Internal Pictures

Automatic Editing and Error Handling › Automatic Editing Criteria › Internal Pictures

Internal Pictures

Definition

Internal pictures define the data storage format for elements and the map fields associated with the elements. Internal pictures cannot be created or altered by the mapping facility.

Specifying Internal Pictures

An internal picture can be specified for a record element when the record element is defined by using either the IDD Data Dictionary Definition Language (DDDL) or the IDMS schema compiler. Internal pictures cannot be defined or altered by using the online or batch compiler.

How the Input is Converted

Before edited input is moved into program variable storage, if editing is on it is converted into its internal format based on the internal picture defined for the record element associated with the input field. The internal picture for a map field is the internal picture of the related record element.

Maximum Length

An internal picture can contain a maximum of 32 characters. The characters used to construct alphanumeric, alphabetic, and numeric internal pictures are listed in the following table:

Data Type	Character	Description
Alphanumeric	X	A single alphanumeric character.
	(n)	Follows an X to represent n consecutive repetitions of alphanumeric characters. N must be an integer in the range 1 through 9999.
Alphabetic	A	A single alphabetic character (A through Z).
	(n)	Follows an A to represent n consecutive repetitions of alphabetic characters. N must be an integer in the range 1 through 9999.
Numeric	9	A single numeric character (0 through 9).
	(n)	Follows a 9 to represent n consecutive repetitions of numeric characters. Preceding an implied decimal point position, n must be an integer in the range 1 through 9999. Following an implied decimal point position, n must be an integer in the range 1 through 255.
	V	Represents a decimal point position in fixed decimal numeric data. An internal picture can contain only one decimal. If a fixed decimal picture does not contain a V, the decimal position for the picture is after the rightmost 9.
	S	Indicates that signed data is maintained as either positive or negative. When used, S must be the first character in an internal picture.
	. (decimal point)	Represents the decimal point in floating point data with DISPLAY usage only. An internal picture can contain only one decimal point.
	E	Indicates the start of the floating point exponent. When used, an E must be preceded by at least one 9 and followed by at least one 9.

How are the Elements Stored at Runtime?

A USAGE clause in the record element definition determines the method of storing values for an element at runtime. The USAGE clause for an element associated with a map field can specify one of the following storage methods:

Storage Method	Will Store Data This Way
DISPLAY	Values are stored one character to a byte according to EBCDIC conventions. DISPLAY must be specified for alphanumeric and alphabetic internal pictures. DISPLAY can also be specified for numeric internal pictures.
COMP	Numeric values are stored in binary format.
COMP-1	Numeric values are stored in internal floating point (short precision) format.
COMP-2	Numeric values are stored in internal floating point (long precision) format.
COMP-3	Numeric values are stored in packed decimal format.

Note: COMP, COMP-1, -2, and -3 usages apply only to numeric data. Internal pictures cannot be specified for elements with COMP-1 or COMP-2 usage.

Note: For more information about record element definitions and the USAGE clause, see the CA IDMS IDD DDDL Reference Guide.