Data Integration

 View Only
  • 1.  Dealing with Mainframe files containing packed data

    Posted Tue June 08, 2021 09:23 AM
    First time posting, so please offer suggestions, etc. as to format.  Fairly new user of Datastage and have been tasked with updating our DS jobs to use files which have been FTP'd to a Linux server and replace the ZOS stage for retrieving MainFrame data.  When the data is straight character, the transition is smooth.  When the data contains packed fields (dates and decimals), the process aborts.  The MF files have been FTP'd as TXT files to the Linux server.  
    Any pointers would be appreciated.

    ------------------------------
    James Powell
    ------------------------------

    #DataIntegration


  • 2.  RE: Dealing with Mainframe files containing packed data

    Posted Thu July 08, 2021 04:56 PM
    ​Hi James,

     Check with your Cobol team to convert the packed decimals to normal data or use CFF ( complex flat file ) and try. I think best idea is Cobol extract fix.

    HTH

    Thanks
    Raghu

    ------------------------------
    Raghu Moole
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Dealing with Mainframe files containing packed data

    Posted Fri July 09, 2021 09:30 AM
    You could be dealing with FTP translating the packed bytes. Ensure that the file on the source is identical to the file received by FTP. Comparing file sizes is a quick test, but even if the file sizes are the same, you still need to compare the file contents to make sure that the data is the same. You could send the file back to the mainframe and run a compare utility.

    If the files are not the same, then the file is being shipped to Linux using FTP's ASCII mode. Ask the file to be sent via FTP's Binary mode.

    DataStage can easily handle packed data, even on a Linux server. Import the COBOL file definition and use that Table Definition in the stage.

    ------------------------------
    Brian Sprecher
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Dealing with Mainframe files containing packed data

    Posted Fri July 09, 2021 02:13 PM
    Thank you for the feedback and suggestions.  For now, we are pursuing altering the MF Source file to replace the packed fields with non-packed versions and then FTP those to the Linux share.  I appreciate the responses to this inquiry.

    ------------------------------
    James Powell
    ------------------------------