Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual

DDL Compiler Commands
Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual—529431-004
9-106
TAL
The specified pTAL or TAL source code file must be an EDIT file, an unstructured file,
or a sequential device such as a terminal, a spooler, or a process. If the file exists but
is not one of these types, the DDL compiler issues an error message and does not
open the file.
Only one pTAL or TAL source code file can be open at a time. If you use the TAL
command when you already have a pTAL or TAL source code file open, the DDL
compiler closes the current source code file before opening the new source code file.
If the pTAL or TAL source code file already exists and the exclamation point is omitted,
the DDL compiler appends the DDL objects to the end of the file’s original contents.
The DDL compiler does not replace any existing objects.
The compiler can translate DDL objects specified in an OUTPUT statement only if the
dictionary containing these objects is open.
Each DDL object translated to pTAL or TAL source code is written to the pTAL or TAL
source code file in a separate section that has the same name as the DDL object it
contains. You can suppress the generation of individual section headings with the
SETSECTION command.
The DDL compiler translates complex objects, such as group definitions and group
records, to pTAL or TAL STRUCT template declarations. The DDL compiler translates
simple objects, such as field definitions and records containing only one field and no
groups, to simple pTAL or TAL variables or to pTAL or TAL STRUCT declarations,
rather than to STRUCT template declarations. (But see TALALLOCATE on
page 9-108.)
Unless the command TALUNDERSCORE on page 9-111 is in effect, the DDL compiler
replaces any hyphen in a DDL name with a circumflex (^) before writing the name to
the pTAL or TAL source code file.
Before writing a name to a pTAL or TAL source code file, the DDL compiler:
•
Appends ^DEF to every group definition name and record name (but not to any
field definition name)
•
Appends ^WLN to every SPI TOKEN-MAP name
•
Appends ^KEY to every primary-key name and alternate-key name
As a result, the maximum length for the name of a DDL group definition, record, token
map, or key that is to be written to pTAL or TAL is 27 ASCII characters, not the
standard DDL name length of 30 characters.
The pTAL or TAL source code for a definition or record compiled with the
CFIELDALIGN_MATCHED2 command contains the fillers added by the DDL compiler
as specified by the alignment algorithm in effect when the definition or record was
compiled.
For the data types that the DDL compiler generates for pTAL or TAL source code, see
Table C-6 on page C-11.