Download dataset from mainframe on a linux

Suppose

1. mainframe $HOST

2. mainframe $USER/$PASSWORD

3. mainframe source dataset $USER.TEST.DATA.FILE

4. local destination file: local.data

// Sample 1: Get a text file, for example a JCL JOB, COBOL program

ftp -v -n<<EOF
open $HOST
user $USER $PASSWORD
prompt
asc
get TEST.DATA.FILE local.data
close
bye
EOF

If the dataset fullpath is with other <UID>, you could wrapper the dataset name with apostrophe, like

get '<UID>.TEST.DATA.FILE' local.data

// Sample 2: get a binary fixed record sequential dataset

ftp -v -n<<EOF
open $HOST
user $USER $PASSWORD
prompt
binary
get TEST.DATA.FILE local.data
close
bye
EOF

// Sample 3: get a binary variable record sequential dataset

ftp -v -n<<EOF
open $HOST
user $USER $PASSWORD
prompt
binary
quote site rdw
cd TEST.DATA
get FILE local.data
close
bye
EOF

After a variable length sequential dataset is downloaded, the file header is removed, so on unix, the beginning of the dataset is first record's record header.