topic Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe in SAS Programming

Filename FTP to Mainframe

ssbbmm — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 03:49:35 GMT

I need to FTP a Pipeline delimited Text file from SAS server to our Mainframe Server then to outside vendor. Since on the mainframe it got set up to receive Binary file so I have the following program:

filename Mov "/apps/sas/datasets/data142/Reports/MOVEMENT_3M_&FiscaL_Period._&Rundate..txt";

filename pmggdg ftp "'PBCSECDI.EDIPH925.HOLD(+1)'" debug binary
user="KS*****" host="********" pass="*******"
lrecl=62 RCMD='SITE lrecl=62 recfm=s';

data _null_;
infile Mov lrecl=62;
file pmggdg lrecl=62 ;
input; put _infile_ ;
run;

filename Mov clear;
filename pmggdg clear;

The file was successfully sent to the vendor but it lost the original format which is pipe delimited and was changed to Tab delimited.

What should I do when I FTP in Binary and not losing the original format?

Thanks so much,

SSBBmm

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

ChrisNZ — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 05:16:09 GMT

Is the source server a mainframe?

If not, a binary transfer will send ASCII characters to a EBCDIC host, where they will be unintelligible.

Or maybe the FTP server performs a translation? In that case, its translation table may be the culprit.

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

ssbbmm — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 05:25:09 GMT

Thanks ChrisNZ for your response. My SAS server (Source) is Unix Server. Unfortunately I don't have a lot know knowledge on Mainframe. Can Mainframe accept the file in ASCII?

Thanks again!

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

Kurt_Bremser — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 06:06:29 GMT

@ssbbmm wrote:

Thanks ChrisNZ for your response. My SAS server (Source) is Unix Server. Unfortunately I don't have a lot know knowledge on Mainframe. Can Mainframe accept the file in ASCII?

Thanks again!

ASCII files are illegible binary blobs on the mainframe. The need to be treated as such in further actions.

Try this:

data _null_;
  infile Mov lrecl=62;
  file pmggdg  lrecl=62 ;
  input; put _infile_ $ebcdic62.;
run;

and then have the file inspected on the mainframe with the developer (PDF) tools. In further transport, text mode should be used.

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

ChrisNZ — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 06:08:31 GMT

If the program that will use the file is told that this is n ASCII file then you can do it this way. Is it going to be used by SAS?

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

ssbbmm — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 06:21:31 GMT

Thanks

One clarification I wanted to make is that - the text file was created in SAS EG on Unix SAS with following code:

DATA _null_;
SET movement;
FORMAT EVENT_DT   YYMMDD10.;

File "&OUT/MOVEMENT_3M_&FiscaL_Period._&Rundate..txt" lrecl=150;

If _N_=1 then Do;
H1   =   'Fiscal Period';
H2   =   'Employee ID';
h3   =   'Date';
h4   =   'Type';
h5   =   'Action';


Put    %OUTPUT_HEADER(COUNT=4) H5;
End;

Put    FiscaL_Period   +(-1) '|'
       EMPLID       +(-1) '|'
       EVENT_DT    +(-1) '|'
       EVENT_TYPE   +(-1) '|'
        ACTION
;
Run;

I was assuming the file created was ASCII.

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

Kurt_Bremser — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 06:32:39 GMT

@ssbbmm wrote:

I was assuming the file created was ASCII.

And you are absolutely right. That is why I suggested to convert it to the mainframe EBCDIC encoding during the FTP.

When we did FTP's with the mainframe, we mostly had fixed (FB) format files, and used recfm=f on the SAS side in the filename statements.

After further thinking about it, I propose two different methods:

a fully text-based method, where you use recfm=v on the SAS side and similar on the MF side, so that all conversions are done in the FTP transport layer
a binary method, where FTP is prevented from converting (use recfm=f or s on the SAS side), and explicitly using EBCDIC and other MF formats.

We used the latter method, because we have packed decimals in the data files, which must be transferred in binary mode.

Re: Filename FTP to Mainframe

ssbbmm — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 06:41:03 GMT

Much appreciate KurtBremser.

I just sent another version with your suggested method by adding EBCDIC and kept recfm=s.. It seems a success from my end but have to wait our vendor to check tomorrow morning.

Thanks again! I will keep you posted.