Processing a standalone index

Retrieval, replace and delete calls with or without SSAs are supported. Insert calls are not allowed by mainframe IMS.

The NOPROT option is assumed although IMS Option does not allow access to the target segment concatenated key, if present, when symbolic pointing is used. DDATA and user data are changed if the replace call's data is different than that retrieved. If the target segment's concatenated key is needed, it must be derived from the source segment CK field in the DDATA or SUBSEQ.

IMS Option requires a UBYTES keyword to be added to the XDFLD statement in the indexed database to indicate the length of optional user data. A USTART operand to indicate the starting position of user data within the index segment is required when:

  • Symbolic pointing is used
  • /CK is specified as SUBSEQ or DDATA
  • a BYTES and/or START keyword is specified for the /CK field

The primary index of a HIDAM database cannot be directly processed as a stand-alone database in IMS Option. If you require access to a HIDAM index as a stand-alone database, you must add a "dummy" XDFLD statement following the LCHILD for use in IMS Option. The XDFLD contains just a SRCH field naming the key of the root segment.