No, start values do not have to exist in the file.

I've run into some strangeness with KSAM (I assume this is CM KSAM and not
KSAM/XL?) when I didn't follow the book and use KSAMUTIL properly.  The
FSERR you're getting may be related to the KEY file and not the base file!
I'd do the purge using KSAMUTIL to be sure both the base file and the key
file are purged.  (I'd build it with KSAMUTIL too, but I'm just an old fart
and pretty conservative about that sort of stuff.)

Good luck!

Glenn

-----Original Message-----
From: Noel Demos [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, October 25, 1999 10:31 PM
To: Boris Kortiak
Cc: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [COBOL:356] Having trouble with START

<snip>
It's been a long time, but I believe the start key values must ge a key
that
actually exists on the file.

Nick D.