FACT SHEET: F ilE-AiD / MVS

The File-AID/MVS character edit

mode lets you edit files using most

standard ISPF-like commands.

File-AID/MVS, used daily by more than 3,000 customers worldwide, is the industry standard for file and data management. File-AID/MVS has the scope and flexibility to let users customize data to match their needs, while providing exceptional dependability to handle potentially costly problems with production data.

Designed for application and system developers, File-AID/MVS allows quick and convenient access to the necessary data and files in batch or interactive environments.

As the industry standard for the developer’s data management toolset, File-AID provides superior usability, functionality and quality. File-AID/MVS offers a wide range of file and data management capabilities required to perform everyday data-related tasks. File-AID/MVS enables IT professionals to easily create test data, resolve production problems and make global JCL changes quickly and easily, eliminating the need to write and debug one-time programs or learn multiple batch utilities.

No other product provides as much power and flexibility as File-AID/MVS to create test data specific to individual needs and securely resolve production problems.

RobuST DATA EDiTing

The File-AID/MVS edit facility allows you to work with all standard file types, regardless of record length or format. It also provides an audit trail of the changes made during an edit session.

iSPF-likE ACCESS To MVS FilE TyPES

Developers familiar with ISPF can immediately use File-AID/MVS to work with data that is not accessible through ISPF. The ISPF-like facilities of File-AID/MVS allow you to allocate, copy, browse and edit VSAM, ISAM, BDAM, HFS and sequential files with record lengths of up to 32 KB. The full-screen edit mode lets you edit these file types using standard ISPF commands such as INSERT, REPEAT, COPY, MOVE, DELETE, FIND and CHANGE. You can also copy and paste records between files.

FAST, ACCuRATE DATA MAnAgEMEnT ACRoSS THE EnTERPRiSE

AuToMATE CoMPARiSonS

Validation of test results often involves a tedious manual comparison of “before” and “after” test files. The File-AID/MVS full-featured data, source code and JCL compare allows you to easily compare two data files or objects. File-AID/MVS supports an array of data files including VSAM, sequential, PDS, BDAM, HFS, ISAM and IAM, in addition to COBOL and PL/I source code and JCL streams. You can:

• diagnose abends and incorrect results by comparing load modules

• compare files with different record layouts by indicating which fields or record positions to compare

• compare source code

– convert letters to upper-case before comparing

– exclude comments, blank lines and compiler directives

– disregard multiple blanks from lines to get accurate compares

– set selection criteria as part of the compare process

– compare members of the same library (PANVALET or LIBRARIAN)

• compare JCL by line or by keywords at the statement level

• exclude comments and in-stream data from compare

• create customized compare reports

• compare all members of a PDS in one pass by matching the member name

• use wild cards, if necessary

• use compare criteria to specify fields to include/exclude during the compare.

QuiCkly REFoRMAT FilES

Save time by modifying an existing file format rather than starting from scratch. The File-AID/MVS reformat function permits the input file to be reformatted as it is copied. Further simplify the process by using COBOL or PL/I record layouts to create a reformat definition of the input and output data. You can use the reformat function to:

• copy records that meet specified conditions

• add a new field to the target file and initialize it

• reorganize fields in a file by defining a new structure for the target file

• validate fields from the source file, and copy only valid records.

CoMPREHEnSiVE SElECTion CAPAbiliTiES

File-AID/MVS provides extensive selection capabilities that save DASD and time needed to test. You can select the precise data you need, based upon field content, to customize data for a particular application and specific conditions. This helps ensure you test all conditions of a program. And, by reducing the test file size, you also reduce the testing runtime. Once you define them, selection criteria can be reused when browsing, editing, comparing, copying and printing.

SuPPoRT FoR oCCuRS DEPEnDing on (oDo) AnD REFER in SElECTion CRiTERiA

File-AID/MVS provides selection criteria support for ODO (COBOL) and REFER (PL/I) for all occurrences within an ODO, including subsequent data and ODOs. Adding a parameter of ANY, EVERY and ALL to the ARRAY and OCCURS primary commands improves the display and criteria specification of ODOs.

ConCATEnATED RECoRD lAyouT SuPPoRT in XREF

File-AID/MVS lets you access multiple record layouts within an XREF. The System Parameters screen includes the option to define a Concatenated Files Dataset. The members of this dataset contain lists of datasets to be concatenated and used for the Record Layout Dataset. Instead of specifying a Record Layout Dataset, you specify the name of the member that contains the list of datasets to be concatenated, prefixed with a plus sign (+membername).

The File-AID/MVS formatted edit

mode makes edit tasks easier and

less error-prone, eliminating the

need to determine where fields

begin and end.

