Processing PDSs, PDSEs, and UNIX Directories

The following guidelines apply to processing PDSs, PDSEs, and UNIX directories:

Use BPAM to process the directory of a PDS, PDSE, or UNIX file.
Each PDS or PDSE must be on one direct-access volume. However, you can concatenate multiple input data sets that are on the same or different volumes.
A PDSE can be used as a data library or program library, but not both. The first member stowed in a library determines the library type.
You can use BSAM or QSAM macros to add or retrieve PDS and PDSE members without specifying the BLDL, FIND, or STOW macro. Code the DSORG=PS parameter in the DCB macro, and the DDNAME parameter of the JCL DD statement with both the data set and member names as follows:
```
   //ddname DD DSN=LIBNAME(MEMNAME),...
```
You can use BSAM or QSAM macros to add or retrieve UNIX files. The OPEN and CLOSE macros handle data set positioning and directory maintenance. Code the DSORG=PS parameter in the DCB macro, and the DDNAME parameter of the JCL DD statement with a complete path and filename as follows:
```
   //ddname DD PATH='/dir1/dir2/file', ...
```
You can then use BPAM to read files as if they were members of a PDS or PDSE.
When you create a PDS, the SPACE parameter defines the size of the data set and its directory so the system can allocate data set space. For a PDS, the SPACE parameter preformats the directory. The specification of SPACE for a PDSE is different from the specification for a PDS. See Allocating Space for a PDSE.
You can use the STOW macro to add, delete, change, or replace a member name or alias in the PDS or PDSE directory. You can also use the STOW macro to delete all the members of a PDS or PDSE. For program libraries, you cannot use STOW to add or replace a member name or alias in the directory.
You can read multiple members of PDSs, PDSEs, or UNIX directories by passing a list of members to BLDL; then use the FIND macro to position to a member before processing it.
You can code a DCBE and use 31-bit addressing for BPAM.
PDSs, PDSEs, members, and UNIX files cannot use sequential data striping. See Processing a Partitioned Data Set (PDS) and Processing a Partitioned Data Set Extended (PDSE). Also see z/OS DFSMS Macro Instructions for Data Sets for information about coding the DCB (BPAM) and DCBE macros.