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Input-Only Support for Null-Capable Fields

Input-Only Support for Null-Capable Fields

When an externally described input-only file contains null-capable fields and the ALWNULL(*INPUTONLY) keyword is specified on a control specification, the following conditions apply:

  • When a record is retrieved from a database file and there are some fields containing null values in the record, database default values for the null-capable fields will be placed into those fields containing null values. The default value will be the user defined DDS defaults or system defaults.
  • You will not be able to determine whether any given field in the record has a null value.
  • Control-level indicators, match-field entries and field indicators are not allowed on an input specification if the input field is a null-capable field from an externally described input-only file.
  • Keyed operations are not allowed when factor 1 of a keyed input calculation operation corresponds to a null-capable key field in an externally described input-only file.

Note: The same conditions apply for *INPUTONLY or *YES when specified on the ALWNULL command parameter.