COLUMNS Operand

The COLUMNS operand identifies the columns of data to print from the input data set. You specify the columns in pairs with the first value being the starting column and the second value being the ending column. You can specify up to 32 column pairs. To use the COLUMNS operand, issue the PRINTDS command with:

The DATASET operand immediately followed by the data set name enclosed in parentheses.
The COLUMNS operand followed by the starting column value, a colon, and the ending column value for one or more pairs of columns, with the column pairs separated by commas. Enclose the column values in parentheses.

If an ending value is not specified, the last column of the input is used as the ending value.

Example
To print columns 6 through 10 and 15 through the last column, from data set PREFIX.TEXT.DATA, enter: `PRINTDS DATASET(text.data) COLUMNS(6:10,15)` The result is that information from column 6 through 10 of the input data set is printed in columns 1 through 5 of the output data set, and remaining information from columns 15 on appears starting in column 6 of the output data set.

Example
An eight-digit line number appears at the end of a 132-column data set named PREFIX.INPUT.DATA and occupies columns 125 to 132. To print the line number at the beginning and follow it with the first 72 columns of information, enter: `PRINTDS DATASET(input.data) COLUMNS(125:132,1:72)`