Logical record length

HFS files are byte-oriented, not record-oriented like z/OS® data sets. An HFS file is either defined as a text file, where record boundaries are determined by a delimiter (such as NL, LF, CR, and so on), a binary file (no specific boundaries), or neither a text or binary file. When accessing the file as a simulated QSAM data set, Z Data Tools must identify logical records. The choice is left to you, rather than based on the file type. Z Data Tools assumes text mode (delimited records), unless you request binary mode. In text mode, records are variable-length with the data residing between delimiters. In binary mode, delimiters are not distinguished; the records are user-defined and of fixed length (80 is the default).

Z Data Tools assumes a maximum block size of 32760 bytes. The maximum record length is 32752 for variable-length records, and 32760 for fixed-length records. If the record length is greater than the limit, you must use binary mode.