Error MODEL HAS INVALID SYMBOL % executing Database Analyzer

Products

• Database Analyzer for DB2 for z/OS

Issue/Introduction

Using % pattern matching in a LISTDEF statement in a customized REORG model results in the following error when generating the action JCL via Database Analyzer for Db2 for z/OS (PDA):

    ===> ERROR   *** LIB: 'model_library_name'  
 INVALID CHARACTER STRING == IN CONTROL STATEMENT       
    ===> ERROR   *** MEM: model_member_name                      
    ===> ERROR     MODEL HAS INVALID SYMBOL             
    ===> ERROR   **********************************     

The error occurs when using % pattern matching. For example:

 LISTDEF REORGTS                       
     INCLUDE TABLESPACE dbname.%        

When using * pattern matching the error does not occur and the action JCL is correctly generated. For example:

 LISTDEF REORGTS                                 
     INCLUDE TABLESPACE dbname.*           

Both % and * are supported characters for DB2 pattern matching so why does using % result in the error?

Cause

PDA uses the % character as a prefix for its symbolic variables in model processing. So PDA is treating the % as a user-defined symbolic variable.

Resolution

To resolve this you will need to specify two percent signs (%%), for example

LISTDEF REORGTS
    INCLUDE TABLESPACE dbname.%%

This will stop PDA from interpreting the single % as a symbolic variable. The action JCL should then be generated with the desired single % character.

Additional Information

The use of the percent sign % in model JCL is documented in two places in the PDA Reference Guide documentation. 

1. In the Processing Considerations section of the Model JCL chapter. 


2. In the Symbolic Variable Syntax section of the Symbolic Variables chapter.