DPI Software

File and dump management for z/OS

FileMarvel vs FileAid ® - comparison of functions

Why upgrade to FileMarvel?

Besides considering the savings in license and maintenance costs you get by moving up to FileMarvel, take a few minutes to fill in the technical comparison of FileMarvel with the product you use now or are evaluating. We believe FileMarvel offers far more useful facilities than other products and, being ISPF-based, it has a more familiar feel. An ISPF user unfamiliar with FileMarvel can immediately work with it with absolutely no training. If you do require classroom training, it can be run at your own site using the services of our skilled software trainers. New functions that are unique to data file editing (like switching copybook templates or display formats) can be invoked by filling in options right on the browse or edit screens, removing the need to learn new commands. To further assist in training, an easy to use on-line demonstration is provided. It's possibly the easiest software product installation or replacement you will ever make. The following list describes just some of the things FileMarvel can do - use the blank column to see how that other product stacks up.

Category

Function

Description

FileMarvel

Other

File Support

Disk files

VSAM, BDAM,Seq,PDS, ISAM

Yes

 

 

UNIX support

Yes

 

Tape files

Access files on tape / cartridge online

Yes

 

VSAM non-reusable files

Edit any non-reusable VSAM file including ESDS

Yes

 

Non-standard datasets

Browse datasets such as compressed, Panvalet, Librarian

Yes

 

Production file support

Handling large files

Browse/edit large files fullscreen without increasing region size

Yes

 

 

"Single record mode" for direct access within file

Yes

 

Fullscreen edit

5 separate display types

Yes

 

Selected records

Select records without preloading entire file

Yes

 

Fullscreen record mode

Edit for update in place without preloading entire file

Yes

 

Presentation and display

Formatted display

Browse / edit using COBOL & PL/I field names

Yes

 

Compact display

Fit as many fields on screen as possible

Yes

 

Hex display

Display record in ISPF hex mode

Yes

 

Hex dump display

Display record in hex dump format

Yes

 

Reformat display

Display associated fields together

Yes

 

Validate fields

Check records / files match copybooks

Yes

 

Record definitions

Support for redefines, occurs depending with automatic display switch

Yes

 

Automatic record layout switch

Change display format based on field values

Unlimited

 

Field exclusion

Exclude irrelevant fields

Yes

 

Field search

Find fields in any display mode

Yes

 

Field search point & shoot

Find field by putting cursor on file name

Yes

 

Record expand / truncate

Display & change record lengths in VSAM files

Yes

 

Sort records

Sort files by fieldname (e.g. in order by surname)

Yes

 

Copybooks in non-IBM libraries

Support for copybooks in Panvalet & Librarian

Yes

 

Browsing

Exclude records

Exclude records based on field value

Yes

 

Print records

Print from edit or browse - four formats

Yes

 

Save record from browse

Export some or all browsed records to another file

Yes

 

Record line numbering

Display record number & length

Yes

 

Find / Change

Change & find

Support WORD PREFIX SUFFIX parameters as per ISPF

Yes

 

Exclude

Exclude records from find / change

Yes

 

Find / change limits

Limit the number of records searched / changed

Yes

 

VIEW function

View changes without updating file

Yes

 

ISPF look & feel

Display mode switching

Change display mode without entering a command

Yes

 

Record layout switching

Enter layout name to change display format

Yes

 

File display nesting

Start new file display without quitting current display

Yes

 

Utilities

Space

List free space on volumes

Yes

 

VTOC

List datasets on a volume with space report

Yes

 

Sort

Sort files online

Yes

 

 

Sort online using fieldnames from copybooks

Yes

 

Allocate

Allocate VSAM /non-VSAM datasets

Yes

 

AMS

Online IDCAMS execution

Yes

 

Dataset

List, catalog, delete, rename datasets

Yes

 

List catalog

List catalog indices & display datasets

Yes

 

Batch features

File print

Print records selected by field values

Yes

 

File sort

Sort in batch mode

Yes

 

File compare

Compare files and selected records

Yes

 

File copy

Copy files or selected records

Yes

 

Tape labels

Display tape / cartridge labels

Yes

 

Linkedit maps

Create link map for module

Yes

 

Disassembler

Create assembler source from object module

Yes

 

Space

Display DASD free space

Yes

 

VTOC

Display DASD dataset lists

Yes

 

CLIST language

Create CLISTs for batch execution

Yes

 

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