Take the last file and use it as jcl variable

Question

I have to do a job that uses the last file from a base name. For example, if I am having:

FILE.140115

FILE.140111

FILE.140101

I need to catch FILE.140115 wich has the closest date from today.

So, I would use:

//TEST010  EXEC PGM=IDCAMS                                
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*                                    
//OUTDD    DD DSN=FILE.LISTFILE,                  
//            DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE),                    
//            DATACLAS=(MED),                             
//            DCB=(RECFM=VB,LRECL=125)                    
//SYSIN    DD *                                           
   LISTCAT ENT(FILE.*) - 
   NAME -                                                 
   OUTFILE(OUTDD)                                                          

Then, using a sort I can obtain a single file with the name of the file that I need inside. But I dont know how to use the content of this file as a variable to use it as parameter in another step.

Is there a way to do this without using CLIST? Or other ways to do what I want.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Have you tried using a GDG? Many problems normally solved in a distributed environment with date/timestamps in file names are readily solved in a mainframe environment with GDGs.