Read different length input files with one program??

[RICHINMINN]

In an IBM mainframe OS/390 COBOL II environment, I need to write a program to read any of 67 different input files, with record lengths ranging from 20 characters up to 1269 characters. Can I set the record length within the program at 1269, and then read any of the files? The IBM environment seems to be much more picky in this regard than some other mainframe platforms I've worked on.

Thanks for your input (whatever its length).

Rich (in Minn.)

 

[Crox]

Hi,

look up in the manual about
RECORD 0
and use
READ .... INTO

This will work!

Manuals can be found at IBM's Bookmanager.

Regards,

Crox

 

[slade]

Hi Rich,

You can do as Crox says, but a lot depends on what you intend to do with the data once it is read and whether or not you can identify the various record types/lengths you've
just read.

If you can identify the record just read you can redefine the "into" field as many times as needed to identify each record expected. But, again, that depends on what your objective(s) is(are).

Regards, Jack.