PADDING CHARACTER Clause

The PADDING CHARACTER clause specifies the character which is to be used for block padding on sequential files.

The PADDING CHARACTER clause is syntax checked, but no compile-time or run-time verification checking is done, and the clause has no effect on the execution of the program.

PADDING CHARACTER Clause - Format

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagramPADDING1 CHARACTERISdata-name-6literal-2
Notes:
  • 1 Syntax-checked only.
data-name-6
Must be defined in the Data Division as an alphanumeric one-character data item, and must not be defined in the File Section. Data-name-6 can be qualified.
literal-2
Must be a 1-character nonnumeric literal.

For EXTERNAL files, if data-name-6 is specified, it must reference an EXTERNAL data item.