Enterprise COBOL for z/OS, Version 4.2, Programming Guide

If your application accesses a VSAM data set in RLS mode, be sure to check the file status and VSAM feedback codes after each request.

If your application encounters "SMSVSAM server not available" while processing input or output, explicitly close the VSAM file before you try to open it again.
VSAM generates return code 16 for such failures, and there is no feedback code.
You can have COBOL programs check the first 2 bytes of the second file status area for VSAM return code 16.
The COBOL run time generates message IGZ0205W and automatically closes the file if the error occurs during OPEN processing.

All other RLS mode errors return a VSAM return code of 4, 8, or 12.

Related tasks