Access Mainframe Flat Files

RAJARP · Post by **RAJARP** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 7:57 am

Hi All,
My input data is present in Mainframe Flat files.So, I would like to know , is there a way to access Mainframe Flat Files in a Parallel Job .I chanced upon 'Complex Flat File Stage' in Designer.Is that the stage i should look into? If not, how do one normally access data from MainFrame Flat File?

Your Inputs and Suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Raja R P

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:07 am

Yes, that is precisely what the CFF stage is for.

suse_dk · Post by **suse_dk** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:42 am

You can easily use the sequential file stage too...

Set the NLS (IBM01142 or check with the mainframe admin)
Set the format (fixed length, binary, Packed decimal)

lstsaur · Post by **lstsaur** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:49 am

Mainframe Admin? Who's that?

suse_dk · Post by **suse_dk** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:18 pm

I know! Just didn't know what else to call it...

qt_ky · Post by **qt_ky** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:19 pm

I have not used the CFF stage before but now may have an opportunity to. Suppose DataStage is on UNIX, must you first FTP the flat file off the mainframe or how do most people make that communication happen--does the stage fetch the file or assume it's local? Is there a way to map a UNIX file system to the mainframe, something like Samba for mapping Windows drives to UNIX? Thanks in advance. This may be the one new thing I learn today.