iTS 1.0+)

SCREEN COBOL Source Program

Compaq NonStop™ Pathway/iTS SCREEN COBOL Reference Manual—426750-001

2-10

Mixed Data Items

Both 1-byte and 2-byte (double-byte) characters can coexist in data items declared as

PIC X(n), where n is an integer from 1 through 32,000. Such data items are called

mixed data items. You must be aware when manipulating a mixed data item that

double-byte characters require two bytes of storage.

Mixed data items are allowed in the Working-Storage Section, the Linkage Section, and

the Screen Section. A PIC X(10) field can contain, for example, any of the following

(without truncation):

•

Five 2-byte characters and no other alphanumeric characters

•

Four 2-byte characters and one or two 1-byte Katakana or other alphanumeric

characters

•

Three 2-byte characters and one to four 1-byte Katakana or other alphanumeric

characters

•

Two 2-byte characters and one to six 1-byte Katakana or other alphanumeric

characters

•

One 2-byte character and one to eight 1-byte Katakana or other alphanumeric

characters

•

No 2-byte characters and one to ten 1-byte Katakana or other alphanumeric

characters

If the data item contains less than the maximum number of characters allowed, the

appropriate number of padding space characters is added to the right.

Reference Format

A SCREEN COBOL source program can be written in Tandem standard reference

format (specific to Compaq NonStop™ Himalaya systems) or ANSI standard reference

format. The Tandem standard reference format has no sequence number field (columns

1-6), has no identification field (columns 73-80), and is restricted to lines of up to 132

characters.

Although the SCREEN COBOL compiler assumes Tandem standard reference format, a

SCREEN COBOL program can be written in either format or in a combination of both.

Refer to source text options in Running the SCREEN COBOL Compiler

on page 7-1

for information regarding format specification.

Note. On some terminals SO (shift out) and SI (shift in) characters are required when

displaying mixed data items, and each such character takes up one byte. SO and SI

characters are not required for data items using double-byte characters only.