Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual (G06.24+)

DDL Language Elements

Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual—426798-002

2-12

DDL Statements

DDL statements define, modify, delete, and display DDL objects. DDL statements must

conform to the following rules of form:

•

Every simple statement except EXIT must end with a period.

•

Every compound statement must end with END, optionally followed by a period.

These are compound statements:

Field DEFINITION statements that include BEGIN

Group DEFINITION statements

RECORD statements

TOKEN-MAP statements

•

An input line can include more than one statement.

•

Statements can continue on succeeding input lines without any continuation

character.

Table 2-2 summarizes the functions of DDL statements, in alphabetic order, and

indicates the sections in this manual that describe the statements.

Table 2-2. DDL Statement Summary

Statement Function Section

CONSTANT Defines a constant and its attributes, including name, type,

and value. The constant can be referred to in other DDL

statements, added to an open dictionary, and compiled into

a C, COBOL, DDL, Pascal, pTAL, TACL, or TAL source-

code file.

DEFINITION Defines a definition—an elementary or group data

structure. The definition can be added to an open

dictionary; referred to for defining other data structures,

record structures, token types, or token maps; and

compiled into a DDL or host-language source-code file.

5, 6

DELETE Deletes specified DDL objects from the currently open

dictionary.

EXIT Ends an interactive DDL session. 8

OUTPUT Reads DDL object definitions from an open dictionary and

writes them to any open DDL, FUP, REPORT, or host-

language source-code file.

OUTPUT

UPDATE

Produces DDL source code to delete or update every DDL

object that is referred to by another DDL object and write

the code to an open DDL source file for subsequent

compilation.