.Numeric operation on non-numeric data 2.Un-initialize working-storage 3.Coding past the

      maximum allowed sub script

S0CB-may be due to 1.Division by Zero

Q)  What are the kinds of job control statements?

A)        The JOB, EXEC and DD statement.

Q)  What is the meaning of keyword in JCL?  What is its opposite?

A)        A keyword in a JCL statement may appear in different places and is recognized by its name, eg. MSGCLASS in the JOB statement.  The opposite is positional words, where their meaning is based on their position in the statement, eg. in the DISP keyword the =(NEW,CATLG,DELETE) meanings are based on first, second and third position.

Q)  Describe the JOB statement, its meaning, syntax and significant keywords? 

A)        The JOB statement is the first in a JCL stream.  Its format is // jobname, keyword JOB, accounting information in brackets and keywords, MSGCLASS, MSGLEVEL, NOTIFIY, CLASS, etc.

Q)  Describe the EXEC statement, its meaning, syntax and keywords?

A)        The EXEC statement identifies the program to be executed via a PGM= program name keyword.  Its format is //jobname EXEC PGM= program name.  The PARM= keyword can be used to pass external values to the executing program.