ID Subcommand (REPEATING DATA command)

ID compares the value of an identification variable across records of the same input case. ID can be used only when CONTINUED is specified. The identification variable must be defined on a DATA LIST command and must be recorded on all records in the file.

  • The ID subcommand has two specifications: the location of the variable on the continuation records and the name of the variable (as specified on the DATA LIST command). The specifications must be separated from each other by an equals sign.
  • The format specified on the ID subcommand must be the same as the format specified for the variable on DATA LIST. However, the location can be different on the continuation records.
  • If the values of the identification variable are not the same on all records for a single input case, the program displays an error message and stops reading data.

Example

INPUT PROGRAM.
DATA LIST / ORDERID 1-5 NITEMS 7-8.
REPEATING DATA STARTS=10-50 /OCCURS=NITEMS
 /CONTINUED=7 /ID=1-5=ORDERID
 /DATA=ITEM 1-9 (A) QUANTITY 11-13 PRICE 15-20 (2).
END INPUT PROGRAM.
 
BEGIN DATA
10020 04 45-923-89 001  25.9923-899-56 100 101.99
10020 63-780-32 025  13.9554-756-90 005  56.75
20030 03 45-781-43 010  10.9789-236-54 075 105.95
20030 32-569-38 015  75.00
END DATA.
LIST.
  • The order number in the data is recorded in columns 1–5 of each record.
  • ORDERID is defined on the DATA LIST command as a five-column integer variable. The first specification on the ID subcommand must therefore specify a five-column integer variable. The location of the variable can be different on continuation records.