Built-In Functions and Syntax › Parameters Of Built-In Functions

Parameters Of Built-In Functions

When coding parameters of built-in functions, use the following guidelines:

• Parameters of a built-in function must be enclosed in parentheses and should be separated by commas.
• Each parameter must appear in a specific position relative to the other parameters.
• Parameters in built-in functions are either string values or numeric values:
  • A string value is coded as an EBCDIC variable data field, a nonnumeric literal, or a built-in function that returns a string value.
  • A numeric value is coded as an arithmetic expression, a numeric variable data field, a numeric literal, or a built-in function that returns a numeric value.
• Some function parameters have restrictions on the values they can contain.

Example:

The value specified in a square root function cannot be negative. These restrictions are specified in the command's syntax rules.