We have a set of backup tapes for each day of the week that are reused weekly. PRTERRLOG will show read/write errors based on the volume identifier. If all tapes are initialized with NEWVOL(*NONE), PRTERRLOG would need to be run after each tape to determine which tape is causing errors.

Instead of using NEWVOL(*NONE), which is the default value, initialize each tape with an alpha prefix and the month and day. The alpha prefix is the tape sequence for the daily save; i.e., on 3/1/91, the first tape would be initialized as A0301, the second as B0301, and so on.

The CL program to initialize tapes (2) retrieves the system date and prompts the INZTAP command. Only the first position needs to be changed for the tape sequence.

The CL program to initialize tapes (Figure 2) retrieves the system date and prompts the INZTAP command. Only the first position needs to be changed for the tape sequence.

To determine at any time which tapes have errors, enter the command PRTERRLOG TYPE(*VOLSTAT) VOLTYPE(your tape drive type) MODEL(tape drive model number). This will show all the tapes used and the errors, if any. The VOLUME ID will show exactly which tapes on which days are generating errors.

The existing statistical data can be removed by adding VOLSTAT(*DLT) to the PRTERRLOG command.

TechTalk: Identifying Bad Reel Tapes

Figure 2 Program to initialize tapes

 Figure 2: Program to Initialize Tapes PGM DCL VAR(&DATE) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(6) DCL VAR(&VOL) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(6) RTVJOBA DATE(&DATE) CHGVAR VAR(&VOL) VALUE('A' *CAT %SST(&DATE 1 4)) INZTAP DEV(TAP01) ??NEWVOL(&VOL) ENDPGM