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

6.12 DELETE command enhancement with z/OS V1R11
IDCAMS DELETE command is enhanced to include a
new function called DELETE MASK
Allows users to specify the data set name selection
criteria desired with a mask-entry-name and a keyword
“MASK”
A mask-entry-name (also called as filter key) can have
two consecutive asterisks (**) or one or more (%) signs
Two consecutive asterisks represent zero or more
characters
% sign is the replacement for any character in that same
relative position
MASK keyword is the keyword to turn on the new feature
Figure 6-24 DELETE command enhancement with z/OS V1R11
DELETE command
The DELETE command deletes catalogs, VSAM data sets, non-VSAM data sets, and objects.
With z/OS V1R11, the IDCAMS DELETE command is enhanced to include a new function
called DELETE MASK. It allows users to specify the data set name selection criteria desired
with a mask-entry-name and a keyword “MASK”. A mask-entry-name (also called as filter
key) can have two consecutive asterisks (**) or one or more percentage signs (%)
The two consecutive asterisks represent zero or more characters, and it is not limited to the
number of levels. For example, A.B.** means all data set names with two or more levels with
A and B as their first and second qualifiers, respectively. The percentage sign is the
replacement for any character in that same relative position. For example, ABCDE matches
the mask-entry ‘A%%DE’, but not ‘A%DE’.
The MASK keyword is the keyword to turn on the new feature; for example:
DELETE A.B.** MASK
DELETE A.BC.M%%K MASK
NOMASK is the keyword to turn the new function off. The default is NOMASK.
If more than one entry is to be deleted, the list of entrynames must be enclosed in
parentheses. The maximum number of entrynames that can be deleted is 100. If the MASK
keyword is specified, then only one entryname can be specified. This entryname is also
known as the mask filter key.
Chapter 6. Catalogs 351