z/OS File Transfer ignores zero length records in case of Variable Blocked (VB) data sets

Products

• CA Automic Workload Automation - Automation Engine

Issue/Introduction

Error Message :
N/A

Automic File Transfer (FT) from z/OS to Unix removes empty lines (lines containing only blanks). It occurs when the source file is Recfm=VB, and it works when it is Recfm=FB.
 
Investigation

Here an example, of what the source file looks like.

 

<Please see attached file for image>

 
The empty lines, marked in red above, are missing in the destination file:

 

<Please see attached file for image>

 
By default the Language Environment I/O API ignores zero length records when accessing a data set with a record format of VB (variable blocked). This behavior causes the z/OS Agent to ignore empty lines on file transfers of text based files stored in VB datasets.
 

Environment

OS: MVS

Cause

Cause type:
Defect
Root Cause: By default the Language Environment I/O API ignores zero length records in case of accessing data set with record format VB (variable blocked). This behavior caused the z/OS Agent to ignore empty lines.

Resolution

This field was added on 30/03/2017. This article has not been updated yet. Refer to the "Description" or "Workaround" sections for solution information.

Fix Status: Released

Fix Version(s):
Component(s): Agent MVS

Automation Engine 11.2.2 - Available
Automation Engine 11.1.4 - Available
Automation Engine 10.0.8 - Available

Additional Information

Workaround :
N/A