ICETOOL
A DFSORT utility that runs several sort, copy, count and report operations in one job step.
Also written TOOLIN, ICETOOL SELECT, SPLICE, ICETOOL COUNT
ICETOOL is a utility that comes with DFSORT. Where a DFSORT step does one sort or copy, an ICETOOL step can do several operations, one after another, each described by a short statement.
The statements go in the TOOLIN DD. Some common ones: COPY and SORT do what DFSORT does. COUNT counts records, optionally only those that match a condition. DISPLAY produces a simple report of chosen fields. SELECT keeps records based on how often a key appears, for example only the first record for each customer, or only keys that appear more than once. SPLICE joins records from two files that share a key. STATS and OCCUR summarise values.
Operations that need DFSORT control statements, such as INCLUDE or OUTREC, take them from a DD whose name the operation gives with USING, followed by CNTL: USING(CTL1) reads CTL1CNTL. ICETOOL's own messages go to TOOLMSG.
ICETOOL often replaces a small COBOL program. Finding duplicate account numbers, or counting yesterday's transactions by type, can be a few lines of ICETOOL instead of a new program to write, test and maintain.
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- DFSORTThe standard sort utility, used far beyond sorting to select, merge, reformat and summarise records at speed.
- Utility programA supplied program that performs a standard job such as copying, sorting, comparing or managing datasets, driven by control statements.
- Sequential datasetThe simplest kind of dataset: records stored one after another and normally read from start to finish.
- JCLJob Control Language: the language used to tell the mainframe what programs to run, in what order, and with what files.
- SORT FIELDSA DFSORT control statement that says what to put in order: where the field is, how long it is, what kind of data, and which way.