Using the Data File Editor Command Line Utility

From a Visual COBOL command prompt, you can invoke the Data File Editor using the following syntax:

mfdatatools [file-type] [file-name] [/org org-type] [/reclen record-length] [/charset char-set]
file-type
Can be one of
/data
Use this type if you are opening an existing data file. You must specify this if you are also supplying any of the additional data file attributes (organization, record length and character set). This option may be omitted if you are not supplying additional data file attributes.
/create_str
Use this type to create a new record layout file (.str file).
file-name
The (path name and) file name of the file to open or create. If you are opening a data file or record layout file, you must specify a valid .dat or .str file. If you are creating a record layout file, you must specify the (path name and) file name of a valid debug information file (.idy file).
/org org-type
The organization of the data file being opened. org-type can be one of:
option description
seq sequential
lseq line sequential
rel relative
Note: For data file types that contain a file header (for example, indexed), you do not need to specify this parameter.
If you specify this parameter, you must also specify the /data file-type.
/reclen record-length
The record length. (This is the maximum record length if the organization is relative.)
Note: For data file types that contain a file header (for example, indexed), you do not need to specify this parameter.
If you specify this parameter, you must also specify the /data file-type.
/charset char-set
The character set of the data within the file. char-set can be either ansi or ebcdic.
Note: For data file types that contain a file header (for example, indexed), you do not need to specify this parameter.
If you specify this parameter, you must also specify the /data file-type.

Comments:

If you run mfdatatools without any additional parameters, Classic Data File Tools starts without any opened files.