Open error IGZ0204W, IGZ0035S when Compress is not honored

Products

• Compress Data Compression for MVS

Issue/Introduction

A COBOL job runs successfully with Compress.  When the dataset is no longer defined in Compress, the same program receives IGZ0204W and IGZ0035S open errors.  This is due to the REFCM in the dataset not matching the COBOL RECORDING MODE in the program accessing the file.

A sample job setup with Compress:

1. Allocate a dataset with DSN=XXX.XXX and DSORG=FB,LRECL(9000),BLKSIZE=0
2. Define the dataset to the Compress Control Table with RECFM=FB 
3. Run a COBOL program with the FILE SECTION defined as RECORDING  MODE  V, PIC X(9016)

The job runs successfully. 

A sample job setup without Compress:

1. Allocate a dataset with DSN=XXX.XXX and DSORG=FB,LRECL(9000),BLKSIZE=0
2. Copy the data from a compressed dataset to the non-compressed dataset in step 1.
3. Run the same COBOL program from step 3 above using the non-compressed dataset.

The job fails with COBOL messages IGZ0204W and IGZ0035S.  These messages indicate you cannot open a RECFM=FB dataset using RECFM=VB access in the COBOL program.

Environment

Compress 5.5

Resolution

There are two possible resolutions to this issue.

1. Compress the dataset and add it to the Compress Control Table.
2. Change the COBOL program to access the non-compressed dataset with RECORDING MODE F.  You will probably need to adjust the PIC(X) value to the LRECL of the RECFM=FB data set.