EDIT

EDIT returns a character string of length LENGTH(y). Its value is equivalent to what would result if x were assigned to a variable declared with the picture specification given by y.

For the valid picture characters, see Picture specification characters.

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagramEDIT( x, y)
x
Expression

x must have computational type.

y
String expression.

y must have character type and must contain picture characters that are valid for a PICTURE data item. If y does not contain a valid picture specification, the ERROR condition is raised.

Example

  dcl pic1 char(9) init ('ZZZZZZZZ9');
  dcl pic2 char(7) init ('ZZ9V.99');
  dcl num fixed dec (9) init (123456789);
  z = edit (num, pic1);                     /* '123456789'       */
  z = edit (num, pic2);                     /*    '789.00'       */
  z = edit (num, substr(pic1,8));           /*     '89'          */
  z = edit (num, substr(pic2,1,5));         /*    '789.'         */
  z = edit (num, substr(pic1,7,3));         /*    '789'          */
  z = edit (num, substr(pic2,3,5));         /*    '9.00'         */
  z = edit ('1', substr(pic1,7,3));         /*    '  1'          */
  z = edit ('PL/I', 'AAXA');                /*    'PL/I'         */
  z = edit ('PL/I', 'AAAA');                /* raises conversion */

If x cannot be edited into the picture specification given by y, the conditions raised are those that would be raised if x were assigned to a PICTURE data item which has the same picture specification contained in y.