Record format (RECFM)
You can specify the following formats for variable-length records:
- V
- Variable-length, unblocked
- VA
- Variable-length, ASA print control characters, unblocked
- VB
- Variable-length, blocked
- VM
- Variable-length, machine print-control codes, unblocked
- VS
- Variable-length, unblocked, spanned
- VBA
- Variable-length, blocked, ASA print control characters
- VBM
- Variable-length, blocked, machine print-control codes
- VBS
- Variable-length, blocked, spanned
- VSA
- Variable-length, spanned, ASA print control characters
- VSM
- Variable-length, spanned, machine print-control codes
- VBSA
- Variable-length, blocked, spanned, ASA print control characters
- VBSM
- Variable-length, blocked, spanned, machine print-control codes
Note: In general, all references in this guide to files
with record format VB also refer to VBM and VBA.
The specific behavior of ASA files (such as VBA) is explained
in Using ASA text files.
V-format signifies unblocked variable-length records. Each record is treated as a block containing only one record.
VB-format signifies blocked variable-length records. Each block contains as many complete records as it can accommodate.