IBM Mainframe Forum

Hey guys,

I came to know that SYSDSN can be used to verify whether a dataset can be existing or not. Can anybody explain a little about it and how can I use it in programming to find out a dataset is found or not.

Thanks
anand

SYSDSN is a Rexx TSO/E external function, and as such can be used in Rexx scripts running in the TSO environment (foreground or background). It returns a message describing the availability of the data set whose name is passsed to it as an argument. Read more about it, including all messages returned, here.

I googled 'sysds' and the first page of results was full of links to the information that you need? So why did you post? After 2 years here you should know that the forum should be a place of 'last resort'.

Hi,

I am using the following code in my prog but it seems not working. Please help

Where &DSNAME = DATA.SET.LIB


IF &DATEFND = Y THEN +
IF SYSDSN("&DSNAME") # 'OK' THEN +
DO
SET &MESG = Dataset &DSNAME is not availabe for the mentioned date.


Thanks
Anand

You should know by now that "it is not working" means absolutely nothing unless you provide the information about HOW it is not working - syntax error, abending, wrong data returned or what.

Of course it is not working; the code you show is CLIST, and SYSDSN is a Rexx function. Learn the difference.

Actually, it's not even proper CLIST. The topic starter should carefully read the topic for &SYSDSN (not SYSDSN) in TSO/E CLISTs for their z/OS release. I do not think # is a valid comparator in CLIST.

&SYSDSN returns text that can be used in a message. I would suggest something like this -

SET RC = &SYSDSN('&DSNAME')
IF &RC NE OK THEN +
WRITE &DSNAME: &RC

By using NE as a comparator the topic starter avoids the issue about the character set with his keyboard. Many 3270 emulators allow the ^ (Shift-6) character to be used in place of the EBCDIC ¬ character, but it may not be worth the effort.

These users thanked the author steve-myers for the post:

anand4u237 (Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:49 am)

For what it's worth, the wc3270 emulator is not a terminal emulator that let's you use the ^ character in place of the ¬ character, though it does display ¬ if it is present in data sent to it.

Thanks a lot for the post Steve your solution works!

Thanks for the update.