Initialization Parameters › Expanded Retention Initialization Parameters › PRETAIN

PRETAIN

This parameter specifies the expiration parameters of ERO (Expanded Retention Option) reports.

Syntax:

PRETAIN=INIT|TABLE

The default is INIT.

Retention is as follows:

PRETAIN=TABLE

Specifies that an operand value of TABLE for the PRETAIN initialization parameter directs the system to use ERO only for reports that have a matching retention table entry. Be aware of the following:

• The operand value of the PCOPIES parameter is used as default for all reports not specifically identified by a retention table entry and
• The operand value of POPT is used only as a default for retention table entries that do not specifically code a report selection option.

  If POPT=A, then all non-matching reports should be retained for PCOPIES.

  If POPT=L, then only the last or latest copy of a non-matching report must be retained for PCOPIES. All other non-matching reports can be retained based on the NGEND and NGENT initialization parameters.

  If POPT=M, then only non-matching reports that have been identified with the MARK (K) command on the SYSOUT Selection panel should be retained for PCOPIES. All other non-matching reports are to be retained based on the NGEND and NGENT initialization parameters.

PRETAIN=INIT

Specifies that an operand value of INIT for the PRETAIN initialization parameter directs the system to use POPT and the larger of the values PCOPIES and NGEND or NGENT. This larger value is used as the default for all reports not specifically identified by a retention table entry.

The value of POPT determines if PCOPIES should be applied to ALL, LAST, or MARK reports that do not have a matching table entry.

• If POPT=A, all non-matching reports must be retained for PCOPIES.

  After PCOPIES has been satisfied, the report retention can revert to the values associated with the NGEND and NGENT initialization parameters. The numeric value of NGEND and NGENT can be smaller than PCOPIES and can cause the document to be deleted.

• If POPT=L, the last or latest copy of a non-matching report should be retained for PCOPIES.

  After PCOPIES is satisfied, the report retention reverts to the values associated with the NGEND and NGENT initialization parameters. The numeric value of NGEND and NGENT can be small and can cause the document to be deleted. All copies of the report other than the LAST copy are retained based on NGEND and NGENT.

• If POPT=M, only non-matching reports that have been identified with the MARK (K) command on the SYSOUT Selection panel must be retained for PCOPIES.

  After PCOPIES is satisfied, the report reverts to the values associated with the NGEND and NGENT initialization parameters. The numeric value of NGEND and NGENT can be small and can cause the document to be deleted. All copies of any report not specifically MARKed are retained based on NGEND and NGENT.

We recommend that you set PRETAIN=TABLE and include an ERO table entry 'catch-all' (that is a /* entry). This makes the ERO table statements the single point of control for the retention of ERO reports. With PRETAIN=TABLE, when a report has satisfied the ERO table statement that controls is deleted.

Note:

• If PRETAIN=TABLE is specified and no SARPATAB DD statement is provided in the archival task (SARSTC) job stream, message SARPAR09 SARPATAB DD STATEMENT MISSING is issued, and the backup cycle terminates with a U1009 user abend.
• If a SARPATAB DD statement is present but points to an empty file, message SARPAR10 SARPATAB DATA SET EMPTY is issued, and the backup cycle terminates with U1010 user abend.