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BRKCHN System Option—Break Volume/Data Set Chains

Use the BRKCHN system option to determine when chains are broken. The volume sequence, volume count, file sequence and file count fields in the VMF are reset. All data set-related fields are cleared.

This system option has the following format:

BRKCHN=[OPEN|CLOSE|SCRATCH] 
OPEN

(Default) Specifies that a chain is broken when one of the volumes in the original chain is opened for output. Each volume within the chain becomes a single volume and all fields (except tape history) in the associated VMF records are reset.

CLOSE

Specifies that chains are broken when the first data set is closed on a volume.

Note: This option is supplied for compatibility with earlier releases. We recommend that this option be used in special circumstances only. The chains are broken at OPEN, regardless of this option being specified.

SCRATCH

Specifies that all chains are broken and previous information (except tape history) is reset. If a tape is scratched in error, the information and chaining sequence is erased; therefore, exercise caution when considering this selection.