APPEND

APPEND is a DCL command that adds the contents of one or more specified input files to the end of the specified output file.

Syntax

APPEND  input-filespec[,...] output-filespec

Qualifiers

• /ALLOCATION forces the initial allocation of the output file to the specified number of 512-byte blocks. If you do not specify the /ALLOCATION qualifier, or if you specify it without the number-of-blocks parameter, the initial allocation of the output file is determined by the size of the input file. The allocation size is applied only if a new file is actually created by using the /NEW_VERSION qualifier.
• /BACKUP
• /BEFORE
• /BLOCK_SIZE overrides the default block size (124) used by COPY. You can specify a value in the range of 1 through 127.
• /BY_OWNER
• /CONFIRM controls whether a request is issued before each append operation to confirm that the operation should be performed on that file. The following responses are valid:
  • YES
  • NO
  • QUIT
  • TRUE
  • FALSE
  • <Ctrl/Z>
  • <Return>

You can use any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters for word responses. Word responses can be abbreviated to one or more letters (for example, T, TR, or TRU for TRUE), but these abbreviations must be unique. Affirmative answers are YES, TRUE, and 1. Negative answers include: NO, FALSE, 0, and pressing Return. Entering QUIT or pressing Ctrl/Z indicates that you want to stop processing the command at that point. When you respond by entering ALL, the command continues to process, but no further prompts are given. If you type a response other than one of those in the list, DCL issues an error message and redisplays the prompt.

• /CONTIGUOUS specifies that the output file must occupy physically contiguous disk blocks. By default, the APPEND command creates an output file in the same format as the corresponding input file and does not report an error if not enough space exists for a contiguous allocation. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier. If an input file is contiguous, the APPEND command attempts to create a contiguous output file, but does not report an error if there is not enough space. If you append multiple input files of different formats, the output file may or may not be contiguous. Use the /CONTIGUOUS qualifier to ensure that the output file is contiguous.
• /CREATED
• /EXCLUDE excludes the specified files from the append operation. You can include a directory but not a device in the file specification. Wildcard characters (* and %) are allowed in the file specification. However, you cannot use relative version numbers to exclude a specific version. If you specify only one file, you can omit the parentheses.
• /EXPIRED
• /EXTENSION=number-of-blocks specifies the number of blocks to be added to the output file each time the file is extended. When you specify the /EXTENSION qualifier, the /NEW_VERSION qualifier is assumed and need not be typed on the command line. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier. The extension value is applied only if a new file is actually created.
• /LOG controls whether the APPEND command displays the file specifications of each file appended. If the /LOG qualifier is specified, the command displays the file specifications of the input and output files as well as the number of blocks or records appended after each append operation.
• /MODIFIED
• /NEW_VERSION controls whether the APPEND command creates a new output file if the specified output file does not exist. (By default, the specified output file already exists.) If the specified output file does not already exist, use the /NEW_VERSION qualifier to create a new output file. If the file does exist, the /NEW_VERSION qualifier is ignored and the input file is appended to the output file.
• /PROTECTION=(ownership[:access][,...]) specifies protection for the output file.
  • Specify the ownership parameter as system (S), owner (O), group (G), or world (W).
  • Specify the access parameter as read (R), write (W), execute (E), or delete (D). The default protection, including any protection attributes not specified, is that of the existing output file. If no output file exists, the current default protection applies. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier.
• /READ_CHECK reads each record in the input files twice to verify that it has been read correctly.
• /SINCE
• /WRITE_CHECK reads each record in the output file after the record is written to verify that it was appended successfully and that the output file can subsequently be read without error.