Use this file-level keyword in a join logical file so the system provides default values for fields when a join to a secondary file does not produce any records. JDFTVAL is valid only for join logical files.
This keyword has no parameters.
The default values for the system are blanks for character and hexadecimal fields and zeros for numeric fields. You can change the default for specific fields by specifying the DFT keyword for the fields in the physical file (see DFT (Default) Keyword--Physical Files Only for Physical and Logical Files).
If you specify JDFTVAL, your program retrieves records for which a secondary file does not have a corresponding record. If you do not specify JDFTVAL, a record in the primary file for which there is no corresponding record in a secondary file is skipped.
If you are joining three or more files, and you specify the JDFTVAL keyword for fields used as join fields, default values of fields missing in secondary files are used in the same way that a field value is used. For example, records are selected and omitted based on the default value. Also, if this field is used as a join field to join to other secondary files, records from the other secondary files are returned to your program based on the default value.
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