Positional entries for printer files (positions 1 through 44)

You can find how to specify the first 44 positions of the data description specifications form for printer files in this topic.

To code the remaining part of the form, see Keyword entries for printer files (positions 45 through 80).

Figure 1 shows some positional entries for printer files.

• Sequence number for printer files (positions 1 through 5)
  Use these positions to specify a sequence number for each line on the form.
• Form type for printer files (position 6)
  Enter an A in this position to designate this as a DDS form.
• Comment for printer files (position 7)
  Enter an asterisk (*) in this position to identify this line as a comment. Use positions 8 through 80 for comment text.
• Condition for printer files (positions 7 through 16)
  Use these positions to specify option indicators (2-digit numbers from 01 to 99). Then have your program set option indicators on (hexadecimal F1) or off (hexadecimal F0) to select a field or keyword.
• Type of name or specification for printer files (position 17)
  Enter a value in this position to identify the type of name in positions 19 through 28.
• Reserved for printer files (position 18)
  This position does not apply to any file type.
• Name for printer files (positions 19 through 28)
  Use these positions to specify record format names and field names.
• Reference for printer files (position 29)
  Use this position to specify R in position 29 to copy the attributes of a previously defined named field (the referenced field) to the field that you are defining. (If you do not specify R, you must specify the field attributes.)
• Length for printer files (positions 30 through 34)
  Use these positions to specify the field length for each named field (unless you copy it from a referenced field).
• Data type for printer files (position 35)
  Use this position to specify the data type associated with the field.
• Decimal positions for printer files (positions 36 and 37)
  Use these positions to specify the decimal placement within a zoned decimal field and the data type of the field as it appears in your program.
• Usage for printer files (position 38)
  Use this position to specify that a named field is an output-only or program-to-system field. Do not make an entry in this position for a constant (unnamed) field.
• Location for printer files (positions 39 through 44)
  Use these positions to specify where the beginning of the field that you are defining appears on the page. You specify the line (positions 39 through 41) and the position (positions 42 through 44).