Use of double-byte data

You can use double-byte data in several ways.

As data in files:
- Data in database files.
- Data entered in input-capable and data displayed in output-capable fields of display files.
- Data printed in output-capable fields in printer files.
- Data used as literals in display files and printer files.
As the text of messages.
As the text of object descriptions.
As literals and constants, and as data to be processed by high-level language programs.

Double-byte data can be displayed only at DBCS displays and printed only on DBCS printers. Double-byte data can be written onto diskette, tape, disk, and optical storage.

Where you cannot use double-byte data:

You cannot use double-byte data in the following ways:

As i5/OS™ object names.
As command names or variable names in control language (CL) and other high-level languages.
As displayed or printed output on alphanumeric workstations.

Double-byte character size:

When displayed or printed, double-byte characters typically are twice as wide as single-byte characters.

Consider the width of double-byte characters when you calculate the length of a double-byte data field because field lengths are typically identified as the number of single-byte character positions used. The DDS concepts information includes more information about calculating the length of fields containing double-byte data.