Learn how to add decision-making capabilities to your JCL jobs using condition codes and conditional constructs
Conditional execution is a powerful feature in JCL that allows jobs to make decisions based on the results of previous steps. This enables the creation of more robust and flexible batch processes that can respond to different conditions and handle errors gracefully.
This section covers the various methods of implementing conditional logic in JCL, from basic condition code checking to more advanced IF/THEN/ELSE structures and even including external procedures.
Understanding how programs set return codes and how JCL interprets them
Using the COND parameter to conditionally execute job steps based on previous return codes
Implementing more complex conditional logic with structured IF statements
Including external JCL procedures and leveraging procedure libraries
Without conditional execution, JCL jobs would always run every step in sequence, regardless of whether previous steps succeeded or failed. This could lead to:
By mastering conditional execution, you'll be able to create more resilient, efficient, and autonomous batch processing applications.