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FilePort converts IBM mainframe data sets to UNIX files and converts UNIX files to IBM mainframe data sets.
The data to be converted can contain any combination of character, decimal, packed decimal, and binary fields.
FilePort takes a data file and one or more record layouts as input. It uses the record layouts to distinguish between different fields in the records and converts the data according to the type of each field (character, decimal, packed decimal, binary, etc.) and the machine architecture of the UNIX system (big-endian or little-endian). Different character field translations can be specified using alternative sequence names.
The record layouts can be passed in existing COBOL copybooks or defined through FilePort options.
If the records in the input file do not all have the same layout, different record layouts can be supplied, and conditions can be specified to determine which layout to use for each record.
FilePort writes the converted records to an output file.
For conversion from mainframe to UNIX, the mainframe data set can be on IBM standard labeled or unlabeled tape, in a UNIX file system, or piped through standard input.
The record layout describes the positions and types of the fields in the mainframe records.
The UNIX output file can be generated as either a binary file or a text file (see "UNIX File Formats"). The file can be written to tape or the UNIX file system or can be piped through standard output.
For conversion from UNIX to mainframe, the UNIX input file can be either a binary file or a text file (see "UNIX File Formats"). The file can be on tape, in the UNIX file system, or piped through standard input.
The record layout describes the required positions and types of the fields to be created in the mainframe records.
The mainframe data set can be written to an IBM standard labeled or unlabeled tape or to a UNIX file system, or piped to standard output.
The mainframe data set formats supported are IBM MVS or VSE sequential data sets with fixed length (blocked or unblocked) or variable length (blocked) records (F, FB, V, VB, VBS).
In addition to the standard mainframe data set record formats, the data set can be in ftp variable record format (unblocked variable).
FilePort supports both binary and text file formats on UNIX.
A UNIX binary file is a direct equivalent of a mainframe fixed or variable length data set, but with UNIX data types and format. A UNIX binary file can be processed, for example, by a UNIX COBOL program. Variable length UNIX binary files can be in standard Micro Focus format or FORTRAN unformatted format, or with simple two-byte record descriptors.
A UNIX text file contains records with all data in display format, fields optionally compressed by removing spaces and non-significant zeroes, fields optionally separated by a user-defined special character (comma, space, etc.), and each record terminated by a linefeed character. A UNIX text file can be used, for example, for input to a database load utility or to a spreadsheet.
FilePort supports the standard data types in both their mainframe and UNIX formats, as follows:
- binary — floating point, signed integer (fixed point), unsigned integer
- character — EBCDIC/ASCII
- decimal — edited numeric, unsigned decimal, embedded signed decimal (zoned decimal), separate signed decimal
- packed decimal
FilePort runs on all major UNIX systems. It needs no installation other than the tar command and executes by use of the fileport command.
FilePort can be licensed to convert from mainframe to UNIX, from UNIX to mainframe, or in both directions.
To request a free trial, or for more information about FilePort, please contact us.
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