These questions are representative of the kinds of multiple choice and true false questions I will ask on the examination. Many of them are taken from past examinations. Your examination will also have short answer and coding exercises.

Multiple Choice Questions

Select the correct answer by clicking the appropriate radio button
1.) What is the maximum number of tracks available for a data set with a SPACE
parameter of (TRK,(4,6))?
a.) 66.
b.) 10.
c.) 64.
d.) 94.
e.) None of the above.


2.) Which of the following is an INVALID name for a permanent data set?
a.) T90RAZ1.MYPDS.CS465
b.) T901234.MYDATASET.CS465
c.) T901234.DATASET.FOR.MYPROG.PART1
d.) All of the above are valid data set names.
e.) B and C.


3.) What does the COND=(0,NE) parameter on an EXEC statement mean?
a.) If zero is not equal to the return code from the previous step, execute this step.
b.) If zero is not equal to the return code from the previous step, skip this step.
c.) If zero is not equal to the return code from all previous steps, execute this step.
d.) If zero is not equal to the return code from all previous steps, skip this step.

4.) Which of the following is valid input for the Loader / Linkage Editor?
a.) Program source code.
b.) An executable object module.
c.) A non-executable load module.
d.) An executable load module.
e.) A non-executable object module.
f.) D and E.

5.) Which of the following creates and outputs an object module?
a.) Assembler.
b.) Compiler.
c.) Loader.
d.) Linkage Editor.
e.) A and B.


6.) Which of the following creates and executes a load module?
a.) Assembler.
b.) Compiler.
c.) Loader.
d.) Linkage Editor.
e.) C and D.


7.) Which of the following refers to the "GO" step?
a.) Assembler.
b.) Compiler.
c.) Loader.
d.) Linkage Editor.
e.) C and D.


8.) What will happen if a program expects parameters from the EXEC card
and the PARM= was omitted from the EXEC card?
a.) It would cause a JCL error.
b.) It would cause a Compiler error.
c.) The Loader/Linkage Editor would generate a parameters missing message.
d.) The program would not execute.
e.) None of the above.

9.) What Cobol termination statement causes a return to an invoking program?
a.) STOP RUN.
b.) GOBACK.
c.) RETURN.
d.) None of the above
e.) All of the above.

10.) How many bytes are occupied by one PDS directory block?
a.) 28.
b.) 128.
c.) 256.
d.) 512.
e.) None of the above.

11.) Which of the following DD cards represents a load module?
a.) SYSOUT.
b.) SYSDBOUT.
c.) SYSLMOD.
d.) SYSLIN.
e.) None of the above.


12.) Which of the following must be stored in a PDS?
a.) An object module.
b.) A load module.
c.) A source module.
d.) A utility module.
e.) None of the above.


13.) An index, as used in Cobol table processing, represents
a.) The displacement from the beginning of Working-Storage to the table item.
b.) The displacement from the beginning of the table to the item.
c.) The table item's slot number.
d.) The length in bytes of one table item.
e.) None of the above.


14.) Which Compiler parameter produces the line number in the event of an abend?
a.) APOST.
b.) SSRANGE.
c.) TEST.
d.) FLAG(W,W).
e.) None of the above.

15.) How many bytes does the field 01 DATA-ITEM PIC S9(10) COMP SYNC. take up?
a.) 4.
b.) 10.
c.) 8 or 7 depending on the sign (positive or negative).
d.) It is impossible to tell without seeing what comes before and after it.
e.) None of the above.

16.) Which of the following cards cannot be included in a procedure?
a.) DD
b.) EXEC
c.) JOBLIB
d.) // (null)
e.) C and D


17.) On what JCL statement is the parameter TYPRUN=SCAN coded?
a.) JOB card
b.) DD card
c.) EXEC card
d.) A or C
e.) None of the above.

