PCFL Entries
PCFL identifies a definition for a field. Enter a PCFL entry in the file-description file for each field in the data file. The PCFL records must be in the same order as the fields they define in the data file.
Define as many as 256 PCFL records in the file-description file and start PCFL records in column 1. If you enter more than 256 PCFL records, you receive an error message. You cannot continue a record on one line, and only the first 80 characters of a record are used.
PCFL CUSTNAME 1 20 CUSTOMER NAME
- The keyword, PCFL, starting in column 1 and followed by a space. This identifies the record as a field description.
- The field name, followed by a space. This must match the name that exists in the field definitions on the iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™ and can be from 1 to 10 characters.
- The indicator for the data type. Data Type Indicators shows the indicators that represent the data type of the data in the field. Follow the specified indicator with a space.
- The size of the field (in bytes) as it is stored in the workstation file. The length specification can be from 1 to 4 characters.
Indicator | Data Type |
---|---|
1 | ASCII1 |
2 | ASCII numeric |
3 | Hexadecimal |
4 | Binary |
5 | Zoned |
6 | Packed |
7 | BASIC integer |
8 | BASIC single-precision floating point |
9 | BASIC double-precision floating point |
10 | EBCDIC |
11 | EBCDIC zoned |
12 | EBCDIC packed |
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Valid SBCS Data Types for File Types shows the valid single-byte character set (SBCS) data types for each file.
File Type | Valid Data Type |
---|---|
ASCII text |
ASCII |
DOS random |
ASCII |
BASIC sequential | ASCII ASCII numeric |
BASIC random | ASCII BASIC double-precision floating point BASIC integer BASIC single-precision floating point Hexadecimal |
DIF | ASCII ASCII numeric |
No-conversion | Binary EBCDIC EBCDIC packed EBCDIC zoned Hexadecimal |
DOS random type 2 | ASCII Binary Hexadecimal Packed Zoned |
BIFF format | ASCII ASCII numeric |
Note: ASCII (SBCS) includes date, time, and time stamp types if
converted. EBCDIC includes date, time, and time stamp if not converted. |
For numeric fields in BASIC sequential and DIF files, a size specification must be present. However, because the data in these fields is of variable length, the data transfer function assumes a maximum length of 65 characters. This length more than covers the largest possible exponential ASCII numeric value. The size specifications for character fields must be the maximum size of any data item in that field.
Allowable Data Length Limits for Personal Computer SBCS Data Types shows the allowed data length limits for each workstation data type. These are the maximum lengths you can specify for size in the PCFL entry.
Personal Computer Data Type | Data Length Limit (in Bytes) |
---|---|
ASCII | 4093 |
ASCII numeric | 33 (65 for DIF and BASIC sequential) |
BASIC double-precision | 8 (only allowed length) |
BASIC integer | 2 (only allowed length) |
BASIC single-precision | 4 (only allowed length) |
Binary | 4 |
EBCDIC | 4093 |
Hexadecimal | 2048 |
Packed decimal (ASCII and EBCDIC) | 16 |
Zoned decimal (ASCII and EBCDIC) | 31 |
Time
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Date
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Time stamp |
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Notes:
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Allowable Data Length Limits for iSeries, eServer i5, or System i5 Data Types shows the allowed data length limits for each iSeries™, eServer™ i5, or System i5™ data type.
iSeries, eServer i5, or System i5 Data Type | Data Length Limit in Bytes 1 |
---|---|
Binary | 2 or 4 (only allowed lengths) |
EBCDIC | 4096 |
Hexadecimal | 2048 |
Packed decimal (EBCDIC) | 16 |
Zoned decimal (EBCDIC) | 31 |
Time | |
HMS | 8 |
USA | 8 |
ISO, EUR, and JIS | 8 |
DDS, DFT | 8 or 10 2 |
Date | |
MDY, DMY, YMD | 8 |
Julian | 6 (only allowed length) |
ISO, EUR, JIS, USA | 10 |
DDS, DFT | 6, 8, or 10 2 |
Time stamp | 26 |
Notes:
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If there is a decimal position associated with the data in that field, place a forward slash (/) and then the number of decimal positions after the length specification. There are no spaces between the length, slash, and decimal position specifications.
- ASCII numeric
- Binary
- Packed
- Zoned