Output Redirection Commands

Several APP commands, which are APP HOLD, APP HOLDDATA, and APP HOLDMETA, along with the FILEDEF and DYNAM commands, comprise a class of commands that control where output is stored. In order to redirect output as you wish, it is important to understand the interactions among these commands.

Note: When the same behavior applies for APP HOLD, APP HOLDDATA, and APP HOLDMETA, we have referred to these commands collectively as APP HOLD*. Note also that although DYNAM (USS only) and FILEDEF are not members of the APP family of commands, these file allocation commands interact with the APP HOLD* commands. Therefore, where appropriate, these commands are also included in this discussion.

The most straightforward of these commands is APP HOLD, which allows you to relocate all output to a particular application. You can use this command with operations that produce output files, such as HOLD, SAVE and SAVB, as well as with CREATE SYNONYM, APP QUERY HOLD, and focsort.

The APP HOLD* commands are particularly helpful when you are creating permanent files for other applications to use. However, if a command is used at an inappropriate point in the application or if it remains in effect when further steps are performed within the application, the target application may be flooded with intermediate and unintended files. Understanding the behavior of each command and the interactions among them will help you avoid this situation.

Reference: Interactions Among Output Redirection Commands

This chart describes the behavior associated with each redirection command and the interactions among them if multiple commands are used.

Command	Stand Alone	Notes
APP HOLD	Redirects all Agent output to the designated application.	When issued without a specific appname, APP HOLD has the effect of turning off the command.
APP HOLDDATA	Redirects the data from HOLD, SAVE, and SAVB operations to the designated application , but does not redirect the associated metadata (see the first note after chart).	Overrides APP HOLD
APP HOLDMETA	Redirects the metadata from HOLD, SAVE, and SAVB operations to the designated application, but does not redirect the associated data. (See the first note after chart.)	Overrides APP HOLD
FILEDEF ddname DYNAM ddname	Redirects the data from specific HOLD, SAVE, and SAVB operations to the designated target, but does not redirect the associated metadata (see the first note after chart). The AS phrase request must match the ddname. When there is no AS phrase, the ddname must match a predefined default name: HOLD for HOLD output files, SAVE for SAVE output files, and SAVB for SAVB output files.	Overrides APP HOLD and APP HOLDDATA
FILEDEF HOLDMAS TAPP FI[LEDEF] HOLDMAST DYNAM HOLDMAST	Redirects the metadata from HOLD, SAVE, and SAVB operations to the designated target (using the HOLDMAST ddname), but does not redirect the associated data. (See the first note after chart.) The recommended practice is to use this command on a request-by-request basis to avoid overriding previous output. If used as a global setting, previously held output will be over-written with the same name.	Overrides APP HOLD and APP HOLDMETA

Note:

Not all formats have associated metadata. For example, the HOLD FORMAT PDF command does not produce metadata, therefore, there is no metadata to redirect.
The use of the APP HOLD command to redirect CREATE SYNONYM output is neither necessary nor desirable since the CREATE SYNONYM command directly supports application names using the syntax:
```
CREATE SYNONYM appname/synonym ... 
```

APP HOLD

How to:

Designate a Storage Location for Temporary Files

The APP HOLD command defines an application in which to hold output data files (and associated Master and Access Files, if applicable) created by a HOLD, SAVE, or SAVB process in the application.

APP HOLD is intended to be used to refresh files that are common for all users of the application. It should not be used for private files since it points to an application area that is used by multiple users. If the same hold name (HOLD or AS name, for example) is used, conflicts between users could result.

For related information, see Interactions Among Output Redirection Commands.

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Syntax: How to Designate a Storage Location for Temporary Files

APP HOLD appname

where:

appname: Is the application in which you wish to store output files.

Note: Issuing APP HOLD without an appname turns off the effects of the command.

APP HOLDDATA

How to:

Designate a Storage Location for Data Files

The APP HOLDDATA command designates an application as the location for storing data files created with the HOLD command. For related information, see Interactions Among Output Redirection Commands.

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Syntax: How to Designate a Storage Location for Data Files

APP HOLDDATA appname

where:

appname: Is the name of the location for the data files created by any write process in the application.

APP HOLDMETA

How to:

Designate a Storage Location for Master and Access Files

The APP HOLDMETA command designates an application directory as the location for storing Master and Access Files created in the application. For related information, see Interactions Among Output Redirection Commands.

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Syntax: How to Designate a Storage Location for Master and Access Files

APP HOLDMETA appname

where:

appname: Is the name of the location for the Master and Access Files created in the application.

FI[LEDEF]

How to:

Specify a Physical File Location for Data Files

The FI[LEDEF] command provides a platform-independent mechanism for allocating data files.

For related information, see Interactions Among Output Redirection Commands.

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Syntax: How to Specify a Physical File Location for Data Files

FI[LEDEF] filename DISK appname/physical_name

where:

filename: Is the logical file name as known by the server.

appname: Is an application name.

physical_name: Is the file name to be allocated.