Comparing selection subjects and objects

The execution of the EVALUATE statement then proceeds as if the values assigned to the selection subjects and selection objects were compared to determine whether any WHEN phrase satisfies the set of selection subjects.

This comparison proceeds as follows:

  1. Each selection object within the set of selection objects for the first WHEN phrase is compared to the selection subject having the same ordinal position within the set of selection subjects. One of the following conditions must be satisfied if the comparison is to be satisfied:
    1. If the items being compared are assigned numeric, alphanumeric, DBCS, or national character values, or a range of numeric, alphanumeric, DBCS, or national character values, the comparison is satisfied if the value, or one value in the range of values, assigned to the selection object is equal to the value assigned to the selection subject according to the rules for comparison.
    2. If the items being compared are assigned truth values, the comparison is satisfied if the items are assigned identical truth values.
    3. If the selection object being compared is specified by the word ANY, the comparison is always satisfied, regardless of the value of the selection subject.
  2. If the above comparison is satisfied for every selection object within the set of selection objects being compared, the WHEN phrase containing that set of selection objects is selected as the one satisfying the set of selection subjects.
  3. If the above comparison is not satisfied for every selection object within the set of selection objects being compared, that set of selection objects does not satisfy the set of selection subjects.
  4. This procedure is repeated for subsequent sets of selection objects in the order of their appearance in the source text, until either a WHEN phrase satisfying the set of selection subjects is selected or until all sets of selection objects are exhausted.