Definition Attributes
Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual — 426798-002
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VALUE Clause
VALUE Clause
The VALUE clause defines an initial value for a field or group or suppresses any
VALUE clause in an item referenced by a TYPE clause.
For C, FORTRAN, and TAL, initial values are translated into comments. For COBOL,
initial values are translated into comments if a value is declared for a data type not
supported by COBOL.
DDL ignores the VALUE clause when generating TACL or Pascal source code.
value
is a literal value stored in the associated definition or record, specified as one of
the following:
"character-string" [ LN clause ]
constant-name [ LN clause ]
figurative-constant
national-literal [ LN clause ]
number [ LN clause ]
sql-literal
symbolic-literal
value-name
"character-string"
is a string of ASCII characters enclosed in quotation marks. To represent the
ASCII quotation mark character ("), use 2 consecutive quotation marks ("").
The character string cannot be a null string.
constant-name
is the name of a constant in the open DDL dictionary. The constant value must
be a valid VALUE IS value but cannot be a figurative constant or symbolic
literal. Also, the constant value must be the same type as the associated data
item.
figurative-constant
is a constant that has been prenamed and predefined by the DDL compiler.
The value is not enclosed in quotation marks. Singular and plural forms are
equivalent in meaning.
{ VALUE [ IS ] value} [ LN clause ]
{ NOVALUE }