File Section

The File Section describes:
  • All externally stored files
  • Each sort-merge file.
file-description-entry
Represents the highest level of organization in the File Section. It provides information about the physical structure and identification of a file, and gives the record-name(s) associated with that file.

For the format and the clauses required in a file description entry, see Data Division—File and Sort Description Entries.

record-description-entry
A set of data description entries that describe the particular record(s) contained within a particular file, or describe a type-name (by using the TYPEDEF clause). For the format and the clauses required in a record description entry, see Data Division—Data Description Entry.

More than one record description entry may be specified; each entry that does not describe a type-name is an alternative description of the same record storage area.

Data areas described in the File Section are not available for processing unless the file containing the data area is open. Type-names defined in the FILE SECTION may be used in the WORKING-STORAGE, LOCAL-STORAGE, or LINKAGE SECTIONS to define other data items.

Group items (including tables) are limited to a length of 16 711 568 bytes.

The initial value of a data item in the File Section is undefined.

IBM Extension

IBM Extension The record description entry for a file can be specified using the Format 2 COPY statement (DD, DDR, DDS, or DDSR option). This allows the field descriptions for a record format to be exactly as defined in DDS. Also, programs are easier to write because the record format description is maintained in only one place. See Compiler-Directing Statements for further information on this format of the COPY statement. End of IBM Extension

End of IBM Extension