Procedure statement types

Z Data Tools supports two types of procedure statements, that you can use to enhance the Z Data Tools functions. These are:

• A subset of DFSORT statements

  DFSORT is IBM's sort, merge, copy, analysis and reporting product. Z Data Tools can exploit DFSORT's high-performance copy option for the DSC and DSP functions. (To configure Z Data Tools to work with DFSORT, refer to the Z Data Tools Customization Guide.)

  If the data to be processed is suitable, you can enhance the Z Data Tools print and copy actions by supplying a procedure containing statements from the subset of the applicable DFSORT statements supported by Z Data Tools, instead of using equivalent REXX statements.

  If DFSORT is available, the input data set is not partitioned and the record format is not undefined, Z Data Tools automatically uses the DFSORT COPY option to perform simple data set to data set copy and print actions. You can enhance this processing by supplying a procedure containing DFSORT statements.

  Note:

  1. Z Data Tools does not use DFSORT COPY if the input data set is VSAM, unless there are DFSORT commands in the procedure.
  2. You cannot use DFSORT on a PDS or PDSE.
• REXX programming statements

  REXX is a general purpose programming language similar to PL/I. It includes extensive parsing capabilities for character manipulation, extensive mathematical capabilities, and many built-in functions that perform processing, searching, and comparison tasks.

  REXX statements can be processed one at a time by the REXX interpreter or translated into another form for execution (compiled) like a traditional programming language. The initial overhead of compilation usually results in faster execution than interpretation when a large number of records is being processed. In either case, Z Data Tools is able to exploit the power of REXX when processing REXX statements in a procedure.

  FASTREXX

  For a restricted set of REXX statements, Z Data Tools can process the procedure internally, saving the overhead of invoking REXX, and generally resulting in faster processing of the procedure. Within Z Data Tools, this subset of statements is referred to as FASTREXX.

  For the procedure to be executed as FASTREXX, every statement in it must be in the FASTREXX subset, otherwise the whole procedure is executed as REXX.

  If the procedure is not eligible for internal processing, it is either run by invoking REXX, or the Z Data Tools function invoking the procedure is terminated, depending on the use of the *REXXPROC and *FASTREXX statements in the procedure.