option #18

In-place MERGE and logical end of file

 

USupported on Unix

 

 

System option #18 controls how the in-place MERGE statement handles the logical end of file in the primary file. (An in-place MERGE merges two or more sorted files without creating a new output file; the secondary file is merged into the first input file.)

If you set option #18, the in-place MERGE extends the primary file by the number of records merged from the secondary file. All records past the logical end of file in the primary file are copied to the end of the primary file’s extension.

If you don’t set option #18, the in-place MERGE treats any logical end-of-file character or record as the end of usable data in the primary file. Any records that follow the logical end of file are overwritten.

1. System Option #18 – In-place MERGE and logical end of file.