[Migrated content. Thread originally posted on 16 May 2011]

Environment: Micro Focus COBOL 6.0, developed in Visual Studio 2008, run in Micro Focus Enterprise Server using VSE JCL.

I have a number of jobs which use the ddname SYSIPT as input to SORT steps. The purpose appears to be clearing out the files without deleting them. Here is an example of a section of one job which does this for three files:

* $$ LST CLASS=M,DISP=L,JSEP=1,USER='SORTS'
/*
*  SORTS TO CLEAR OUT ALL XYZ002 INPUT FILES
// DLBL       SORTIN,SYSIPT
// DLBL       SORTOUT,'XYZ.CASHEDX',10,SD
// EXTENT     ,POOLP1,,,1,1
// EXEC       PGM=SORT
   INPFIL     SYSIPT
   RECORD     TYPE=F,LENGTH=80
   MERGE      FIELDS=COPY
   END
/*
// DLBL       SORTIN,SYSIPT
// DLBL       SORTOUT,'XYZ.CASHEDY',10,SD
// EXTENT     ,POOLP1,,,1,1
// EXEC       PGM=SORT
   INPFIL     SYSIPT
   RECORD     TYPE=F,LENGTH=80
   MERGE      FIELDS=COPY
   END
/*
// DLBL       SORTIN,SYSIPT
// DLBL       SORTOUT,'XYZ.CASHEDZ',10,SD
// EXTENT     ,POOLP1,,,1,1
// EXEC       PGM=SORT
   INPFIL     SYSIPT
   RECORD     TYPE=F,LENGTH=80
   MERGE      FIELDS=COPY
   END

When I run the job I get the following error message and a Return Code of 0016:

          Micro Focus MFJSORT Utility 3.0.00                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                     
SORT035U: SORTIN DSORG or RECFM mising

What am I doing wrong? How can I make this work?

Thank you.
#EnterpriseDeveloper