How to Browse VSAM File in CICS

In CICS, you can retrieve data either from files or DB2. Files are two types – VSAM and BDAM. Once you define the files to CICS, the next task is retrieve records. This you can do by using CICS commands in application program(For instance, COBOL/PLI programs).

I gathered possible interview question on this topic. How to browse a record from a file of KSDS/ESDS/RRDS or BDAM?.

BDAM files those store in Direct access storage. On the contrary, VSAM files reside in Virtual storage. The top CICS users are HSBC/General Motors/Allstate. Here’s a quick note that CICS does not support LDS files.

The RIDFLD tells that you are accessing BDAM files. The STARTBR command establishes a record based on RIDFLD. Here is my other post on how to browse VSAM files in CICS.

START Browse EXEC CICS Macro

XX00-START-CUSTOMER-BROWSE.
*
     EXEC CICS
         STARTBR FILE('SRINIMF')
                 RIDFLD(CM-CUSTOMER-NUMBER)
                 EQUAL                     
                 RESP(RESPONSE-CODE)
     END-EXEC.
     EVALUATE RESPONSE-CODE
         WHEN DFHRESP(NORMAL)
             MOVE 'Y' TO CUSTOMER-FOUND-SW
         WHEN DFHRESP(NOTFND)
             MOVE 'N' TO CUSTOMER-FOUND-SW
         WHEN OTHER
             PERFORM 9999-TERMINATE-PROGRAM
     END-EVALUATE.

The above example says that how to handle the files. Once it matches the key value, it sends the proper value to the program variable. Else, it terminates the program.

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Start Browse Advanced Options

EXEC CICS
    STARTBR  FILE(filename)
             RIDFLD(data-name)
            [RRN | RBA]
            [GTEQ | EQUAL]
            [GENERIC]
            [KEYLENGTH(data-name | literal)]
END-EXEC

In the above example, I have explained how to use KSDS/ESDS file and with advances options.

After the STARTBR, the other options are READNEXT and READPREV. So each command maximum length is ‘8’ bytes and not more than that.