ABCs of z/OS System Programming Volume 3 - IBM Redbooks

4.12 IEFBR14 utility
//DATASETS JOB ...
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IEFBR14
//DD1 DD DSN=DATA.SET1,
// DISP=(OLD,DELETE,DELETE)
//DD2 DD DSN=DATA.SET2,
// DISP=(NEW,CATLG),UNIT=3390,
// VOL=SER=333001,
// SPACE=(CYL,(12,1,1),),
// DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80)
Figure 4-18 IEFBR14 program
IEFBR14 program
IEFBR14 is not a utility program. It is a two-line program that clears register 15, thus passing
a return code of 0. It then branches to the address in register 14, which returns control to the
system. So in other words, this program is dummy program. It can be used in a step to force
MVS (specifically, the initiator) to process the JCL code and execute functions such as the
following:
► Checking all job control statements in the step for syntax
► Allocating direct access space for data sets
► Performing data set dispositions like creating new data sets or deleting old ones
Note: Although the system allocates space for data sets, it does not initialize the new data
sets. Therefore, any attempt to read from one of these new data sets in a subsequent step
may produce unpredictable results. Also, we do not recommend allocation of multi-volume
data sets while executing IEFBR14.
In the example in Figure 4-18 the first DD statement DD1 deletes old data set DATA.SET1.
The second DD statement creates a new PDS with name DATA.SET2.
Chapter 4. Storage management software 125