1 ELEMENTARY_FIELD

 An elementary field description statement defines the characteristics
 of a field that is not subdivided into other fields.

2 Syntax Rules

  o  The field name you assign can be up to 31 characters from the set
     A-Z,  0-9,  _,  and $.  The first character must be a letter from
     A-Z, and the last character can not be _ or $.  You can use 8-bit
     alphabetic characters in field names.

  o  If you use an asterisk (*) instead of a field name, you create an
     unnamed field.

  o  You must include the DATATYPE clause  among  the  selected  field
     attributes.

  o  You must terminate the  elementary  field  description  statement
     with a period.


2 Usage Notes

  o  Unnamed fields are similar to FILLER fields in  COBOL.   You  can
     use  them to format print records or to reserve space in a record
     for future additions.

  o  All fields, except BIT fields, begin on the first byte  following
     the  preceding  field.   BIT  fields begin on the bit immediately
     following the preceding field.   You  can  modify  this  starting
     position with the ALIGNED clause.


2 Example

 NAME and ACCOUNT_NUMBER in the example below are elementary fields.

 CUSTOMER STRUCTURE.
     NAME                 DATATYPE IS TEXT 
                          SIZE IS 30 CHARACTERS.
     ACCOUNT_NUMBER       DATATYPE IS UNSIGNED NUMERIC 
                          SIZE IS 7 CHARACTERS.
 END CUSTOMER STRUCTURE.