Rational Developer for System z, Version 7.6

Definition tab

In the Definition tab, you indicate the three formats of the Data Element as well as its type and its parent Data Element, if any.

Type
Value Meaning
P Property: elementary piece of information defined at the conceptual level.
Note: the format is optional.
R Real Data Element (Default value): elementary piece of information, defined at the Repository level.

D.B.D. function: Codasyl elementary data, Relational column.

A ALIAS Data Element

This value is automatically set upon the retrieval of existing data.

L Large Object Data Element
U Unicode-type Data Element.
Note: the usage must be 'N' (default), 'X' or '1'.
Inheritance
A Data Element is an elementary concept. In your applications, you may want to use several technical variants of this concept. So to guarantee the coherence of your data, you manage these variants by creating parent and child Data Elements.

All Data Elements from the same 'family' are logically linked in the Database. A child Data Element cannot be a parent as well. The inheritance tree of the current instance is displayed on the right of the tab. This tree displays its parent, if any, as well as its children, if any.

If a parent Data Element has already been indicated for the Data Element, you see its code here. If you want to specify a parent Data Element, click the Change button and select a Data Element in the selection wizard. You can remove the parent Data Element by clicking the Remove button.

If no parent is declared, this field displays'No inheritance'.
Internal format
This format, displayed in the Overview tab, is required, except if the Data Element is a Property.

The internal format is used when the Data Element is called in:

  • An application file (permanent file, database, temporary file),
  • A Screen as an input field, if no conversational format has been specified. (See the 'type of line' field in the '-D Lines' tab of the Data Element editor).
This format is automatically transferred into the Segments where the Data Element is called. But you eventually select the appropriate format in the -CD Lines tab of the Programs which call these Segments.

You must ensure the compatibility between the input and internal formats.

The internal format must be coded like a COBOL picture (without print characters).
Notes:
  • If the format of a numeric Data Element is more than 10 characters long, you must omit the 9 that would normally be entered after the V (for example: S9(10)V9(3) must be entered as S9(10)V(3)). This way of coding must not be used when the format is shorter than 10 characters
  • For Unicode-type Data Elements, you must indicate 'N(n)' or a signed or unsigned numeric format.
The INTERNAL USAGE clause is associated with this format.
Note: if Unicode-type Data Elements have a signed numeric internal format, their internal usage must be X or 1.
Data Elements that represent a date can be assigned a symbolic format:
Symbolic value Meaning
D Without century (DDMMYY or MMDDYY)
I Without century (YYMMDD)
E Without century (DD/MM/YY or MM/DD/YY)
S With century (CCYYMMDD)
C With century (DDMMCCYY or MMDDCCYY)
M With century (DD/MM/CCYY or MM/DD/CCYY)
G Gregorian format (CCYY-MM-DD)
T Time format (HH:MM:SS)
TS Timestamp format
Note: For the formats which include a separator (E, G, M and T), you can specify, after the character which represents the format, a separator if you do not want to use the separator included by default in the format (For example, A 'G/' format will generate CCYY/MM/DD instead of CCYY-MM-DD, which is the default Gregorian format).

For details on the use of the formats with the various types of database blocks, see the summary tables in chapter 'Columns: Data Elements' of the 'Relational SQL Database Description' Manual at this URL:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=37&uid=swg27005477

Input format
This format is specific to the Batch Systems Development function. It is required when the Data Element is called in a transaction file, used as input in a batch flow.

This format is converted into the internal format when permanent files are transferred.

If you do not specify an input format, the internal format will be automatically taken into account.

The input format is automatically transferred into the Segments where the Data Element is called. But you eventually select the appropriate format in the -CD Lines tab of the Programs which call these Segments.

You must ensure the compatibility between the input and internal formats.

The input format must be coded like a COBOL picture (without print characters).
Note: For 'Unicode'-type Data Elements, you must indicate N(n) or a signed or unsigned numeric format

The Usage is always DISPLAY, except for 'Unicode'-type Data Elements, whose Usage is N (default), X or 1.

Data Elements that represent a date can be assigned a symbolic format:
Symbolic value Meaning
D Without century (DDMMYY or MMDDYY)
I Without century (YYMMDD)
E Without century (DD/MM/YY or MM/DD/YY)
S With century (CCYYMMDD)
C With century (DDMMCCYY or MMDDCCYY)
M With century (DD/MM/CCYY or MM/DD/CCYY)
G Gregorian format (CCYY-MM-DD)
T Time format (HH:MM:SS)
TS Timestamp format
Note: For the formats which include a separator (E, G, M and T), you can specify, after the character which represents the format, a separator if you do not want to use the separator included by default in the format (For example, A 'G/' format will generate CCYY/MM/DD instead of CCYY-MM-DD, which is the default Gregorian format).

For details on the use of the formats with the various types of database blocks, see the summary tables in chapter ″Columns: Data Elements″ of the ″Relational SQL Database Description″ Manual at this URL:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=37&uid=swg27005477

Output format
The output format is used when the Data Element describes:
  • A field in a Report
  • A protected field in a Screen , if no conversational format has been specified (see the type of line' field in the -D Lines tab of the Data Element editor).

The output format is automatically transferred into the Segments where the Data Element is called.

It must be coded like a COBOL picture.
Note: 'Unicode'-type Data Elements (U type) must have an N(n) output format (with the possibility to insert characters such as B, O, /, etc) or a numeric edited format.

