DB2 Server for VSE & VM: Database Services Utility

Double-Byte Character Set

The database manager provides support for basic DBCS, while the Database Services Utility provides support for extended DBCS.

Basic Support

The Database Services Utility supports the use of all DB2 Server for VSE & VM data types, including the GRAPHIC data type for double-byte character set (DBCS) data. The following general rules apply to DBCS data in Database Services Utility input or output:

• DBCS data in SQL statements processed by the Database Services Utility can be supplied as a constant with the format:

  G'SOxx-xxSI'
  

  where:

  G' is the required constant prefix.

  SO is a shift-out delimiter (hex 0E).

  xx is a DBCS character in paired bytes.

  SI is a shift-in delimiter (hex 0F).

  ' is the character terminating the constant.

  Note:

  N' can be used as a synonym for G'

• DBCS data appearing in input data records is read into a graphic data type column by the Database Services Utility DATALOAD command processing. The DBCS data must be represented in paired bytes; the SO and SI delimiters are optional.
• The paired bytes of a DBCS character cannot be split across Database Services Utility (input) control file records, except for data records read by Database Services Utility DATALOAD command processing. A DBCS data string, as well as the paired bytes representing a DBCS character, can be split across (input) control file data records processed using the DATALOAD continued record support.
• GRAPHIC data appearing in Database Services Utility DATAUNLOAD command output and GRAPHIC data in SELECT

  command print records has the format:

  SOxx-xxSI
  

  where:

  SO is a shift-out delimiter (hex 0E).

  xx is a DBCS character in paired bytes.

  SI is a shift-in delimiter (hex 0F).

  The SO and SI delimiters result in blank print positions.

• A DBCS data string appearing in a Database Services Utility COMMENT command must include shift-out and shift-in delimiters and cannot be continued across (input) control file records.

Extended Support

In DB2 Server for VSE, if the SQLOPTION column value is DBCS and the VALUE column value is |no in the SYSOPTIONS catalog table, you can use the extended DBCS support of the Database Services Utility. |The DBCS option value will be retrieved from the SQLGLOB |file. The User DBCS SQLGLOB value, if it exists, will be the default |setting for DBCS.

The DB2 Server for VM Database Services Utility retrieves information about the DBCS setting from the LASTING GLOBALV file on the database user machine. Extended DBCS supports the following characteristics:

• Any SQL identifier or character string constant in a command can contain DBCS/EBCDIC mixed data if the DBCS string and the shift-in or shift-out delimiters reside on the same line.
• The SQL SELECT statement ensures that the data printed for CHAR, VARCHAR, or long field columns contain matched pairs of shift-out and shift-in delimiters for each data line. A long field is a field that is either a LONG VARCHAR field, a LONG VARGRAPHIC field, a VARCHAR(n) field where n is greater than 254 but less than or equal to 32767, or a VARGRAPHIC(n) field where n is greater than 127 but less than or equal to 16383.
• The Database Services Utility assumes, when a command data record contains a shift-out delimiter without a shift-in delimiter, that all trailing command data positions within the command record contain DBCS data. The Database Services Utility inserts a shift-in delimiter after the last assumed nonblank DBCS character position before the record is written to the report or message file.

  Omitting a shift-in or shift-out delimiter causes unreadable (input) control file records in the report or message file. To suppress this display of unreadable DBCS data, set the LIST parameter of the INFILE subcommand to no.

If an error occurs, in DB2 Server for VSE, during access of the SYSOPTIONS catalog, or if an invalid DBCS option value is found, the Database Services Utility continues processing the input control card file as if the extended DBCS feature were not in effect.