Basics of JCL Simplified

Q. What is a Job?

PROC(Procedure) JOB(Batch JOB) is written to run a PROC.

Q. What is JCL ?

You need to tell the MVS Mainframe, which PROC to run, what is the input dataset, where the output dataset is stored, at the outset, right at the beginning. Hence, you must write these specifications about a JOB, before submitting the JOB to the MVS in batch mode. A JOB is written in JOB Control Language(JCL). JCL is just like any other programming language, it tells the MVS about the Batch Job. It tells the MVS, what datasets will be needed to run the JOB, request hardware devices etc. As most books quote, JCL forms the crucial link between the application program and MVS OS. You introduce a Batch JOB to the MVS OS, using JCL.

Q. What is the basic JCL Format?

Every JCL statement has the following format. Every statement in JCL has a name, by which it can be referred to. Every JCL statement should begin with two forward slashes //. Next, comes the operation field. Here, you specify the type of operation e.g. JOB, EXEC and DD. Then, you write the list of operands separated by commas. Finally, you have a comments field.

Q. Are there any JCL Coding Guidelines?

Yes, just as every programming language like C has its own grammar, its own syntax, JCL also has its own syntax. 1. Every JCL Statement begins with two forward slashes //. 2. JCL is case-sensitive(we always use the upper-case) 3. The name field is optional. 4. The name field must begin in column 3. 5. The operation field must begin on or before column 16. 6. The operands can continue upto column 71. 7. If the operands overflow onto the next line, they must start between columns 4-16. As you might deduce from the above rules, JCL lays down stringent guidelines about the alignment of different fields. To check if you have written valid JCL, you can always type HI JCL on the screen, to highlight the different fields.