FREE command

Use the FREE command to release (deallocate) previously allocated data sets or UNIX file system files that you no longer need. You can also use this command to change the output class of SYSOUT data sets, to delete attribute lists, and to change the data set disposition specified with the ALLOCATE command.

There is a maximum number of data sets that can be allocated to you at any one time. The allowable number must be large enough to accommodate:

Data sets allocated by the LOGON and ALLOCATE commands
Data sets allocated dynamically by the system's command processors

The data sets allocated by the LOGON and ALLOCATE commands are not freed automatically. To avoid the possibility of reaching your limit and being denied necessary resources, you should use the FREE command to release these data sets when they are no longer needed.

When a SYSOUT data set is freed, it is immediately available for output processing, either by the job entry subsystem (not-held data sets) or by the OUTPUT command (held data sets).

When you free SYSOUT data sets, you can change their output class to make them available for processing by an output writer, or route them to another user.

When you enter the LOGOFF command, all data sets allocated to you and attribute lists created during the terminal session are freed by the system.

UNALLOC is the alias of FREE and is intended for use under TEST because FREE is an alias for the FREEMAIN subcommand.

Note: Data sets that are dynamically allocated by a command processor are not automatically freed when the command processor terminates. You must explicitly free dynamically allocated data sets.