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Transfer data sets to and from Connect:Direct nodes

We can transfer data sets between Managed File Transfer agents and IBM Sterling Connect:Direct nodes using the Connect:Direct bridge. We can specify a data set as the transfer source, transfer destination, or both.


Specify data set names

To specify a data set on a Connect:Direct node in a transfer request, use the syntax that is used for data set transfers between Managed File Transfer agents, but with two changes:

  • We must prefix the data set name with the Connect:Direct node name and a colon (:). The syntax is as follows: 
    cdNode:data_set_name{;attrib1;...;attribN}
    For example, to specify a partitioned data set called OBJECT.LIB on the system where the Connect:Direct node CD_NODE1 is located, use the following syntax: 
    CD_NODE1://'OBJECT.LIB';RECFM(F,B);BLKSIZE(800);LRECL(80)
    In the this example, three optional attributes are specified by the text RECFM(F,B);BLKSIZE(800);LRECL(80).

  • The specified data set name is interpreted as a fully qualified data set name, regardless of whether it is enclosed by single quotation mark characters. The system never adds any prefix. To specify a prefix, such as the user ID that the agent runs under, you must specify it as part of the data set name. This differs from the behavior for data set transfers that involve only Managed File Transfer agents, where if the specified data set name is not enclosed by single quotation mark characters, the system adds a prefix of the default high-level qualifier for the destination agent.

Except for these two changes, specify the data set name and any optional attributes using the same syntax that is used for data set transfers between Managed File Transfer agents, which has the following rules:

  • We must prefix the data set name with two forward slash characters (//).
  • To specify data set attributes, provide these after the data set name, separated by semicolons. Attributes must be provided in the format key(value), which is suitable for BPXWDYN.

For more information about specifying data sets in a transfer request, see fteCreateTransfer: start a new file transfer and fteCreateTemplate: create new file transfer template.


Parameters to use in your transfer request

For most transfer requests that involve data sets on Connect:Direct nodes, we can specify the source and destination data sets in the same way as you would for a data set transfer that involves only Managed File Transfer agents. Use the source_specification, -ds, and -dp parameters with the fteCreateTransfer or fteCreateTemplate commands. This syntax is supported for the following scenarios:

  • All the agents involved in the transfer are WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4 or later
  • The source agent is the Connect:Direct bridge agent, and is therefore WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4 or later, and the destination agent is WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.3 or earlier

If the destination agent is the Connect:Direct bridge agent, and the source agent is WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.3 or earlier, we must make the following changes to your transfer request:

  • To specify a sequential data set or partitioned data set (PDS) member as the destination of a transfer, use the -df parameter.
  • To specify a PDS as the destination of a transfer, use the -dd parameter.

We can also use this syntax as an alternative to the usual -ds and -dp parameters for transfers where the source agent is WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4 or later. For example, if we want to use a consistent syntax across all your scenarios and some scenarios involve a source agent that is WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.3 or earlier, use the -df and -dd parameters. Note: If the destination of the transfer is a PDS and the destination agent is the Connect:Direct bridge agent, we must specify the -de parameter with the value of overwrite.


Specify data set attributes

Certain data set attributes are set by Managed File Transfer and passed through as parameters to the Connect:Direct COPY process. We can also supply certain attributes in the transfer request, by specifying the appropriate BPXWDYN key. The Connect:Direct bridge converts keys that have equivalent Connect:Direct properties to the format that is required by Connect:Direct. For example, in the data set specification CD_NODE1://'OBJECT.LIB';RECFM(F,B);BLKSIZE(800);LRECL(80), the attributes RECFM(F,B);BLKSIZE(800);LRECL(80) are converted to DCB=(RECFM=FB,BLKSIZE=800,LRECL=80).

For details of the mappings between these two types of parameter, including details of the BPXWDYN keys that are supported for use with a Connect:Direct transfer, see Mappings between Connect:Direct process statement parameters and BPXWDYN keys. Not all BPXWDYN keys have an equivalent Connect:Direct process parameter, and not all Connect:Direct process parameters have an equivalent BPXWDYN key.


Additional considerations

  • If your transfer destination is a partitioned data set at a Connect:Direct node, create the partitioned data set before the transfer, because the Connect:Direct node does not create it for you.

Parent topic: Guidelines for transferring files


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Last updated: 2020-10-04