VARCLASS (Variable Class)

The VARCLASS tag defines information related to a class of variables.

Syntax

Parameters

NAME=variable-class-name

This attribute specifies the name of this variable class.

The variable-class-name must follow the standard naming convention described in Rules for variable names.

TYPE=type of data

This attribute specifies the data type and display length characteristics for variables that refer to the variable class.

For data fields and list columns, the conversion utility uses the lengths specified in this attribute when CHOFLD or DTAFLD ENTWIDTH or LSTCOL COLWIDTH attributes cannot otherwise be determined. The lengths specified control the width of the data field in the panel.

The allowable TYPE values are:

'CHAR maximum-length': This specifies a character string for which the maximum length, in bytes, is given by maximum-length.
'DBCS maximum-length': This is a double-byte character string for which the maximum length, in bytes, is given by maximum-length. The maximum length must an even number.
'MIXED maximum-length': This specifies a character string containing single-byte characters, double-byte characters, or both for which the maximum length, in bytes, is given by maximum-length. Strings of DBCS characters are delimited by shift-out (SO) and shift-in (SI) codes.
'ANY maximum-length': This attribute is processed by the conversion utility as TYPE=MIXED.
'EBCDIC maximum-length': This specifies a character string containing only single-byte characters for which the maximum length, in bytes, is given by maximum-length.
'%varname maximum-length': This specifies that a variable name is used to define the type of character string. The maximum length, in bytes, is given by maximum-length. It is the responsibility of the application developer to ensure that %varname contains a valid TYPE value before attempting to display the panel.
ITIME: The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS. The default length value of ITIME is set by the conversion utility to 5.
STDTIME: The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS. The default length value of STDTIME is set by the conversion utility to 8.
IDATE: The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS. The default length value of IDATE is set by the conversion utility to 8.
STDDATE: The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS. The default length value of STDDATE is set by the conversion utility to 10.
JDATE: This attribute is supported as an ISPF extension to the Dialog Tag Language. The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS. The default length value of JDATE is set by the conversion utility to 6.
JSTD: This attribute is supported as an ISPF extension to the Dialog Tag Language. The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS. The default length value of JSTD is set by the conversion utility to 8.
'VMASK maximum-length': This attribute is supported as an ISPF extension to the Dialog Tag Language. The VMASK attribute is provided to support the user mask option the ISPF VMASK service. The maximum-length value is limited to the ISPF maximum of 20. The conversion utility adds a "VEDIT (variable)" statement to the )PROC section of the panel for variables which are related to this VARCLASS.
'NUMERIC total-digits 0 | fractional-digits': This attribute allows you to check to see if the user has entered a valid number. A valid number can include thousands separators, a decimal separator, and a sign. The conversion utility builds the VER(variable ENUM) statement to perform numeric validation. The value specified for total-digits must not be greater than 16.
The total-digits and fractional-digits are used to determine a maximum-length value which is used for field entry width, if necessary, in DTAFLD and LSTCOL processing. For example, ‘NUMERIC 8 2’ defines a width of 11, composed of 8 possible digits, a decimal point, a thousands separator, and a leading sign.

Note: ISPF does not check to verify proper positioning of the decimal point. See the discussion on VER(variable ENUM) in the z/OS ISPF Dialog Developer's Guide and Reference for more information.

MSG=message-identifier

This attribute indicates the default message to be displayed if the variable fails any of the enclosed checks. See MSG (Message) for information on creating messages.

Comments

The VARCLASS tag defines information related to a class of variables. You can group validation and translation checks you want ISPF to perform within one VARCLASS definition. You point to the VARCLASS definition from one or more VARDCL tags you code within the VARLIST definition.

Note: The ISPF Dialog Tag Language conversion utility does not require that you code the VARCLASS, VARDCL, or VARLIST tags for a successful generation of a panel, command table, or message member that includes variables. If the conversion utility finds a variable that does not have an associated VARDCL definition, it issues a warning message.

The use of the VARCLASS, VARDCL, and VARLIST tags is required if you want to use the facilities provided by the CHECKL and XLATL tags.

Restrictions

You cannot code the VARCLASS tag within any other tag definition.
You must code the VARCLASS tag before any other tag within the source file that refers to it.
Within the variable class definition, you must code any and all XLATL tags before any CHECKL tags.

Processing

Table 1. Tags you can code within a VARCLASS definition
Tag	Reference	Usage	Required
CHECKL	CHECKL (Validity Check List)	Multiple	No
XLATL	XLATL (Translate List)	Multiple	No

Examples

Here is an example that contains two variable classes. The first variable class provides an alphabetic validity check. The second variable class provides input translation to uppercase and validates that the input is one of the listed values. Also shown in the markup are two input data fields (within a PANEL definition) that refer to the variable declarations associated with the variable classes.

<!DOCTYPE DM SYSTEM>


<VARCLASS NAME=namec TYPE='char 25'>
   <CHECKL>
      <CHECKI TYPE=alpha>
   </CHECKL>

<VARCLASS NAME=officec TYPE='char 4'>
   <XLATL FORMAT=upper>
   </XLATL>
   <CHECKL>
      <CHECKI TYPE=values PARM1=EQ PARM2='A101 A108 B210 B214'>
   </CHECKL>

<VARLIST>
   <VARDCL NAME=reserver VARCLASS=namec>
   <VARDCL NAME=office VARCLASS=officec>
</VARLIST>

<PANEL NAME=varclass>Conference Room
   <TOPINST>Enter the required information to reserve a conference room.
   <AREA>
      <DTACOL PMTWIDTH=20>
        <DTAFLD DATAVAR=reserver USAGE=in ENTWIDTH=25>Name
        <DTAFLD DATAVAR=office USAGE=in ENTWIDTH=4>Office number
      </DTACOL>
   </AREA>
</PANEL>