VSAM REPRO command is used to copy data from one file(Input file) to another file(Output file). Input & Output files can be VSAM datasets (like KSDS, ESDS, RRDS, etc.) or a non-VSAM dataset (like PS file or a member of PDS).
A few critical functionalities of REPRO are
REPRO {INFILE(ip-ddname[/password] OR
INDATASET(ip-entryname[/password]
{OUTFILE(op-ddname[/password])] OR
OUTDATASET(op-entryname[/password])}
******[optional-paramters] ************
[FROMKEY(key)]FROMADDRESS(address)]
FROMNUMBER(number)]SKIP(count)]
[REPLACE]NOREPLACE]
[REUSE]NOREUSE]
[TOKEY(key)]TOADDRESS(address)]
TONUMBER(number)]COUNT(count)] ip/op-ddname – It points to the logical name of the input and output dataset respectively as mentioned in the DD statement of the same step.
Example: //VSAMFL DD DSN=XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.KSDS.CLUSTER,DISP=SHR
In the above statement, VSAMFL indicates DDNAME (i.e. logical name of Dataset)
ip/op-entryname – It points to the physical name of the input and output dataset respectively. Ex. XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.KSDS.CLUSTER
There are multiple optional parameters that can be coded under the REPRO command, below are the most frequently used parameters below
| Parameter | Description |
| FROMKEY (value-1) TOKEY (value-2) | It may be included to specify either the full or generic key value that defines the starting and ending point of the copy operation. Copies all records whose key field value is between value-1 specified in FROMKEY and value-2 specified in TOKEY. The input file must be KSDS |
| FROMADDRESS (add-value-1) TOADDRESS (add-value-2) | It may be included to specify the RBA value that defines the starting and ending point of the copy operation. Copies all records whose address is between add-value-1 specified in FROMADDRESS and add-value-2 specified in TOADDRESS. The input file must be KSDS or ESDS |
| FROMNUMBER (RRN-1) TONUMBER (RRN-2) | It may be included to specify the relative record number that defines the starting and ending point of the copy operation. Copies all records whose relative record number(RRN) value is between RRN-1 specified in FROMNUMBER and RRN-2 specified in TONUMBER. The input file must be RRDS |
| SKIP(n) | It may be included to bypass the specified number of records from the input dataset before starting the copy operation. When the SKIP parameter is used, REPRO skips copying the n number of records from the start of the file. |
| COUNT(n) | COUNT parameter is used to specify that only n number of records are to be copied from the input file to the output file When the SKIP parameter is coded before the COUNT parameter, the count of the number of records to copy starts right after the number of records skipped i.e. if “ SKIP(5) COUNT(10) “ is coded, then only records at position 6 to 15 will be copied from the input file to the output file |
| REPLACE | NOREPLACE | When REPLACE is coded, It specifies records with duplicate primary keys(for KSDS) and duplicate relative record numbers (for RRDS) will be replaced NOREPLACE is default and causes job failure when trying to copy records with a duplicate key |
REPLACE may be specified to cause existing records in the output cluster to be replaced when a duplicate record is read from the input dataset. REPLACE is applicable for KSDS and RRDS clusters.
REPLACE may also be used to merge input from subsequent REPRO operations with different input datasets to the same target dataset, where the possibility of duplicate records.
If an attempt is made to add a duplicate record and REPLACE is not specified, an error message and the input record is discarded; on the fourth occurrence of a duplicate record, the REPRO operation is terminated and the remainder of the input file is not processed.
When to Use INFILE/OUTFILE vs INDATASET/OUTDATASET
| Scenario | Prefer | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| You already have DD names | INFILE/OUTFILE | Clear link to JCL DD statements |
| Simple dataset‑to‑dataset copy | INDATASET/OUTDATASET | Cleaner SYSIN, less DD clutter |
| Complex allocation in JCL | INFILE/OUTFILE | Use DD for DCB, SPACE, UNIT, etc. |
| Quick clone in utilities | INDATASET/OUTDATASET | Minimal JCL boilerplate |
The REUSE parameter may be specified to cause the output cluster to be reset to the empty status before loading commences. In order for the REUSE parameter to be allowable, the output cluster must have been defined with the REUSE attribute.
//PSTOGDG JOB (1234),'INDUS',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1), // NOTIFY=&SYSUID,REGION=6M //****************************************************** //*SAMPLE JCL REPRO/COPY DATA FROM PS TO GDG USING REPRO //****************************************************** //STEPOZA EXEC PGM=IDCAMS //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* //PSFILE DD DSN=XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.INPUT, // DISP=SHR //GDGFILE DD DSN=XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.BKUP(+1), // DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE), // UNIT=TEST,SPACE=(CYL,(10,10),RLSE), // DCB=(MODEL.GDG,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80) //SYSIN DD * REPRO INFILE(PSFILE) OUTFILE(GDGFILE) /*
//KSTOGDG JOB (1234),'INDUS',CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1), // NOTIFY=&SYSUID,REGION=6M //********************************************************* //*SAMPLE JCL REPRO/COPY DATA FROM KSDS TO GDG USING REPRO //********************************************************* //KSDSGDG EXEC PGM=IDCAMS //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* //KSDSFILE DD DSN=XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.KEYFILE, // DISP=SHR //GDGFILE DD DSN=XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.KEYFILE.BKUP(+1), // DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE), // UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(10,10),RLSE), // DCB=(MODEL.GDG,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80) //SYSIN DD * REPRO INFILE(KSDSFILE) OUTFILE(GDGFILE) /*
//KSDSGDG EXEC PGM=IDCAMS //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* //KSDSFILE DD DSN=PAYT.PAYROLL.PROCESS.KEYFILE, // DISP=SHR //GDGFILE DD DSN=PAYT.PAYROLL.PROCESS.KEYFILE.BKUP(+1), // DISP=(NEW,CATLG), // UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(10,10),RLSE), // DCB=(MODEL.GDG,RECFM=FB,LRECL=325) //SYSIN DD * REPRO INFILE(KSDSFILE) OUTFILE(GDGFILE) - SKIP(5) COUNT(10) /*
//PSTOVSAM JOB (1234),'INDUS',CLASS=A,
// 'MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1), // NOTIFY=&SYSUID,REGION=6M //**************************************************** //*SAMPLE JCL REPRO/COPY DATA FROM PS TO VSAM KSDS //**************************************************** //STEPOZA EXEC PGM=IDCAMS //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* //SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=* //SYSIN DD *
REPRO - INDATASET(XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.INPUT) - OUTDATASET(XXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY.CUSTOMER.KSDS.CLUSTER) -
SKIP(3) -
COUNT(3)
/*
//KSDSTOPS JOB(1234),'INDUS',CLASS=A,
// MSGCLASS=A,MSGLEVEL=(1,1), // NOTIFY=&SYSUID,REGION=6M //*************************************************** //* SAMPLE JCL REPRO/COPY DATA FROM VSAM KSDS TO PS. //*************************************************** //STEPOZA EXEC PGM=IDCAMS //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* //SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=* //DD1 DD DSN=XXXXXXX.CUSTOMER.KSDS.CLUSTER,DISP=SHR //DD2 DD DSN=XXXXXXX.CUSTOMER.OUTPUT, // DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE), // SPACE=(TRK(1,1),RLSE), // UNIT=SYSDA, // DCB=(DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=0) //SYSIN DD *
REPRO -
INFILE(DD1) -
OUTFILE(DD2) -
FROMKEY(4444) -
TOKEY(5555)
/*
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