Extract file compress utility - Documentation for BMC Compuware File-AID/RDX 21.01
Sebastian Wright
Published Apr 07, 2026
The Extract File - Compress Utility screen shown in the following figure is displayed when you select Option 3, Compress, from the Utilities Menu.
Use this screen to initiate a batch job that compresses or decompresses extract files.
There are two different types of compression available for the extract file: Compress and VARCHAR compress. The Compress Utility can produce either of these types of compressed files and can decompress either of these types of compressed files.
If you intend to use a compressed extract file outside of File-AID/RDX, for example to load the extract file via BMC Compuware File-AID/EX or manipulate it with BMC Compuware File-AID/Data Solutions outside of the File-AID/RDX Disguise option, decompress it beforehand using this Decompress utility.
Extract File - Compress Utility
File-AID/RDX -------------- Extract File - Compress Utility ------------------ COMMAND ===> Primary Commands: JCL view, GO to submit job Utility to execute ===> 1 (1 = Compress; 2 = Decompress) Compress utility option ===> V (V = VARCHAR; C = Compress) Specify Input Extract File: Extract File name IN ===> FRSAMP.EXTRACT Member ===> (Blank or pattern for member list) VOLSER ===> Specify Output Extract File: Extract File name OUT ===> FRSAMP.EXTRACT Member ===> (Blank or pattern for member list) VOLSER ===> Disposition ===> OLD (NEW or OLD) On this screen you specify the input and output extract files to be compressed or decompressed. Input and output files can have the same file name.
Enter GO to submit the job or enter JCL to review the JCL before submitting.
After you enter GO, File-AID/RDX displays the message: JOB SUBMITTED and returns to the Utilities Menu.
This section provides information about the following fields:
Utility to execute
Specify 1 to compress (default) or 2 to decompress an extract file.
Compress utility option
If you want to compress an extract file, specify one of the compress options for the extracted data in the extract file:
| C | Compress; The extracted data will be compressed to reduce the file size and preserve disk space. The entire data record is compressed. This technique provides the greatest amount of data compression. File-AID/RDX recognizes these compressed extract files as valid input files for all functions: Load, Delete, and Disguise. |
| V | VARCHAR compression only affects VARCHAR, LONGVAR, VARGRAPHIC, and LONGVARGRAPHIC columns of Db2 objects; it will not apply to MVS objects. The VARCHAR compression option only writes the actual data within each VARCHAR column without padding the records with trailing blanks; the length of a VARCHAR column will vary for each row based on the data within the row. VARCHAR data written to the Extract file using VARCHAR compression will be readable since only the trailing blanks will be dropped. File-AID/RDX recognizes these compressed extract files as valid input files for all functions: Load, Delete, and Disguise. |
Specify Input Extract File
The original extract file specified as input into the Compress Utility must not be compressed. The Compress utility will also return an error at execution time and end the job if the original extract file is already compressed.
The original Extract file specified as input into the Decompress Utility must be compressed. The Decompress utility will also return an error at execution time and end the job if the original extract file is not compressed.
Important
A pre-disguise extract file is not a valid input file for either compression utility. This file is always masked and is only intended to be used as input to Disguise. You can, however, compress or decompress an already disguised extract file.
Extract File name IN
Specify the name of the input extract file to be compressed or decompressed. The extract file can be on tape.
Member
Specify the member name of the input extract file, if the request file is a PDS. Specifying a pattern allows you to select a member.
VOLSER
Specify the volume serial of the direct access device that contains the file.
The output extract file can have the same name as the input file.
Extract File name OUT
Specify the name of the output extract file to be compressed or decompressed. The output extract file can be saved to tape.
Member
Specify the member name of the output extract file, if the request file is a PDS. Specifying a pattern allows you to select a member.
VOLSER
Specify the volume serial of the direct access device that contains the file.
Disposition
Specify the disposition of the output extract file. You can save to existing files with a disposition of OLD. Specify a disposition of NEW to create a new PDS or sequential file.
If you specify NEW in the Disposition field, you must specify the allocation parameters in the Create New File screen.
Remember to allocate an adequate amount of space for the output extract file to avoid out of space conditions (SB37).
Primary Commands
The following File-AID/RDX-specific primary commands are valid on this screen:
JCL
View the JCL for the Compress or Decompress utility. File-AID/RDX shows the Generated JCL panel (ISPF/PDF EDIT Screen—File-AID/RDX-generated JCL) where you review and modify the JCL. Enter the SUBMIT command to submit the job.
GO (G)
Submits this Compress or Decompress job request without displaying the JCL. Before issuing the GO command, make sure you have specified the input and output files and the compression options. File-AID/RDX will issue a message upon completion of the job.
The ISPF/PDF Edit screen shown in the following figure is displayed when you enter the JCL command in the Extract File - Compress Utility panel.
ISPF/PDF EDIT Screen—File-AID/RDX-generated JCL
EDIT - Generated JCL ---------------------------------------- COLUMNS 000 000 Command ===> SCROLL ===> CSR ****** ***************************** Top of Data ****************************** ==MSG> -Warning- The UNDO command is not available until you change ==MSG> your edit profile using the command RECOVERY ON. 000001 //TSOID01A JOB ('OFRBAS4.2DOC',SFA4562),'TSOID01', 000002 // CLASS=U,MSGCLASS=R,NOTIFY=TSOID01 000003 /*JOBPARM SYSAFF=CWCW 000004 //* XFRJCMPRS 000005 //*------------------------------------------------------------------- 000006 //* THIS JOB IS USED TO COMPRESS/DECOMPRESS EXTRACT FILES 000007 //* 000008 //*------------------------------------------------------------------- 000009 //RDXCMPRS EXEC PGM=XFREXEC,REGION=8192K, 000010 // PARM=(FR,O,B) 000011 //* 000012 //STEPLIB DD DSN=CPWR.MXVJ170.CXVJLOAD,DISP=SHR 000013 //* XFRSSTPL 000014 //RDXMLIB DD DSN=CPWR.MXVJ170.SXVJMENU,DISP=SHR 000015 //SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=(*) 000016 //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=(*) 000017 //SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=(*) 000018 //* 000019 //EXTIN DD DSN=TSOID01.FRSAMP.EXTPDS(FRSMPD1), 000020 // DISP=OLD 000021 //* 000022 //EXTPARMS DD DSN=TSOID01.RDX.PARMS.D130314.T155100 000023 // DISP=OLD 000024 //EXTOUT DD DSN=TSOID01.FRSAMP.EXTPDS(CCSMPD1), 000025 // DISP=OLD 000026 //*------------------------------------------------------------------- 000026 //* THIS IS THE END OF JOB TO COMPRESS/DECOMPRESS EXTRACT FILES 000027 //*------------------------------------------------------------------- ****** **************************** Bottom of Data ****************************Use this screen to view or edit the JCL generated by File-AID/RDX to compress or decompress an existing extract file. Use the SUBMIT command to submit the extract request for execution. If you want to save this JCL, use the ISPF/PDF CREATE or REPLACE command before you exit the panel.
A report (see the following figure) will be produced during the Extract File Compress Utility processing.
Extract File Compress Utility Report
FILE-AID/RDX COMPRESS EXTRACT FILE UTILITY REPORT
================================================= INPUT EXTRACT FILE: TSOID01.FRSAMP.EXTRACT OUTPUT EXTRACT FILE: TSOID01.FRSAMP.EXTRACT COMPRESS METHOD: VARIABLE FIELD *** UTILITY SUCCESSFUL *** *** EXTRACT COMPRESSED *** 