The usage is always Display, except for 'Unicode'-type Data Elements whose usage is National (default), National sign is trailing separate char or National sign is leading separate char.

Data Elements that represent a date can be assigned a symbolic format:
Symbolic value Meaning
D Without century (DDMMYY or MMDDYY)
I Without century (YYMMDD)
E Without century (DD/MM/YY or MM/DD/YY)
S With century (CCYYMMDD)
C With century (DDMMCCYY or MMDDCCYY)
M With century (DD/MM/CCYY or MM/DD/CCYY)
G Gregorian format (CCYY-MM-DD)
T Time format (HH:MM:SS)
TS Timestamp format
Note: For the formats which include a separator (E, G, M and T), you can specify, after the character which represents the format, a separator if you do not want to use the separator included by default in the format (For example, A 'G/' format will generate CCYY/MM/DD instead of CCYY-MM-DD, which is the default Gregorian format).

For details on the use of the formats with the various types of database blocks, see the summary tables in chapter ″Columns: Data Elements″ of the ″Relational SQL Database Description″ Manual at this URL:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=37&uid=swg27005477

Usage
This 'Usage' corresponds to the COBOL USAGE clause.

The USAGE clause of a COBOL numeric variable allows you to indicate the internal representation of its value. Different USAGEs are available depending on the COBOL variants adapted to the material in use.

You should choose a Data Element usage according to the following elements:
  • The type of COBOL to generate associated with the library where you define the Data Element.
  • The internal representation you want.
    Example: if you generate for IBM, a C usage generates USAGE BINARY and F generates USAGE COMP-1. For UNISYS 1100, an H usage generates USAGE COMP.
You can use this Data Element in a lower-level library whose type of COBOL to generate is different to the one of the higher library.
Example: You have defined the DELCO Data Element in the HIG library with C usage and you use it in a LOW library with a type of COBOL to generate for UNISYS 1100.
When this happens, the System automatically replaces the Data Element usage with an equivalent which is compatible with the type of COBOL to generate. So, when you visualize DELCO in LOW, the usage automatically displayed is H. This value will be used to generate. If there is no equivalent, or if the provided one does not suit you, you can modify the usage of the Data Element in the lower library to obtain the result you want.
Value Meaning
D DISPLAY (default option).

Required for date Data Elements.

C COMPUTATIONAL (binary), IBM or equivalent;

BINARY, IBM and COBOL II variant.

F COMPUTATIONAL-1 IBM or equivalent.

COMPUTATIONAL-9 BULL GCOS7. COMPUTATIONAL-11 GCOS8.

Relational DBD : floating point, simple precision.

G COMPUTATIONAL SYNCHRONIZED RIGHT ICL 2900

COMPUTATIONAL-5 MICROFOCUS.

H COMPUTATIONAL UNISYS 2200.

BINARY UNISYS 2200 (COBOL 85)

I DISPLAY-1 Unisys 2200
J COMPUTATIONAL-6 GCOS8.

REAL UNISYS-A.

N COMPUTATIONAL-4 aligned on a half-byte. You must add the complement if the length is uneven.

NATIONAL (default usage) for 'Unicode'-type Data Elements ('U' type).

O COMPUTATIONAL-4 UNISYS 2200
P COMPUTATIONAL-1 GCOS8.
Q COMPUTATIONAL GCOS8.
R COMPUTATIONAL SYNCHRONIZED RIGHT, IBM or equivalent; This value is preferable to 'C' when binary data is aligned on even addresses, since the corresponding COBOL statements are more efficient.
T COMPUTATIONAL-3 PACKED SYNC. GCOS8.
U COMPUTATIONAL-1 UNISYS 2200.
W COMPUTATIONAL-2 UNISYS 2200.

COMPUTATIONAL-12 GCOS8.

RELATIONAL DBD : floating point, double precision.

X DISPLAY SIGN IS TRAILING SEPARATE CHARACTER.

or NATIONAL SIGN IS TRAILING SEPARATE CHARACTER for 'Unicode'-type Data Elements ('U' type).

Y DB-KEY GCOS8. POINTER IBM and MICROFOCUS
Z In batch mode only: this option, which is only used with an output format, allows for the generation of a BLANK WHEN ZERO clause with the Batch D.S. function.
0 COMPUTATIONAL-7 GCOS8
1 DISPLAY SIGN LEADING SEPARATE - UNISYS 2200, GCOS8, IBM, TANDEM, GCOS7.

or NATIONAL SIGN IS LEADING SEPARATE CHARACTER for 'Unicode'-type Data Elements ('U' type).

2 DISPLAY-2 GCOS8 = DISPLAY, fields are compared in accordance with the ″commercial collating sequence″ and not in accordance with the standard BULL sequence.
3 COMPUTATIONAL-3IBM or equivalent.

COMPUTATIONAL GCOS7

PACKED-DECIMAL UNISYS 2200 (COBOL 85)

5 COMPUTATIONAL-1 GCOS7 GCOS8
6 COMPUTATIONAL-2 GCOS7 GCOS8
7 COMPUTATIONAL-5 ICL 2900.
8 COMPUTATIONAL BULL 66 GCOS8.
9 COMPUTATIONAL-3 GCOS7 and GCOS8.
Blank when zero
This box is associated with the formats.

If you check this box, the 'Blank when zero' COBOL clause will be generated: blanks will replace the zero values that would normally be printed or displayed.

It only applies to numeric Data Elements, for the retrieval of old versions.


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