Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual (G06.24+)
Definition Attributes
Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual—426798-002
6-79
VALUE Clause
VALUE Clause
The VALUE clause defines an initial value for a field or group or suppresses any 
VALUE clause in an item referenced by a TYPE clause.
For C, FORTRAN, and TAL, initial values are translated into comments. For COBOL, 
initial values are translated into comments if a value is declared for a data type not 
supported by COBOL.
DDL ignores the VALUE clause when generating TACL or Pascal source code.
value
is a literal value stored in the associated definition or record, specified as one of 
the following:
"character-string" [ LN clause ]
constant-name [ LN clause ]
figurative-constant
national-literal [ LN clause ]
number [ LN clause ]
sql-literal
symbolic-literal
value-name
"character-string"
is a string of ASCII characters enclosed in quotation marks. To represent the 
ASCII quotation mark character ("), use 2 consecutive quotation marks (""). 
The character string cannot be a null string.
constant-name
is the name of a constant in the open DDL dictionary. The constant value must 
be a valid VALUE IS value but cannot be a figurative constant or symbolic 
literal. Also, the constant value must be the same type as the associated data 
item.
figurative-constant
is a constant that has been prenamed and predefined by the DDL compiler. 
The value is not enclosed in quotation marks. Singular and plural forms are 
equivalent in meaning.
{ VALUE [ IS ] value} [ LN clause ]
{ NOVALUE }










