Definitions and Records
Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual — 426798-002
5 -9
Syntax Elements
66 RENAMES clause
renames a previously declared field or group or a set of fields or groups, only for
COBOL or DDL source code.
END [ . ]
ends a group DEFINITION statement, or ends a single-field DEFINITION
statement that includes BEGIN.
Field Definition Guidelines
Field DEFINITION statements must conform to the following rules:
•
A field DEFINITION statement must have a PICTURE or TYPE clause to declare
its data type and size.
•
A field DEFINITION statement must not repeat with an OCCURS clause or be
redefined with a REDEFINES clause.
•
A field DEFINITION statement does not have a level number; a field definition is
implicitly at level 01.
Group Definition Guidelines
Group DEFINITION statements must conform to the following rules:
•
Each field or group within a group DEFINITION statement must be defined by at
least a level number and a name. The level number must precede the group or
field name. Other clauses can follow in any order.
•
A group DEFINITION statement can contain nested group descriptions, which must
contain at least one field description.
•
Every field within a group DEFINITION statement must be described with a
PICTURE or TYPE clause; a group description cannot have either clause.
•
The TYPE clause for a field within a group DEFINITION statement can refer to a
field or group definition previously stored in the open dictionary. When a field is
defined by referring to a group definition, the field effectively becomes a group.
•
A group’s size is the total of the lengths of its member fields plus any FILLER fields
generated by DDL.
Reference Definition Guidelines
Reference DEFINITION statements must conform to the following rules:
•
A reference DEFINITION statement must contain a TYPE clause that refers to a
previously defined field or group in the open dictionary.
•
A reference DEFINITION statement must not contain a PICTURE clause or a
TYPE clause that specifies data type and size.