Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual

Definition Attributes
Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual—529431-004
6-76
VALUE
VALUE
For DDL and some COBOL source code, the VALUE clause assigns an initial value to
a field or group and the NOVALUE clause suppresses any VALUE clause in an item
referenced by a TYPE clause.
For other languages and some COBOL source code:
value
is a literal value stored in the associated definition or record:
{ { "character-string" } [ LN clause ]... }
{ { constant-name } }
{ { national-literal } }
{ { number } }
{ }
{ figurative-constant }
{ sql-datetime-literal }
{ sql-interval-literal }
{ symbolic-literal }
{ value-name }
character-string
is a string of ASCII characters.
constant-name
is the name of a constant in the open dictionary. The constant value must not
be a figurative constant (see Table 6-4 on page 6-17) or symbolic literal (see
Table 6-5 on page 6-17), and must be the same type as the associated data
item.
national-literal
is a national literal whose length is consistent with the length specified in the
PICTURE clause for the national data item.
Language DDL compiler ...
C Translates initial values to comments
COBOL Translates initial values to comments if a value is declared
for a data type that COBOL does not support
FORTRAN Translates initial values to comments
Pascal (on D-series systems) Ignores the VALUE clause
pTAL or TAL Translates initial values to comments
TACL Ignores the VALUE clause
{ VALUE [ IS ] value }
{ NOVALUE }