By using

  SELECT MYBIGFILE ASSIGN TO "DONTKNOW".

and programatically (via HPCICOMMAND intrinsic) issuing the file equation

  FILE DONTKNOW=<newfilename>;DISC=<hugenumber>;SAVE

you can avoid using the look-em-up-every-time count-the-commas-carefully
IBM360 conventions used to describe your file via ASSIGN.  You'll be glad
you let the file system & Cobol take care of the rest.  Not the only way,
though.

K Tracy Pierce
Systems Programmer
Golden Gate Bridge, Hwy & Trnsp Dist
San Francisco, CA  94129-0601