Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual

DDL Language Elements
Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual—529431-004
2-5
Numbers
Numbers
The DDL compiler recognizes both decimal and octal numeric values. An octal number
is specified by a percent sign (%). An unsigned number is positive by default—a plus
(+) sign is optional. A negative number is specified with a minus sign (-). Any plus or
minus sign must immediately precede the number.
Examples:
Strings
A DDL string is any combination of ASCII or national characters within quotation
marks. The maximum length of a DDL string is 130 ASCII characters or 64 national
characters.
If you use the COLUMNS command to specify the number of significant columns in an
input line, the maximum string length is constrained by that number, columns :
The maximum number of ASCII characters is the input line length minus 2 characters
for the quotation marks. Because each national character requires 2 bytes, the
maximum number of national characters is half of the following: the input line length
minus 1 character for the letter N that precedes the string, 2 characters for the
quotation marks, and 1 character to make the string an even number of bytes.
If the string has quotation marks, you must enter each quotation mark twice to
distinguish the quotation mark character from the string delimiter. You can use either
single or double quotation marks as string delimiters.
Number Description
39 Positive decimal value
-2 Negative decimal value
+8 Positive decimal value
-%10 Negative octal value (decimal -8)
+%17 Positive octal value (decimal 15)
%100 Positive octal value (decimal 64)
Maximum ASCII characters in a string columns - 2
Maximum national characters in a string (columns - 4)/2
Example 2-2. DDL Strings
"C00"
"12.650"
"Enter a 2-character state code."
"M<[phone]>"
"Use quotes "" "" before and after the name."
'Use quotes '' '' to delimit a string.'
'alpha-string'