Format specifications
The page presents a summary chart of format specifications. Also see Category:Format Specifications and File I/O for detailed descriptions of each format.
The following table shows where and how each of Business Rules! format specifications may be used.
"S", "N" and "I" indicate whether the specification is a string, numeric or internal format spec.
The next two columns show what happens when the format specification is used with internal or external files, either for input (with the READ/REREAD statements) or for output (with the WRITE/REWRITE statements).
The column labeled "PRINT (Output)"Print shows what happens when the format specification is used with display files.
The last two columns show what happens when the format specification is used with full screen processing, either for input (with the INPUT FIELDS statement) or for output (with the PRINT FIELDS statement). Note that the information marked for INPUT FIELDS applies to RINPUT FIELDS when RINPUT FIELDS is used for input. Likewise, the information marked for PRINT FIELDS applies to RINPUT FIELDS when RINPUT FIELDS is used for output.
If there is an X in any of the last five columns, the format specification operates according to its intended purpose when it is used as indicated. If there is an error code number in the column, the format specification cannot be used with this type of file (the specified error will occur if usage is attempted).
The phrase "Treat as " means that the specification is accepted when used as indicated, but treated as if it were a different format specification.
| Type | Internal | Display | Full Screen | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read/Reread | Write/Rewrite | Input Fields | Print Fields | ||||||
| Format | Description | S | N | I | (Input) | (Output) | (Output) | (Input) | (Output) |
| B | Binary | X | X | X | Error 0816 | Error 0816 | Error 0816 | ||
| BL | Binary Low | X | X | X | Error 0816 | Error 0816 | Error 0816 | ||
| BH | Binary High | X | X | X | Error 0816 | Error 0816 | Error 0816 | ||
| C | Character | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| CC | C Centered | X | Treat as C | X | X | Treat as C | X | ||
| CR | C Right Justified | X | Treat as C | X | X | Treat as C | X | ||
| CL | C Lowercase | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | Treat as C | ||
| CU | C Uppercase | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | Treat as C | ||
| D | Double Precision Floating Point | X | X | X | X | Err 0861 | Err 0861 | ||
| DH | Date Binary | X | X | X | |||||
| DL | Date Binary Low | X | X | X | |||||
| DT | Date Binary High | X | X | X | |||||
| FMT | Format | X | X | X | X | ||||
| G | Generic | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| GL | G Lowercase | X | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | Treat as G | |
| GU | G Uppercase | X | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | Treat as G | |
| GZ | G Zero Suppress | X | X | Treat as G | X | X | Treat as G | X | |
| L | Long Numeric | X | X | X | Err 0816 | Err 0862 | Err 0862 | ||
| L | Leave Decimal | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | X | ||
| N | Numeric | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| NZ | N Display Zero | X | Treat as N | X | X | Treat as N | X | ||
| PD | Packed Decimal | X | X | X | Err 0816 | Err 0816 | Err 0816 | ||
| PIC | Picture | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| S | Single Precision Floating Point | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| V | String | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| VL | S Lowercase | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | Treat as V | ||
| VU | S Lowercase | X | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | Err 1006 | X | Treat as V | ||
| ZD | Zoned Decimal | X | X | X | Err 0816 | Err 0861 | Err 0861 | ||