Output processing section

The Output Processing Section is used for transmitting output processing parameters and is identified by an identifier field of X‘89’ and a modifier field of X‘00’. This section's length is variable and depends on the type and number of output processing parameters being transmitted.

The individual output processing parameters are represented by self defining data structures contained within the Output Processing Text Block (OPTB) which follows a fixed length portion of the section. The parameter representations are termed Output Processing Text Units (OPTUs or TUs) and their structure is defined in Output Processing Text Block. The set of NJE defined OPTUs are defined in OPTU Key Definitions.

The 3800 section of the data set header is still built if the user specifies any 3800 attributes. Some fields are duplicated in the OPTB. However, if any of the 3800 fields are changed by operator command, those changes need only be reflected in the 3800 section, not in the OPTB. The 3800 section fields override the OPTB at the SYSOUT destination.

Table 1 describes the format of the output processing section of the data set header. The output processing section includes several fields that describe the length of parts of the output processing section. All length fields include the length of their own field. For example, field NDHSLEN is the length of the entire output processing section including the length of field NDHSLEN.

Note: JES2 and JES3 call this section the “data stream” section in their control block references.

Table 1. Fields in the output processing section of a data set header
Field Name	Offset in Hex	Length	Type of Data	Default Value	Valid Range	Description
NDHS	0	0	label	none	none	The beginning of the output processing section.
NDHSLEN	0	2	binary	none	none	The length of the entire output processing section. It includes the two bytes used to hold the length.
NDHSTYPE	2	1	binary	X‘89’	none	The identifier for an output processing section.
NDHSMOD	3	1	binary	X‘00’	none	The modifier for the output processing section, which must be X‘00’ to indicate OUTPUT OPTBs. The values from X‘01’ to X‘FF’ are reserved.
NDHSFLEN	4	2	binary	none	none	The length of the fixed area of the section, down through the field NDHSGPID, but not including NDHSOPTB or any of the OPTBs. It includes these two bytes used to hold the length.
NDHSFLG1	6	1	bits	X'00'	none	Flag byte.
Bit NDHSCPDS		.1	80 bit	0	N/A	If set, this flag indicates the presence of at least one CPDS data stream record in the data set. Note: The presence of "stream mode" data (SRCB = X'B0') and "CPDS" data are semantically identical in the NJE protocols. AS/400 sets the field to 0, but does not use it.
	7	1				Reserved for IBM's use.
	8	8				Reserved for IBM's use.
NDHSNSTR	10	4	binary	none	none	The number of “begin page” structured fields in the data set (for example, the number of data records that begin with the sequence X‘D3A8AF’). This field is not adjusted for multiple copies. AS/400 sets this filed to the default value, but does not use it. RSCS does not set or use this field.
NDHSGPID	14	8	char	blanks	none	The output group name. This name may be provided by the user; otherwise, it is generated at job execution time. This name is used by the receiving node to determine how the job's data sets are grouped together for printing. AS/400 sets the field to the default value, but does not use it. JES2 sets the field from the user's output JCL or generates it at job execution time. JES3, RSCS, and POWER do not use this field and set it to the default value.
NDHSOPTB	1C	0	mixed	none	none	The start of the variable area containing Output Processing Text Units (OPTUs). The variable area consists of a prefix area followed by the OPTUs and mapped by IEFSJPFX in MVS.
NDHSPRID	1C	4	char	‘SJPF’	none	A required constant that identifies the OPTB prefix. AS/400 sets the field to the default value, but does not use it. RSCS and POWER do not use this field.
NDHSVERS	20	1	binary	X‘02’	none	A required constant that identifies the version of the prefix. This constant should be set, but may be ignored by non-MVS systems. The settings indicate the following MVS systems: 01 = MVS/SP 1.3.1 (FMID JBB1327) 02 = MVS/SP 1.3.3 (FMID JBB1329) and later AS/400 sets the field to the default value, but does not use it.
NDHSPLEN	21	1	binary	X‘1C’	none	The prefix length, which is used to point to the beginning of variable-length OPTUs (start of OPTBs = NDHSOPTB + NDHSPLEN). This field is fixed at X‘1C’ for the NDHSVERS=02 version.
NDHSDLEN	22	2	binary	X‘0000’	none	The length of the data (all OPTUs) following the prefix.
NDHSVERB	24	8	char	‘Output’	none	A constant required for compatibility with MVS systems. This constant identifies the JCL statement normally used to specify output processing parameters in the MVS environment. AS/400 sets the field to the default value and does not use it.
	2C	8	char	blanks	none	Reserved for IBM's use.
NDHSFLG2	34	1	bits	X‘80’	none	Flag byte reserved for IBM's use.
	35	1				Reserved for IBM's use.
	36					The start of the OPTUs. (The previous file is the end of the OPTB prefix.)