New Co:Z Release 8.0.0 is available. Review the Release Notes and Download.
New Co:Z Release 8.0.0 is available.

The Co:Z Dataset Pipes todsn and fromdsn commands provide flexible conversion between z/OS data sets and byte streams. POSIX files are also supported by the tofile and fromfile commands. The conversion options include code page translation, line termination treatment, and data set record padding / overflow rules.

Co:Z Dataset Pipes commands can be used in the following modes:

  • z/OS Unix System Services Integration: A z/OS unix process accesses local z/OS datasets
  • The Dataset Pipes streaming commands can be invoked from Unix System Services directly (interactively, or from a shell script) or used as shell commands within a Co:Z Batch job step.

  • z/OS Hybrid Batch: A z/OS jobstep launches a remote process on a target system
  • The Co:Z Launcher starts a shell process on a distributed system, redirecting the shell's input and output to traditional z/OS data sets, z/OS POSIX files, or spool files.

    The Dataset Pipes client commands can be used by the remote process to reach back into the launching jobstep to access z/OS POSIX files, data sets and other services.

    The target may be another z/OS system with Co:Z installed.

  • z/OS Remote Services: A remote client initiates a connection to z/OS
  • A Linux, AIX or remote z/OS system can use the Dataset Pipes client commands to initiate an SSH connection to a z/OS server.

    Commands can be run individually (each with its own SSH connection), or through a durable connection initiated by the remote system with the cozcontrol command. When using cozcontrol, a single dataset pipes connection is used for multiple command invocations.

Examples:

The Command Reference has a few examples included with the description of each command. Additionally, see General Dataset Pipes Examples. For use case specific examples, see

Features:

  • Remote execution over an SSH connection
  • Note: requires IBM z/OS OpenSSH and a compatible SSH client.
  • Supports any z/OS dataset which can be opened in sequential, record mode by the fopen() C-library routine.
    This includes:
    • z/OS sequential datasets (QSAM, BSAM)
    • PDS and PDSE members
    • some VSAM files (processed in sequential mode)
    • SYSOUT datasets, including the z/OS internal reader
  • Supports text or binary conversion via flexible line-termination rules
    • Cr, Lf/Newline, CrLf, Cr and/or Lf, RDW, none, user-defined-string
  • Supports flexible record padding / overflow rules
    • wrap, flow, truncate, error
  • Codepage translation via high-performance z/OS conversion services
  • Can specify additional fopen() options and dynamic allocation keywords
    • keywords supported by BPXWDYN can be used to customize dataset allocation
    • allows for SYSOUT, writers or z/OS internal reader
  • User and/or system profile can be used to automatically supply conversion options based on dataset name matching.
  • Dataset Pipes Command Set:
    • cozclient — run a z/OS command from a remote system
    • cozcontrol — start/stop a durable connection to the Dataset Pipes subsystem on a target server
    • fromdsn — write the contents of a z/OS dataset to stdout
    • fromfile — write the contents of a z/OS POSIX file to stdout
    • toasa — read a stream of data from stdin converting ASCII form-feed characters to ASA carriage control characters in stdout
    • todsn — read a stream of data from stdin and write records to a z/OS dataset
    • tofile — read a stream of data from stdin and write to a z/OS POSIX file