# How can I know which descriptor fields are used in an adabas file? **URL:** \ **Category:** Forum\ **Tags:** Adabas-Natural, Adabas\ **Created:** [August 18, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368 "2020-08-18T21:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/fernando_zarazua_vilchis1/32/852_2.png) [@Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Fernando_Zarazua_Vilchis1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/1 "2020-08-18T21:21:17Z")
Mainframe Z/OS 2.2 ADABAS Ver. 8.2. sp 6 How can I know which descriptor fields are used in an adabas file? I want to know what descriptor fields are used in an adabas file, the purpose is to eliminate descriptor fields, super descriptors, sub-descriptors, as well as periodic fields and multiple fields that are not used, it is worth mentioning that I do not have Predict installed. I really appreciate your valuable help. ---
**Author:** ![Douglas\_Kelly](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/douglas_kelly/32/102_2.png) [@Douglas\_Kelly](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Douglas_Kelly)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/2 "2020-08-18T22:39:01Z")
What tools do you have for monitoring your database at this time? for example, Adabas Review or one of the 3rd party reporting packages? If not, you may have to enable Adabas Command Logging and specify logging of the search buffers (for descriptor usage) and format buffers (for pe/mu field usage). Check out the sample PRILOG/PRILOGC programs that comes with your Adabas installation, as you can probably adapt that to extract the information you are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/fernando_zarazua_vilchis1/32/852_2.png) [@Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Fernando_Zarazua_Vilchis1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/3 "2020-08-18T22:57:46Z")
Thanks Douglas, what I have are the tools that come by default from adabas, I don’t have Adabas Review. I’m going to activate Adabas Command Logging ---
**Author:** ![wolfgang.winter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/wolfgang.winter/32/17954_2.png) [@wolfgang.winter](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/wolfgang.winter)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/4 "2020-08-19T06:35:53Z")
Please note that command logging will create **massive** amounts of data on production systems, so make sure the CLOG files are big enough and log switching procedures are in place. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Robinson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/steve_robinson/32/107_2.png) [@Steve\_Robinson](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Steve_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 10:22am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/5 "2020-08-19T10:22:18Z")
How many Natural objects reference this file? If the number is relatively small you can scan the objects looking for the appropriate field names. If you use external file views you can scan them as a way to limit your task. Please note that an appearance of field names in views does not mean it will be used at all. Similarly a FIND using a descriptor does not mean that FIND is ever used. ---
**Author:** ![Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/fernando_zarazua_vilchis1/32/852_2.png) [@Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Fernando_Zarazua_Vilchis1)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/6 "2020-08-19T13:09:18Z")
Hi Wolfgang, We have a very big problem with disk space, that is why we are debugging adabas files, likewise I am debugging descriptor fields, there are natural objects that are already out of use. Thanks you ---
**Author:** ![Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/fernando_zarazua_vilchis1/32/852_2.png) [@Fernando\_Zarazua\_Vilchis1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Fernando_Zarazua_Vilchis1)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/7 "2020-08-19T13:15:41Z")
Hi Steve, The problem is that I have more than 30 databases and more than 1,300 adabas files, I have located many files that are no longer active, and programs that have descriptor fields defined in their views but are not used in the logic of the program. but you gave me an idea to make a batch (JCL) and locate those programs that use the descriptor fields. Thanks you. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/original/3X/c/d/cd19967bb605d28a72d77eb83a1cae22f3df2eb8.svg) [@system](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/how-can-i-know-which-descriptor-fields-are-used-in-an-adabas-file/232368/8 "2021-04-02T15:45:04Z")