Dynamic file allocation in COBOL

We need to create a unique DSN from within a COBOL program. The actual name of the file needs to be unique for every execution of the program. I cannot use a PROC because the JCL to run the job will be submitted from an external source, and we prefer not to give them access to that information. If we could create a DSN from within a COBOL program (e.g., PR.SMSPR.UNIQUE.QUALIFIER.UNIQUEDATE) then the external JCL would only need to supply the EXEC card and input filename. I know IBM Utilities has the ability to do this.

You CAN do dynamic allocation from a COBOL program! If you are using Enterprise COBOL you can assign the file to an environment variable rather than a DDNAME, then set the DSNAME in the environment variable and then OPEN the file. For details see the Enterprise COBOL Programming Guide.

Here is a partial example of what your code could look like. The function "setenv" is a C routine in the LE run-time library. You must compile with PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) to allow the lower-case routine name:

 FILE-CONTROL.                                               
* Assign CARD-OUT to Environment Variable "PRINT"
   SELECT CARD-OUT   ASSIGN S-PRINT  STATUS IS PRINT-STAT. 

 01 ENV-VARS.                                               
    05 ENV-NAME       PIC X(8).                             
    05 ENV-VALUE      PIC X(100).                           
    05 ENV-OVERWRITE  PIC S9(8) COMP.                       
                                                           
  01 PRINT-STAT        PIC 99.                               
                                                           
 PROCEDURE DIVISION.                                        
 SETUP.                                                     
     MOVE z'PRINT' TO ENV-NAME.  
* Note the continued null-terminated literal                           
     MOVE z'DSN(PR.SMSPR.UNIQUE.QUALIFIER.UNIQUEDATE),NEW,CYL,SPAC
-          'E(5,5),UNIT(SYSDA),CATALOG'
            TO ENV-VALUE.                                           
     MOVE 1 TO ENV-OVERWRITE.                                     
     CALL "setenv" USING ENV-NAME, ENV-VALUE, ENV-OVERWRITE.



*  Allocate dataset PR.SMSPR.UNIQUE.QUALIFIER.UNIQUEDATE 
*  and OPEN it for OUTPUT 
     OPEN OUTPUT CARD-OUT.