DDS Data Type (Position 35)

For a physical file, use this position to specify the data type of the field within the database.

Specify data type in a logical file only to override or change the data type of the corresponding field in the physical file on which this logical file is based. If you leave this position blank, the field you are defining has the same data type as the corresponding field in the physical file(s) on which the logical file(s) is based.

Valid data type entries are as follows:

Entry
Meaning

P
Packed decimal

S
Zoned decimal

B
Binary

F
Floating-point

A
Character

H
Hexadecimal

L
Date

T
Time

Z
Timestamp

Figure 3 and Figure 1 show how to code the data type.

For physical files, if you do not specify a data type or duplicate one from a referenced field, the OS/400 program assigns the following defaults:

Notes:

  1. Specify 0 in position 37 to indicate an integer numeric field for packed decimal, zoned decimal, or binary fields.

  2. Specify an F in position 35 for a single precision floating-point field. Use the FLTPCN keyword to specify double precision or to change the precision of an already specified floating-point field.

  3. Specify an H (hexadecimal) in position 35 to indicate a field whose contents are not interpreted by the system. In most cases, hexadecimal fields are treated as character fields, except the contents of a hexadecimal field are not translated to any character set or code page.