IBM Mainframe Forum

PGM=SORT or PGM=SYNCSORT which is the IBM product and which has more advantage. Which one should be used in JCLs.

Thanks,
Lata

Hello Lata and welcome to the forums,

DFSORT and Syncsort are products from different vendors. DFSORT is an IBM product ans Syncsort is a Syncsort, INC product.

Usually, one or the other is installed on a system and you use the product that is installed.

When you run a sort, which product and version is presented in the output.

PGM=SORT or PGM=ICEMAN are the better choices. They will always invoke the sort product (DFSORT or Syncsort) installed at your site. SORT and ICEMAN are shipped aliases/entry points for both products.

PGM=SYNCSORT is a Syncsort-only entry point. DFSORT does NOT ship an alias/entry point of SYNCSORT. If your site has DFSORT, your System Programmers would have to install SYNCSORT as an alias in order for PGM=SYNCSORT to work (some shops do this, but some don't).