IEFBR14 is an IBM utility better known for being a dummy utility because it does almost nothing. IEFBR14 performs no other action than return a completion code of 0. However, submitting JCL to run the IEFBR14 utility invokes other system components that perform the following useful tasks:
- Allocate new flat files
- Delete files
- Testing
Allocate new file
//NEWFILE EXEC PGM=IEFBR14,
//DD1 DD DSN=USER1.NEWFILE,
// DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE),
// UNIT=SYSDA,
// SPACE=(CYL(1,1),RLSE),
// DCB=(LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=0,RECFM=FB,DSORG=PS)
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD DUMMY
Delete file
//DELFILE EXEC PGM=IEFBR14
//DD1 DD DSN=USER1.NEWFILE,
// DISP=(MOD,DELETE,DELETE),
// SPACE=(TRK,0)
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD DUMMY
Testing Purposes
For example, submitting JCL to run IEFBR14 causes the z/OS job scheduler to check your JCL statements for syntax errors.
Useful information and thanks for sharing.