File status 24: Boundary violation on an indexed or relative file

What it means

Status 24 is an invalid key condition for indexed and relative files, and the record was not written. IBM describes it as an attempt to write past the file's externally defined boundaries.

In practice there are two kinds. The common one is space. A KSDS or RRDS has filled its allocation and VSAM can't get another extent, for example because the volume is full or the data set has used all the extents it may have. VSAM reports this as register 15 = 8 with feedback code 28 (X'1C'), the data set can't be extended. The other kind is a relative record number that's too large. On a sequential WRITE to a relative file, IBM sets 24 when the number has more digits than the RELATIVE KEY item can hold.

QSAM and line-sequential files never return 24. The same out-of-space condition on a sequential file is status 34. An ESDS is a sequential file to COBOL, so check 34 for it as well.

Common causes

• The KSDS or RRDS has filled its primary and secondary space, or no secondary space was defined.
• No volume in the storage group has room for another extent.
• The data set has reached the maximum number of extents it's allowed.
• Heavy inserts caused many control interval and control area splits, which use space faster than the record count suggests.
• On Enterprise COBOL 5 and later, a defect fixed by APAR PI77291 returned 24 on WRITE (and 23 on READ) for an RRDS with a zoned relative key longer than 10 digits. If your relative key is that long, check the PTF is applied.

How to find the problem

1. Display data-name-8. Return code 8 with feedback code 28 (X'1C') is the out-of-space case.
2. Run IDCAMS LISTCAT ALL on the cluster. Compare HI-U-RBA (high used) with HI-A-RBA (high allocated), and look at EXTENTS, SPLITS-CI and SPLITS-CA.
3. Check the job log and SYSLOG at the time of the failure for VSAM end-of-volume messages such as IEC070I.
4. For a relative file, DISPLAY the relative key before the WRITE.

How to fix it

• Reorganize the cluster. Copy it out with IDCAMS REPRO, delete and redefine it with larger primary and secondary space, then REPRO the data back.
• If splits are high, review FREESPACE and the control interval size. Too little free space makes inserts split often.
• Ask your storage team about the storage group if no volume has room for new extents.
• For a relative file, make the RELATIVE KEY item large enough for the highest record number you'll use.

Last reviewed 2026-10-18 by the WND Software team. Written in our own words. For the full reference, check IBM’s Enterprise COBOL documentation for your release.