Copy an Open Spooled File

With IBM i 7.3, you can now copy an open spooled file.

In the past, you could not copy a spooled file when it was still open; if you attempted the copy, it would fail with CPF3482, “Copy request failed. Spool file &1 is open.” The spooled file had to be completed before the copy would be allowed.

With IBM i 7.3, you can now copy an open spooled file.

By default, the Copy Spooled File command will continue to fail if the spooled file is open. A new parameter, Copy open spooled file (OPNSPLF), has been added to the CPYSPLF command.

When you use the new parameter to copy a spooled file that was open at the time of the copy, a diagnostic message CPD3485 – “Spooled file &1 is open” will be sent. This is because open spooled files may have data that is in internal buffers. When you copy an open spooled file, the data that is in internal buffers will not be copied. This behavior is similar when you display an open spooled file since you cannot display the buffered data in that case, either.

This support was also PTFd back to 7.2 and 7.1.  If you are current with PTFs on those releases, you will have this support available. See the support document OSP-PRT Allow CPYSPLF to Copy Open Spooled Files.  Required PTFs are:

• 7.2 – SI57338
• 7.1 – SI56003

This change is a good example of IBM delivering on customer requirements: This specific request came to IBM via the COMMON Europe Advisory Council (CEAC).  Steve Bradshaw also wrote about this enhancement in the article, IBM i 7.3, little things mean a lot.

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