From:	CRDGW2::CRDGW2::MRGATE::"SMTP::CRVAX.SRI.COM::RELAY-INFO-VAX" 12-SEP-1989 11:26
To:	MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART"
Subj:	Re: How to shrink an indexed file?

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Date: 12 Sep 89 12:00:22 GMT
From: uhccux!munnari.oz.au!comp.vuw.ac.nz!windy!gpwd!gpwrdcs@ames.arc.nasa.gov  (Don Stokes, GPO)
Organization: Government Printing Office, Wellington, New Zealand
Subject: Re: How to shrink an indexed file?
Message-Id: <291@gp.govt.nz>
References: <890901143701.2020426a@UWYO.BITNET>
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In article <890901143701.2020426a@UWYO.BITNET>, jimkirk@OUTLAW.UWYO.EDU (Jim Kirkpatrick) writes:
> I've spent several days reading the manuals and experimenting, and can't
> figure out how to CONVERT an indexed file with 50% of the records deleted
> such that the target file uses fewer disk blocks.  The file was originally
> created with a Cobol program, has had many records added with a Cobol
> program, and recently I deleted about 1/2 of the records via DCL and
> READ/DELETE/KEY=blah.  The file is still at it's peak size of about 3000
> blocks.  I have tried various combinations of CONVERT, CONVERT/RECLAIM,
> and CONVERT/FDL (even lowering the ALLOCATION in the .FDL) and I always
> get an output file the same size as the input.  Do I have to write a
> program to read the old file and write a new one???  Help!

The trick to a full file optimization is:

        $ ANALYZE/RMS/FDL/OUTPUT=fdlfile indexedfile
        $ EDIT/FDL fdlfile/NOINTERACTIVE/ANALYSIS=fdlfile
        $ CONVERT/FDL=fdlfile indexedfile indexedfile

where indexedfile is the indexed file you want optimized and fdlfile is a
temporary FDL file.  The magic is done by the EDIT/FDL line, which 
fiddles the various area allocations to their optimum sizes (optimum for 
both size and performance).  

Don Stokes          /  /                                  vuwcomp!windy!gpwd!don
Systems Programmer /GP/ Government Printing Office        PSI%0530147000028::DON
__________________/  /__Wellington, New Zealand___________don@gp.govt.nz________
Whatever happens behave like you meant it to happen.