ALTNAME (Alternative Record Name) keyword

Use this record-level keyword to specify an alternative name for a record.

The alternative name can be specified for I/O operations when using program-described files. The syntax of the alternative record name must be valid for the high-level language compiler in use.

The format of the keyword is:

ALTNAME('alternative-name')

The length of the alternative name is 1 to 8 characters. The first character of the name must not be an asterisk.

The alternative name must be different from all other names and from all DDS record names (positions 19 through 28) in the file. When a duplicate name is found, an error is issued on the record name or alternative record name.

ALTNAME is not allowed on subfile records (SFL keyword).

Option indicators are not valid for this keyword.

The following example shows how to specify the ALTNAME keyword.

|...+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8
     A          R RECORD1                   ALTNAME('R( 2).a')
     A

The alternative name for RECORD1 is 'R( 2).a'.