For basic information, go through the ICETOOL Introduction (for Beginners)

ICETOOL is a multipurpose file processing and reporting utility that allows performing operations on multiple(one or more) files in a single job step.

ICETOOL combines new features with DFSORT features to perform complex sorting, copying, merging, reporting, and analytical tasks on multiple files.

ICETOOL was first introduced along with DFSORT Release 11.1 and enhanced in every subsequent DFSORT release.

ICETOOL uses the capabilities of DFSORT to perform the requested operations and calls DFSORT for each operation with the control statements.

The ICETOOL allows performing a variety of functions such as -

• Allows operations to be performed or stopped based on the success or failure of previous processes.
• Creates multiple copies of sorted, merged, edited, or unedited files.
• Creates a larger record from multiple shorter records or shorter ones from a larger one.
• Creating output files that contain different subsets or field arrangements of input files.
• Creating output files that display a list for records with duplicate values, non-duplicate values, or values that occur n times, less than n times, or more than n times.
• Creating files showing unique values for selected character and numeric fields and the number of times each occurs in various report formats.
• Creating output files with information joined together from two or more input records with duplicate values.
• Displays a file showing the DFSORT installation defaults selected at your site.
• Displaying files showing character and numeric fields in a variety of report formats, allowing control of title, date, time, page numbers, carriage control characters, headings, lines per page, field formats, and total, maximum, minimum, average, and count values for the columns of numeric data.
• Displays the count of records in a file or creates an output file containing an output record with text and the records count.
• Displays statistical information for selected numeric fields, such as minimum, maximum, average, total, count of values within a range, and count of unique values.
• Identifying and displaying invalid decimal values and their locations in a file.
• Setting RC=12, RC=8, RC=4, or RC=0 based on the count of records in a file.
• Sorting records between headers and trailers.