Introduction › Coding Considerations

Coding Considerations

CA Culprit parameters are coded in an 80-column card-image format. CA Culprit coding forms are available to aid the user in coding CA Culprit parameters.

General Rules

These rules apply to all CA Culprit parameters:

• All parameters must be coded in uppercase letters.
• All parameters, except the USE parameter, begin with a fixed format that identifies the parameter and continue with a free format. The length of the fixed-format portion differs for each parameter. In general, entries that appear in the free-format portion of the parameter must appear in the order specified by the parameter syntax; a comma or at least one space must separate one entry from another. Keyword expressions (for example, SZ=field-size-n) that follow positional entries can appear in any order.
• Column 1 is always blank, except on a continuation line, a comment line, an =COPY parameter, an =MACRO parameter, or a USE parameter.

  One or more continuation lines can be coded for any CA Culprit parameter except the title parameter. For all CA Culprit parameters except USE, a continuation line is denoted by an asterisk (*) in column 1; the parameter continues in any column after column 1. A continuation line on a USE parameter can be coded starting in column 1; a special character is not required to indicate a continuation line.

  The continuation line must immediately follow the parameter it continues; the fixed-format portion of the parameter is not repeated on the continuation line. A keyword expression can span two lines, provided the equal sign (=) is not separated from the keyword. The example below illustrates a valid method to code a keyword expression:

   01510001 SALARY-OF-A-VICE-PRESIDENT F$ DP=2 SZ=
  *20
  

• Columns 73 through 80 are reserved for user sequence numbers. CA Culprit does not read columns 73 through 80; therefore, coded parameters must not extend beyond column 72.
• Comments are permitted on all CA Culprit parameters except the title parameter. Comments are introduced by a dollar sign ($); the dollar sign must be separated from the last coded entry on the parameter by at least one space or comma.

  Any number of comment lines can be added by coding the dollar sign ($) in column 1. The comment lines appear in the Sequential Parameter Listing but not in the Input Parameter Listing. Both listings are described later in this chapter.

Order of Parameters

CA Culprit parameters can be submitted in any order with the following exceptions:

• REC parameters must follow the INPUT parameter to which they apply and must precede the next INPUT parameter (if any).
• Process parameters without sequence numbers must be entered in the order they are to be executed.
• A SELECT/BYPASS parameter that specifies the keyword BUFFER must follow SELECT/BYPASS parameters that do not specify this keyword.

In general, parameters for single and match-file runs are submitted in the following order:

• PROFILE (optional)
• INPUT (required)
• REC (required)
• SELECT/BYPASS (optional)
• In match-file runs, repeat as required for each input file:
  • INPUT
  • REC
  • SELECT/BYPASS
• SELECT/BYPASS BUFFER (optional)
• Global work field and implied subscript parameters (optional)
• Report-specific parameters (repeat for each report in the CA Culprit run):
  • OUTPUT (optional)
  • SORT (optional)
  • Title (optional)
  • Edit (at least one type 5 edit parameter is required)
  • Process (optional)
  • Work field/implied subscript (optional)