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

Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual—426798-002
6-1
6 Definition Attributes
Definition attributes are part of definitions and records, which are DDL dictionary
objects that describe data structures and disk-file record structures. Each definition and
record includes attributes such as size, data type, and usage. The definition attributes
are defined by clauses in DEFINITION statements or in the record structure portion of
RECORD statements.
This section describes the DEFINITION and RECORD statement clauses that you can
use to specify definition attributes as well as the level 66 RENAMES, level 88
condition-name, and level 89 enumeration clauses. Many of these clauses are similar
to COBOL clauses of the same name.
Table 6-1 summarizes the definition and record clauses. The rest of this section
presents detailed descriptions of the clauses in alphabetic order.
Table 6-1. Definition and Record Clauses (page 1 of 2)
Clause Function
AS Specifies a display string for a value in a level 89 enumeration clause,
or, at the definition level, specifies a default display string for a field of
type ENUM. DDL ignores this clause when generating host-language
source code.
DISPLAY Specifies a default display format for values listed on Enform reports.
DDL ignores this clause when generating host-language source code.
EDIT-PIC Specifies a format for a field’s data. Only the Pathmaker product uses
this format. DDL ignores this clause when generating host-language
source code.
EXTERNAL Outputs the EXTERNAL clause in COBOL85 source files.
FILLER Specifies an unnamed field, reserving space that will never be
referred to directly.
HEADING Specifies a default field heading for values listed on Enform reports or
displayed on Enable and Pathmaker screens. DDL ignores this
clause when generating host-language source code.
HELP Assigns help text to a group or elementary item in a DEFINITION
statement. Requesters generated by the Pathmaker product use help
text. DDL ignores this clause when generating host-language source
code.
JUSTIFIED Outputs the JUSTIFIED RIGHT clause in COBOL source files.
KEYTAG Declares that a field or group is an Enscribe key field.
LN Specifies the language, territory, and character set for a text item.
MUST BE Specifies a set of valid values for a field. Pathmaker requesters
enforce the MUST BE constraints; programs written by users must be
coded to enforce the constraints. DDL ignores this clause when
generating host-language source code.