Mainframe Interview Questions

Q:

If you are current on the owner of a set, what is the difference between an obtain next and obtain first in IDMS?

Answer

No difference. There is a difference between obtain first and obtain next for an area sweep, but not when current on the owner in a set.

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Q:

EXPLAIN has output with MATCHCOLS = 0. What does it mean?

Answer

a nonmatching index scan if ACCESSTYPE = 1


 

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Q:

Why SELECT * is not preferred in embedded SQL programs?

Answer

- If the table structure is changed ( a field is added ), the program will have to be modified.


- Program might retrieve the columns which it might not use, leading on I/O over head.


- The chance of an index only scan is lost.

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Q:

What is currency in IDMS?

Answer

Currency is the location within the database during run-unit execution.


There are four levels of currency:


- Current of run-unit is the record occurrence of the last successful find or obtain;


- Current of record type is for the most recent of each record type;


- Current of record set is the most recent within each set 


- Current of area is within each area.

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Q:

How is sign stored in a COMP field?

Answer

It is stored in the most significant bit. Bit is ON if -ve, OFF if +ve.

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Q:

What is sqlcode -811?

Answer

SELECT statement has resulted in retrieval of more than one row.

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Q:

What is purpose of VSAM?

Answer

VSAM acts as an interface between Application program & Operating System.

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Q:

What is a junction record in IDMS?

Answer

A junction record is a member record type that allows for many-to-many relationship between its two owner records.

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