*LIKE DEFINE

The DEFINE (Field Definition) operation with *LIKE in factor 1 defines a field based upon the attributes (length and decimal positions) of another field.

Factor 2 must contain the name of the field being referenced, and the result field must contain the name of the field being defined. The field specified in factor 2, which can be defined in the program or externally, provides the attributes for the field being defined. Factor 2 cannot be a literal, a named constant, a float numeric field, or an object. If factor 2 is an array, an array element, or a table name, the attributes of an element of the array or table are used to define the field. The result field cannot be an array, an array element, a data structure, or a table name. Attributes such as ALTSEQ(*NO), NOOPT, ASCEND, CONST or null capability are not inherited from factor 2 by the result field. Only the data type, length, and decimal positions are inherited.

You can use positions 64 through 68 (field length) to make the result field entry longer or shorter than the factor 2 entry. A plus sign (+) preceding the number indicates a length increase; a minus sign (-) indicates a length decrease. Positions 65-68 can contain the increase or decrease in length (right-adjusted) or can be blank. If positions 64 through 68 are blank, the result field entry is defined with the same length as the factor 2 entry. You cannot change the number of decimal positions for the field being defined. The field length entry is allowed only for graphic, UCS-2, numeric, and character fields.

For graphic or UCS-2 fields the field length difference is calculated in double-byte characters.

If factor 2 is a graphic or UCS-2 field, the result field will be defined as the same type, that is, as graphic or UCS-2. The new field will have the default graphic or UCS-2 CCSID of the module. If you want the new field to have the same CCSID as the field in factor 2, use the LIKE keyword on a definition specification. The length adjustment is expressed in double bytes.

*...1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7...+....
CL0N01Factor1+++++++Opcode(E)+Factor2+++++++Result++++++++Len++D+HiLoEq....
*
 *  FLDA is a 7-position character field.
 *  FLDB is a 5-digit field with 2 decimal positions.
 *
 *
 *  FLDP is a 7-position character field.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDA          FLDP
 *
 *  FLDQ is a 9-position character field.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDA          FLDQ             +2
 *
 *  FLDR is a 6-position character field.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDA          FLDR            - 1
 *
 *  FLDS is a 5-position numeric field with 2 decimal positions.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDB          FLDS
 *
 *  FLDT is a 6-position numeric field with 2 decimal positions.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDB          FLDT           +  1
 *
 *  FLDU is a 3-position numeric field with 2 decimal positions.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDB          FLDU            - 2
 *
 *  FLDX is a 3-position numeric field with 2 decimal positions.
C     *LIKE         DEFINE    FLDU          FLDX

Note the following for *LIKE DEFINE of numeric fields:

• If the field is fully defined on Definition Specifications, the format is not changed by the *LIKE DEFINE.
• Otherwise, if the field is a subfield of a data structure, it is defined in zoned format.
• Otherwise, the field is defined in packed format.

D            DS
D  Fld1
D  Fld2      S              7P 2
 *
 * Fld1 will be defined as zoned because it is a subfield of a
 * data structure and numeric subfields default to zoned format.
 *
C    *LIKE      DEFINE      Fld2       Fld1
 *
 * Fld3 will be defined as packed because it is a standalone field
 * and all numeric items except subfields default to packed format.
C    *LIKE      DEFINE      Fld1       Fld3