Unicode on i5/OS

i5/OS™ provides support for Unicode.

Unicode cannot be specified as a value for:

• The system CCSID
• A user profile CCSID
• A job CCSID

i5/OS provides external support for Unicode in the following parts of the system (see the following note):

• Database files and functions
• DB2 Universal Database™ (UDB) for iSeries™
• SQL tables
• Query files and tools
• DDS
• Display file and panel groups
• Unicode variables in UIM
• ILE high-level languages such as RPG
• Message handling and message catalogs

Several other i5/OS functions use Unicode internally so that character data integrity is maintained for users across multilingual platforms.

• Database files and functions
  When you create Unicode database applications, you need to consider the implications for creating physical files, creating logical files, and for database input/output.
• DB2 Universal Database for iSeries
  Keep this information in mind when using DB2 Universal Database™ (UDB) for iSeries applications.
• SQL tables
  SQL supports tables that contain Unicode graphic columns by specifying a Unicode CCSID for the GRAPHIC and VARGRAPHIC data types.
• Query files and tools
  Here are some considerations for open query files and interactive query tools.
• Data description specifications
  In data description specifications (DDS), you use the CCSID file-, record-, or field-level keyword to specify that a G-type field supports Unicode data instead of DBCS-graphical data.
• Display files and panel groups
  Unicode data is not supported on display devices that currently support the 5250 data stream. Therefore, conversions between the Unicode data and EBCDIC are necessary during input and output operations.
• Unicode variables in user interface manager
  This example shows how to define a Unicode variable in user interface manager (UIM).