Flat record definition syntax

Edit online

The following description presents the coding conventions that you must follow in writing the flat record definition statements (definition statements) in the FABGRECI data set:

  • A definition statement can be coded onto one or more lines. Definition statement names (RECORD and FIELD), keywords, and keyword values must be coded within column 2 and column 72. A definition statement name must be the first entry in the definition statement.
  • Keywords and their values follow the definition statement name, separated by one or more blanks. A definition statement name and the first keyword must be written in the same definition statement record. When more than one keyword is coded, they must be separated by commas. No blanks are allowed between the keywords and the commas, or between the keywords and their values.

    Keywords can be continued onto more than one definition statement record. In this case, the definition statement that starts with a definition statement name must be completed with a keyword with its value, including a comma that follows it. The succeeding keywords can be continued onto the following definition statement records that begin in any column from column 2.

    Keywords are not positional parameters; they can be specified in any order.

    A null value is not allowed for any keyword value.

  • Comments can follow the last keyword value on each definition statement record, separated by at least one blank.
  • A comment statement must begin with an asterisk in column 1.
Figure 1. Example: Definition statement format in FABGRECI data set

This figure depicts an example of the control statement format in the HISTIN data set. Details of the control statement format are described in this topic.

Notational conventions

The following symbols must be coded as they appear in the syntax format:

  • Comma (,)
  • Equal sign (=)