Translation Table (XLATE) Definitions

With the XLATE feature, you can define and use translation tables.

The translation tables can be used to translate data between EBCDIC systems such as z/OS and AS/400, or between EBCDIC and ASCII systems.

Two samples are included in the platform server CONFIG DD: ASCIIXL and EBCDICXL.

Translation is only performed when TYPE=TEXT is defined. They must be enabled at startup or through the ENABLE operator command. You can refresh translation tables by using the REFRESH command, but you cannot disable them.

The XLATE feature is enabled in one of the following ways:
  • By specifying the LOCALCTFILE parameter on the batch interface.
  • By specifying the DEFAULT_LOCALCTFILE parameter on the node definition.
  • If the remote system initiates a transfer and specifies the REMOTECTFILE parameter.
Note: If you specify that you want to use a translation table that is not enabled, the transfer terminates with errors.

See following a list of parameters that are required for the translation table configuration. Comments are defined with an asterisk (*) in column 1.

  • TYPE=XLATE

    This is a required parameter. It is used to distinguish between NODE, COS and XLATE entries. This must be the first parameter defined.

  • Following the TYPE=XLATE parameter, you must add 32 lines of translation tables. Each line must contain 32 hex digits from 0-F. Therefore, each line contains 16 bytes of translation table. The first 16 lines are used when you are sending data, and lines 17 through 32 are used when you are receiving data.
See the following sample EBCDIC to ASCII translation table: 
TYPE=XLATE                                                              
*  SEND Table (EBCDIC to ASCII)          -------Displacements------     
*  Translate table for SEND Transfers    -HEX Bytes--     Decimal Bytes 
002E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E0A2E2E0D2E2E       * 0x00 to 0x0F     0   to 15     
2E2E2E2E2E0A2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0x10 to 0x1F     16  to 31     
2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0x20 to 0x2F     32  to 47     
2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0x30 to 0x3F     48  to 63     
202E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E632E3C282B7C       * 0x40 to 0x4F     64  to 79     
262E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E21242A293B5E       * 0x50 to 0x5F     80  to 95     
2D2F2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E7C2C255F3E3F       * 0x60 to 0x6F     96  to 111    
2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E603A2340273D22       * 0x70 to 0x7F     112 to 127    
2E6162636465666768692E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0x80 to 0x8F     128 to 143    
2E6A6B6C6D6E6F7071722E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0x90 to 0x9F     144 to 159    
2E7E737475767778797A2E2E2E5B2E2E       * 0xA0 to 0xAF     160 to 175    
2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E2E5D2E2E       * 0xB0 to 0xBF     176 to 191    
7B4142434445464748492E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0xC0 to 0xCF     192 to 207    
7D4A4B4C4D4E4F5051522E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0xD0 to 0xDF     208 to 223    
5C00535455565758595A2E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0xE0 to 0xEF     224 to 239    
303132333435363738392E2E2E2E2E2E       * 0xF0 to 0xFF     240 to 255    
*  RECEIVE Table (ASCII to EBCDIC)       -------Displacements------     
*  Translate table for RECEIVE Transfers -HEX Bytes--     Decimal Bytes 
00010203372D2E2F16050A0B0C0D0E0F       * 0x00 to 0x0F     0   to 15     
101112133C3D322618193F27221D351F       * 0x10 to 0x1F     16  to 31     
405A7F7B5B6C507D4D5D5C4E6B604B61       * 0x20 to 0x2F     32  to 47     
F0F1F2F3F4F5F6F7F8F97A5E4C7E6E6F       * 0x30 to 0x3F     48  to 63     
7CC1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9D1D2D3D4D5D6       * 0x40 to 0x4F     64  to 79     
D7D8D9E2E3E4E5E6E7E8E9ADE0BD5F6D       * 0x50 to 0x5F     80  to 95     
79818283848586878889919293949596       * 0x60 to 0x6F     96  to 111    
979899A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9C06AD0A107       * 0x70 to 0x7F     112 to 127    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0x80 to 0x8F     128 to 143    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0x90 to 0x9F     144 to 159    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0xA0 to 0xAF     160 to 175    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0xB0 to 0xBF     176 to 191    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0xC0 to 0xCF     192 to 207    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0xD0 to 0xDF     208 to 223    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0xE0 to 0xEF     224 to 239    
00000000000000000000000000000000       * 0xF0 to 0xFF     240 to 255