Alphanumeric Items and Display Formats

Data Item Attribute

Data Editor manages the following as alphanumeric items:

- Alphabetic item

- Alphanumeric item

- Alphanumeric edited item

- Index data item

- Numeric data item

- Group item (if items have been selected with Select Items)

Default Value

When a new item is created or a record is added, the Default Value (NULL or BLANK) is set on the screen. The Default Value is the value that you set in the COBOL Embedded Characters area in the Work Environment (Environment setup) dialog.

Input Specification

Characters that can be input: Normal-width characters, em-size characters, combination of normal-width/em-size charaacters. Number of digits that can be input: Any number of digits can be input. However, the number of digits is checked to be in accordance with the item attribute when your input is confirmed.

Display Specification

The stored data is displayed in the format in which it is stored.  However, the display format depends on the specification of the environment settings (COBOL pad characters of the work environment).

- If a NULL is set    Data that consists of blanks only, or character strings followed by blanks, is displayed without removing the blanks.

Example) Item Attribute Data Content Display Content X(5) "" "" X(5) "     " "     " X(5) "ABC  " "ABC  "

- If a blank is set    Data that consists of blanks only or character strings followed by blanks is displayed after removing the blanks.

Example) Item Attribute Data Content Display Content X(5) "" "" X(5) "     " "" X(5) "ABC  " "ABC  "

See the limitations and precautions on the display contents and operation procedure.

Stored Data Format

The input data is stored in the format in which it is input. However, with regard to the pad characters, the stored data format depends on the specification of the environment settings (COBOL pad characters of the work environment).

- If a NULL is set    If the input character string has fewer digits than the maximum specified in the item attribute, the empty digits are padded with NULL characters.

- If a blank is set   If the input character string has fewer digits than the maximum specified in the item attribute, the empty digits are padded with blanks.