NPF provides support in the JES capture point for SPIN=GROUP processing when the data sets in the group have different characteristics. To correctly process data sets with different characteristics, the following restrictions apply when SPIN=GROUP is specified:

• If a record format for the QSAM data sets other than RECFM=VBA is required, then the input record exit must be coded to override the RECFM.
• If the RECFM is overridden by the input record exit and any record contains carriage control, NPF will NOT strip off the carriage control. It will be passed as the first character of the data block.
• The IDX flags are checked for every SYSOUT record. If neither the ANSI nor the machine carriage control characters are set, a DEFAULT new line Carriage Control is ADDED in the first byte. If the input record exit must check if this carriage control byte has been added, the address of the IDXFLAG1 byte is passed in the JES-specific parameter area (IRECPAD). If IDXANSI (x'20') and IDXMACH (x'10') are zero, the carriage control byte has been added.
• All output created by SPIN=GROUP processing will have carriage control unless overridden by the input record exit. Avoid coding the NOCC LPR option in the options file unless an input record exit will be used to override the VBA format.
• For SPIN=GROUP processing, the parameter list passed to the input record exit contains a pointer to the GETDS parameter from the currently ACTIVE data set, not the FIRST data set in the group.
• The JES JOB Separator Page Data Area (JSPA) is addressable only from the GDSJSPA field of the current GETDS parameter. For SPIN=GROUP processing, the JSPA is for the CURRENT data set in the group only. If information is needed from the JSPA of the first data set while processing subsequent data sets in the group, the input record exit must make its own copy of the required data.