FAST, REliAblE JCl ConVERSionS

File-AID/MVS can save hours, days or even weeks of painstaking work converting JCL libraries to accommodate changes in hardware, naming conventions or accounting standards. File-AID/MVS can apply one or more global changes to all members of JCL libraries, with the option to preview online or in batch. File-AID/MVS recognizes JCL continuation characters, so it can process multiple physical lines as a single, logical JCL statement.

PowERFul, FlEXiblE bATCH PRoCESSing

When working with very large files or data on tape, File-AID/MVS lets you work with data in a batch environment. Batch processing is also useful when online access to production files is restricted. File-AID/MVS processes all file types, record lengths or record formats, so you can edit JCL libraries, VSAM, sequential, PDS, BDAM, HFS, ISAM and IAM files.

For more efficient processing, File-AID/MVS lets you perform multiple tasks in a single pass through a file. Multiple records can be merged into one, or a single record can be split among multiple files.

Self-documenting control cards combined with extensive reporting and TALLY capabilities make File-AID/MVS the safe and logical choice when working with production data. Once batch jobs are created, you can submit them online and save them to be reused.

TEST DATA CREATion

File-AID/MVS enhances the productivity of application developers by simplifying test data creation and assisting in routine functions such as:

Finding files: If you can’t remember the name of a file to use as a template for creating customized test data, use the VTOC utility to find it anywhere in the MVS environment.

Allocating test files: The File-AID/MVS VSAM and Dataset utilities let you allocate any file type online, including linear and Generation Data Group (GDG) datasets. You can also model the attributes of a new dataset after those of an existing dataset, eliminating the need to know the

optimal settings.

Copying data: File-AID/MVS lets you quickly populate the allocated dataset with data from a production or master test file, regardless of the file type. You can interactively specify the selection criteria, and the File-AID/MVS online Copy utility copies only the records satisfying those criteria.

Customizing data: The File-AID/MVS editor lets you modify your data interactively without writing a program. This makes it easier for you to ensure all conditions of your program are tested. The global editor lets you quickly initialize any fields to the desired value before running your tests.

Using the Compare function, users can easily compare two source programs. Flexible options are

provided for the compare process.

File-Aid/MVS makes it easy to compare data in any two files, ensuring the validity of your test results.

Compuware Corporation, the technology performance company, provides software, experts and best practices to ensure technology works well and delivers value. Compuware solutions make the world’s most important technologies perform at their best for leading organizations worldwide, including 46 of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies and 12 of the top 20 most visited U.S. web sites. Learn more at: compuware.com.

Compuware Corporation world Headquarters • One Campus Martius • Detroit, MI 48226-5099

© 2011 Compuware Corporation

Compuware products and services listed within are trademarks or registered trademarks of Compuware Corporation. Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

07.11 19976

Reformatting files: File-AID/MVS lets you restructure a data file (add or remove fields, change field lengths) without writing a one-time program. Simply identify the correlation between the old and new record layouts, and File-AID/MVS does the rest. Create XML documents with the XMLGEN command from edit and browse.

Validating data: File-AID/MVS helps you make sure the results of your test are correct. Use the Compare utility to compare the test file’s contents before and after the test. The File-AID/MVS online Browse utility allows you to check the data visually. When using record layouts as templates, the FIND INVALID command allows you to search for data that does not match its field description. Use the TALLY function to total field values and ensure they equal the expected value.

Printing data: Use File-AID/MVS to document your test data results or review test results with end users. File-AID/MVS lets you selectively print the contents of the file, even using record layouts as templates if desired.

PowERFul DiAgnoSiS AnD AnAlySiS

The File-AID/MVS VTOC and Library utilities allow for quicker reactions to system problems. The Library utility displays information about load library members that is useful when diagnosing problems with third-party software.

builT-in inTEgRiTy

File-AID/MVS was designed with built-in safeguards to help ensure data integrity and minimize the risk of unintentional data changes. It works with installed security packages, such as RACF, CA-Top Secret or CA-ACF2. It also records “before” and “after” images of every record that has been changed during an edit session, providing an audit trail of file maintenance activity, or written to the Systems Management Facility log.

To learn more about Compuware File-AID, please visit: compuware.com/File-AID

It identifies the address, length, assembly/compile date and applied ZAPs for CSECTs, link-edit attributes of the load module and more. This facility is available in online or batch modes.

The VTOC utility allows you to find any file, given any qualifier, anywhere in an MVS environment. You can also display information that cannot be obtained online using standard ISPF. For example, the VTOC utility identifies lost and free space and provides information for computing file sizes when migrating production systems. The VTOC utility also displays or prints physical DASD volume characteristics.

The extensive selection capabilities

of File-AID/MVS help reduce the

size of test files and customized

files for specific test situations.

Benefits of File-AID/MVS

• Increased developer productivity

• Immediate reduction in test time

• Higher-quality testing

• Fast, accurate resolution of production data problems

• Easier problem diagnosis for packaged software

• Simplified environment for data handling

• Fast and reliable conversions

• Easier maintenance of old applications