JCL to find if a dataset is empty

In your batch job, if there is a need to check for empty dataset, you can do it using IDCAMS.

//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//* This JCL is to find if a file is empty or not. If there are no    */
//* records, the return-code will be 4.                               */
//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//STEP01   EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSPRINT  DD SYSOUT=*
//IN1       DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.dataset.name
//SYSIN     DD *
  PRINT INFILE(IN1) COUNT(001)
/*

If you have ICETOOL at your site, you can use that as well.

//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//* This JCL is to find if a file is empty or not using ICETOOL.      */
//* If there are no records, the return-code will be 12               */
//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//STEP01  EXEC PGM=ICETOOL
//TOOLMSG  DD SYSOUT=*
//DFSMSG   DD SYSOUT=*
//IN       DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.dataset.name
//TOOLIN   DD *
COUNT FROM(IN) EMPTY
/*

JCL - REGION Parameter

Coding REGION parameter on a JOB step is different from coding it on a EXEC step.

A JOB statement REGION parameter applies to all steps of the job and overrides any EXEC statement REGION parameters.

When no REGION parameter is on the JOB statement, the system uses an EXEC statement REGION parameter, but only during the job step. Code EXEC statement REGION parameters when you want to specify a different region size for each job step.