1.1.2 Alpha

Alpha fields are used to store character type data up to a maximum of 256 characters in length.

Data may be SBCS, mixed SBCS and DBCS, or DBCS-only. Only the current native codepage is supported.

Alpha fields are classified as strings.

An Alpha does not treat trailing blanks as significant. They are truncated before concatenation and comparison.

Please review the general 1.1.1 Field Type Considerations.

Field Definition Rules

Rules for defining an Alpha field in the repository are:

Length

Must be 1 to 256 in length. No decimals.

Valid Keyboard Shift

Blanks, X, A, N, I, D, M, O, E, J, or W.

Allowed Attributes

Null values are not allowed.

Edit Mask

Not allowed.

Default

Spaces.

 

Usage Rules

Partition Type

RDML and RDMLX Partitions.

Files

RDML and RDMLX Files. Alpha fields may be used as real fields or keys.

Logical Views

Alpha fields may be used as keys to logical views.

Virtual Fields

Alpha fields may be used with Substring, Concatenation or Date Virtual Fields.

Predetermined Join Fields

Alphas may be used for lookup predetermined joined fields.

Built-In Functions

When used in Built-In Functions, Alpha fields are valid for arguments of type 'A'.

Conversion

Refer to Field Type Conversions.

 

Platform Considerations

Also See

1.1.5 Char

1.1.3 String