18.) A procedure named ALLDONE contains the following
EXEC card in it: //S2 EXEC PGM=FIRST,COND=(4,LT,S1)
You want o modify this line so that the condition specifies
(0,NE,S1) and you want to add a region= parm. Which card is correct?
a.)//STEPX EXEC ALLDONE,REGION=256K,COND=(0,NE,S1)
b.)//STEPX EXEC ALLDONE,REGION.S2=256K,COND.S2=(0,NE,S1)
c.)//STEPZ EXEC PROC=ALLDONE,S2.COND=(0,NE,S1),S2.REGION=256K
d.)//STEPX EXEC PROC=ALLDONE,COND.S2=(0,NE,S1),S2.REGION=256K
e.) None of the above.

19.) Which of the following correctly specifies the order in which changes must be coded when executing an existing procedure?
a.) additions for all steps followed by modifications for all steps
b.) modifications for all steps followed by additions for all steps
c.) additions followed by modifications by step and in step order
d.) modifications followed by additions by step and in step order
e.) None of the above.

20.) Which of the following VSAM data sets CANNOT be accessed in random mode
in any computing environment?
a.) KSDS
b.) RRDS
c.) ESDS
d.) MMDS
e.) None of the above


21.) Which of the following is the only way in which a VSAM cluster can be completely removed from the system?
a.) IEFBR14 utility program
b.) IDCAMS DELETE command
c.) SUPERWYLBUR SCRATCH command
d.) JCL DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
e.) Any of the above will work
f.) None of the above will work

22.) When defining a KSDS, what would you code to specify that the KEY field is 9 bytes long, beginning in the tenth column?
a.) KEYS(9 10)
b.) KEYS(10 9)
c.) KEYS(9 9)
d.) LEN(9) DISP(10)
e.) None of the above

23.) The records will be written in the order they are entered. This statement is true of:
a.) ESDS
b.) KSDS
c.) RRDS
d.) PQRS
e.) A and D

24.) An RRN is associated with each record in the file. This statement is true of:
a.) ESDS
b.) KSDS
c.) RRDS
d.) QSAM
e.) B and C

25.) The VSAM cluster supports an alternate index. This statement is true of:
a.) ESDS
b.) KSDS
c.) RRDS
d.) QSAM
e.) A and B

26.) If a SELECT clause reads "ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED" this describes what kind of file?
a.) ESDS
b.) KSDS
c.) RRDS
d.) QSAM
e.)B or C.

27.) This file type supports physical deletion of records. This statement is true of:
a.) ESDS
b.) KSDS
c.) RRDS
d.) QSAM
e.) B and C


28.) This data set is the best one to use if you want to economize on space requirements.
a.) ESDS
b.) KSDS
c.) RRDS
d.) MMDS
e.) All of the above.

TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS

1.) If you code DISP=(NEW,KEEP) for a temporary data set, this will make it permanent.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


2.) If you define a table as OCCURS 1 TO 50 TIMES DEPENDING ON CTR but only fill up 25 of the table slots, the compiler will still reserve enough space for 50 entries.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE

3.) The Linkage Editor cannot accept load modules as valid input.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


4.) If PROGRAM A calls PROGRAM B, PROGRAM B can end the job by issuing a STOP RUN.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE

5.) A Static call to an external program gets a fresh copy
of the external program each time the call is issued.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE

6.) A catalogued procedure cannot have a PROC card in it.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE

7.) PGMA calls PGMB. PGMB can end the run unit.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


8.) Programs loaded via Static calls can be removed from
memory by using the CANCEL verb.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE

9.) IEBGENER can change the physical organization of a data set.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


10.) Every symbolic parameter used in a procedure must be
assigned a value or must be nullified.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE

11.) A KSDS can support up to 253 alternate indexes.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


12.) A procedure must have a PROC card if symbolic parameters are assigned default values.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


13.) Only the RRDS cluster is subject to control interval splits.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


14.) An alternate index may be unique or non unique.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


15.) An RRDS does not support retrieval of records in sequential order.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


16.) A KSDS does not require reorganization.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


17.) An RRDS permits saving variable length records.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE


18.) The FILE STATUS field defined in an FD is a compiler generated and managed area of storage.
a.) TRUE
b.) FALSE