Performance tip when using SEQUENCE on REPORT statement

[Ken Jenkins]

The default if to use VFM for sorting/sequencing. This is extremely inefficient. You should use the FILE option on the REPORT statement and/or the WORKFILE option on the PARM statement. The FILE option requires more work see example below, but it the only way for those of you not on version 11. With the file option you make the length large enough to handle all of the lengths of the fields being sorted

//RPTWRK01    DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1000,100),RLSE)
FILE RPTWRK01 FB(10 0)

REPORT REPORT-1 PRINTER REPORT01 FILE RPTWRK01
SEQUENCE PHONE-NUMBER

With version 11 all that is required is a setting on the PARM statement. The 1000 is the allocation in cylinders. It will apply to all reports
WORKFILE(YES 1000). The FILE option is still valid in version 11.
The values here are just samples

[Lenn Thompson]

Thanks for sharing this with the community @Ken Jenkins!​

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Lenn Thompson
Community Manager, Mainframe Division
Broadcom Inc.
[e-mail]
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