FLDSEP

The FLDSEP system initialization parameter specifies one through four field-separator characters, each of which indicates end of field in the terminal input data.

Defining FLDSEP

You can define the FLDSEP system initialization parameter in the following ways:
  • On the PARM parameter of the EXEC PGM=DFHSIP statement
  • In the SYSIN data set of the CICS® start up job stream
  • Through the system console
  • In the DFHSIT macro

Values for FLDSEP

Valid values for the FLDSEP system initialization parameter are as follows:

FLDSEP={' '|'xxxx' }
' ' (four blanks) is the default value for FLDSEP. The field separator allows you to use transaction identifications of less than four characters followed by one of the separator characters. When less than four characters are coded, the parameter is padded with blanks, so that the blank is then a field separator. None of the specified field separator characters should be part of a transaction identification; in particular, the use of alphabetic characters as field separators is not recommended.

The character specified in the FLDSEP parameter must not be the same as any character specified in the FLDSTRT parameter. This means that it is invalid to allow both parameters to take the default value. Restrictions

If you specify FLDSEP in the SIT, the characters must be enclosed in single quotation marks.

If you specify FLDSEP as a PARM, SYSIN, or CONSOLE parameter, do not enclose the characters in quotation marks, and the characters you choose must not include an embedded blank, or any of these characters: 
(  )  '  =  ,