This section describes appropriate actions when the error message indicates a damaged key. GDS transforms subscripted or unsubscripted global variable names into keys, which are part of the database record used to index the corresponding global variable data values. The keys are stored in a compressed form which omits that part of the prefix held in common with the previous key in the block. The compression count is the number of common characters. Except in the Directory Tree, all records after the first one have a non-zero count. The first record in a block always has a compression count of zero (0).

IF THE BLOCK IS A DATA BLOCK, that is, level zero (0), refer to section O3.

IF THE BLOCK HAS A LEVEL GREATER THAN ZERO (0), examine the record with the DSE command DUMP BLOCK= OFFSET where the block and offset values are provided by the INTEG error report. If the record appears to have a valid block pointer, note the pointer. Otherwise, refer to section O2.

After noting the pointer, SPAWN and use MUPIP INTEG BLOCK=pointer (if you have time constraints, you may use the FAST qualifier) to check the structure.

IF THE SUB-TREE IS INVALID, according to the MUPIP INTEG, DSE REMOVE the record containing the reported bad key, INTEG, and refer to section O4.

Otherwise use the DSE command DUMP BLOCK= RECORD=9999 to find the last record in the block and examine it using the DUMP RECORD= command. Continue using DSE to follow the pointer(s) down to level 0, always choosing the right-hand branch. Note the largest key at the data level. REMOVE the record containing the reported bad key. Determine the proper placement for the noted key using FIND KEY= and ADD KEY= POINTER where the key and the pointer are those noted in the preceding actions.