---
title: "8 DFSORT Translate Parameters at one place"
description: "Many occasions in DFSORT you need to translate one kind of data type into another. These 8 methods are highly useful to keep handy for your projects of JCL and interviews."
url: https://srinimf.com/2017/04/05/8-dfsort-translate-parameters-just-at-one-place/
date: 2017-04-05
modified: 2026-10-10
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/color-paint-palette-wall-painting.jpg?fit=1880%2C1253&ssl=1
categories: ["DFSORT"]
tags: ["DFSORT Examples", "DFSORT tips and Tricks", "DFSORT Translate"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# 8 DFSORT Translate Parameters at one place

In DFSORT you can find many reformatting features with INREC, [OUTREC and OUTFIL](https://srinimf.com/2016/01/19/15-precious-uses-of-inrecoutrec-and-outfil-in-jcl-dfsort/) statements, making each useful by itself or in conjunction with the other statements.

Related[Best DFSORT INREC and OUTREC Example](https://srinimf.com/2013/03/19/inrec_outrec/)

## INREC, OUTREC and OUTFIL can translate data in several new ways as follows:

**– TRAN=ATOE **

**translates ASCII characters anywhere in a specified field to their equivalent EBCDIC characters.**

As a simple example, if you specify:

[INREC OVERLAY](https://srinimf.com/2012/03/14/jcl-inrec-overlay-and-outrec-dfsort/)=(11:11,3,TRAN=ATOE)

DFSORT will translate ASCII to EBCDIC in positions 11-13 of each output record. So ASCII aB2
(X’614232′) would be translated to EBCDIC aB2 (X’81C2F2′).

**– TRAN=ETOA **

**translates EBCDIC characters anywhere in a specified field to their equivalent ASCII characters.**

As a simple example, if you specify:

INREC OVERLAY=(21:21,3,TRAN=ETOA)

DFSORT will translate EBCDIC to ASCII in positions 21-23 of each output record. So EBCDIC aB2
(X’81C2F2′) would be translated to ASCII aB2 (X’614232′).

**– TRAN=HEX **

**translates binary values anywhere in a specified field to their equivalent EBCDIC**
hexadecimal characters. As a simple example, if you specify:

INREC OVERLAY=(5:51,2,TRAN=HEX)

Related[DFSORT: How to OVERLAY Values Best Example](https://srinimf.com/2015/03/30/sort-overlay-command-in-jcl/)

DFSORT will translate binary to hex in positions 51-52 of each output record. So X’C1F1′ (C’A1′) would be translated to C’C1F1′.

**– TRAN=UNHEX **

**translates EBCDIC hexadecimal characters anywhere in a specified field to their equivalent**
binary values. As a simple example, if you specify:

INREC BUILD=(1,4,TRAN=UNHEX)

DFSORT will translate hex to binary in positions 1-4 of each output record. So C’C1F1 would be translated to X’C1F1′ (C’A1′).

## What’s New in DFSORT 13.

**– TRAN=BIT **

**translates binary values anywhere in a specified field to their equivalent EBCDIC bit values.**
As a simple example, if you specify:

INREC OVERLAY=(16:16,2,TRAN=BIT)
DFSORT will translate binary to bits in positions 16-17 of each output record. So X’C1F1′ (C’A1′) would be translated to C’1100000111110001′.

**– TRAN=UNBIT **

T**ranslates EBCDIC bit values anywhere in a specified field to their equivalent binary**
values. As a simple example, if you specify:

INREC BUILD=(31:31,16,TRAN=UNBIT)
DFSORT will translate bit to binary in positions 31-46 of each output record. So C’1100000111110001′ would be translated to X’C1F1′ (C’A1′).

**– TRAN=LTOU **

**translates lowercase EBCDIC letters anywhere in a specified field [to upper](https://srinimf.com/2013/04/04/mainframe-sort-overlay/)case EBCDIC**
letters. As a simple example, if you specify:

INREC OVERLAY=(31:31,11,TRAN=LTOU)

DFSORT will translate lowercase to uppercase in positions 31-41 of each output record. So ‘Vicky-123,x’ would be translated to ‘VICKY-123,X’. letters.

As a simple example, if you specify:
OUTFIL BUILD=(1,4,5,TRAN=UTOL)

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