Using VSAM Files for Temporary File Storage

If you prefer not to use memory for temporary document storage, you can use VSAM files. Using VSAM files reduces performance but saves memory. The VSAM files must be reusable and must be large enough to contain the entire input print stream or print streams being processed.

The VSAM files must exist before EngageOne™ Enrichment can run. You do not need to load the ESDS VSAM files prior to using EngageOne™ Enrichment because EngageOne™ Enrichment performs the first load if necessary. However, EngageOne™ Enrichment cannot create the files.

Each time EngageOne™ Enrichment uses VSAM files for temporary data, it destroys the previous contents of the files. Therefore, you can use the same VSAM files for a production EngageOne™ Enrichment application, even if you run the application daily. However, you should use different VSAM files for different EngageOne™ Enrichment applications.

To use VSAM for temporary document storage:

  1. In the control file, set the Input tag group <IO> tag to DISK.
    Note: You can also use the <IO> tag in the Banner, Insertpage, and Insertrec groups to define banner or insert storage.
  2. In the appropriate Banner, Input, Insertpage, or Insertrec tag group, use the <TEMPDISK> tag to identify the VSAM file that you want to use for temporary document storage.

    If you do not specify the <TEMPDISK> tag, the default DD:WORKVSAM is used and you must ensure that the data set exists or EngageOne™ Enrichment processing will stop. You must define this file as reusable, and it must be large enough to contain the entire input print stream or print streams being processed.

    Note: When using <TEMPDISK> to define VSAM for AFPDS, the maximum record size must be at least 8205 or data records may get truncated.
  3. If the input is so large that the VSAM storage requirement exceeds a disk pack, you can use multiple VSAM files (none to exceed a pack). When setting this up, you must specify one <TEMPDISK> tag in the EngageOne™ Enrichment control file for each additional VSAM file.
  4. Allocate a VSAM file using the reserved DD name WORKVSAM in your JCL to point to the VSAM file. The figure below shows an example of JCL statements used to create an ESDS VSAM file (sometimes called a cluster) for use with EngageOne™ Enrichment. 
//*******************************************************************
//* Example of how to define an ESDS VSAM data set
//*
//* To use this job:
//* 1) Supply a proper job card
//* 2) change the following IDCAMs statement values...
//* datasetname -> the name you want for your data set
//* size -> the number of cylinders to allocate
//* avglrecl -> the average record size of your input
//* maxlrecl -> the maximum record size of your input
//* volume -> the volume to allocate the data set on
//*******************************************************************
//IDCAMS EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=N
//SYSIN DD *
DELETE                                      -
datasetname                                 -
CLUSTER
DEFINE CLUSTER                              -
(NAME (datasetname)                         -
 CYLINDERS (size) RECSZ (avglrecl maxlrecl) -
 VOL (volume) REUSE                         -
 NONINDEXED                                 -
)