Using outfiles in CL

Using outfiles in CL

What is Outfile in CL?

Outfile is used to retain the output information in a file.

DSPPGM command does not have outfile support.

                            Display Program (DSPPGM)                        
                                                                            
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                 
                                                                            
 Program  . . . . . . . . . . . . PGM            CLPGM4                     
   Library  . . . . . . . . . . .                  EASYCLASS1               
 Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . OUTPUT         *                          
 Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . DETAIL         *ALL                       
                           + for more values                                

                   Specify Value for Parameter OUTPUT 
                                                      
 Type choice, press Enter.                            
                                                      
                                                      
 Output . . . . . . . . . . . . .   *                 
                                                      
   *                                                  
   *PRINT                                             

On the other hand, DSPOBJD command has the outfile support. So, in this article we will use DSPOBJD command to demonstrate outfile usage in CL programming.

                      Display Object Descrioption (DSPOBJD)                 
                                                                           
 Type choices, press Enter.                                                
                                                                           
 Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBJ          > CLPF1                     
   Library  . . . . . . . . . . .              >   EASYCLASS1              
 Object type  . . . . . . . . . . OBJTYPE      > *FILE                     
                           + for more values                               
 Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . DETAIL         *BASIC                    
 ASP device:                      ASPDEV                                   
   Device . . . . . . . . . . . .                *                         
   Search type  . . . . . . . . .                                          
 Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . OUTPUT       > *OUTFILE                 
 File to receive output . . . . . OUTFILE        ABC                       
   Library  . . . . . . . . . . .                  QTEMP                   
 Output member options:           OUTMBR                                   
   Member to receive output . . .                *FIRST                    
   Replace or add records . . . .                *REPLACE                  

CL program using outfile

              PGM                                                                    
              DCLF       FILE(ALLOBJPF)                                              
                                                                                     
              DSPOBJD    OBJ(EASYCLASS1/*ALL) OBJTYPE(*ALL) +                        
                           OUTPUT(*OUTFILE) OUTFILE(QTEMP/ALLOBJPF)                  
                                                                                     
              OVRDBF     FILE(ALLOBJPF) TOFILE(QTEMP/ALLOBJPF)                       
                                                                                     
              DOWHILE (1=1)                                                          
              RCVF                                                                   
              MONMSG     MSGID(CPF0864) EXEC(LEAVE)                                  
                                                                                     
              IF         COND(&ODOBTP = '*FILE' *AND &ODOBNM = +                     
                           'CLPF1') THEN(DO)                                         
              SNDPGMMSG  MSG(FOUND)                                                  
              RETURN                                                                 
              ENDDO                                                                  
              ENDDO                                                                  
              ENDPGM                                                                 

Explanation of the above code

DCLF       FILE(ALLOBJPF)

This DCLF command is used to declare file named ALLOBJPF in cl program.

DSPOBJD    OBJ(EASYCLASS1/*ALL) OBJTYPE(*ALL) +                        
OUTPUT(*OUTFILE) OUTFILE(QTEMP/ALLOBJPF)

This DSPOBJD command will create the outfile named ALLOBJPF in QTEMP library containing all the objects information from library EASYCLASS1.

OVRDBF     FILE(ALLOBJPF) TOFILE(QTEMP/ALLOBJPF)

This OVRDBF command will override the file ALLOBJPF from QTEMP library.

              DOWHILE (1=1)                                                          
              RCVF                                                                   
              MONMSG     MSGID(CPF0864) EXEC(LEAVE)                                  
                                                                                     
              IF         COND(&ODOBTP = '*FILE' *AND &ODOBNM = +                     
                           'CLPF1') THEN(DO)                                         
              SNDPGMMSG  MSG(FOUND)                                                  
              RETURN                                                                 
              ENDDO                                                                  
              ENDDO

Here, infinite DOWHILE LOOP is running as per the condition 1=1 which always true.

After that, ALLOBJPF outfile being read using the RCVF command and monitor message CPF0864 has been handled to leave the infinite loop when last record of the file being read.

Then, the condition being checked i.e &ODOBTP = '*FILE' *AND &ODOBNM = 'CLPF1' and if met then the message 'FOUND' being send to the program and return from the program otherwise the file reading will be continued until the last record has been read.

Program compilation steps

First run the below DSPOBJD command to create outfile ALLOBJPF in library EASYCLASS1.

              DSPOBJD    OBJ(EASYCLASS1/*ALL) OBJTYPE(*ALL) +                        
                           OUTPUT(*OUTFILE) OUTFILE(EASYCLASS1/ALLOBJPF)

Take option 14 (Create Bound CL Program (CRTBNDCL)) to create the cl program object.