Specifies the format of the field value as it is stored.

       Format

         PIC[TURE]  [IS]  picture-string

1  –  Argument

    picture-string

       Is one or more picture-string characters describing the format in
       which the field value is stored.

       Picture-String Characters contains a list of the picture-string
       characters. The picture-string characters you specify for a field
       depend on the class of the field: alphabetic, alphanumeric, or
       numeric.

       Table 1-3 Picture-String Characters

       Field       Picture
       Class       Character Meaning

       Alphabetic  A         Each A represents one alphabetic character
                             in the field. The following field
                             definition specifies an alphabetic field
                             of six characters:

                             06 LETTERS_ONLY PIC A(6).

       AlphanumericX         Each X represents one character in the
                             field. The following field definition
                             specifies that the MODEL field contains
                             10 alphanumeric characters:

                             06 MODEL PIC X(10).

       Numeric     9         Each 9 represents one digit in the field.
                             You can specify from 1 to 31 digits for
                             a numeric field. The following field
                             definition specifies that the BEAM field
                             contains two digits:

                             03 BEAM PIC 99.
                   S         An S indicates that a sign (+ or -) is
                             stored in the field. A picture string can
                             have only one S and it must be the leftmost
                             character. If there is no SIGN clause for
                             the field, the sign shares the rightmost
                             character position with the lowest-valued
                             digit. The picture string S9(4) indicates
                             a signed field, four digits in length; the
                             field value can range from -9999 to +9999.
                   V         A V indicates an implied decimal point.
                             The decimal point does not occupy a
                             character position in the field, although
                             DEC DATATRIEVE uses its location to align
                             data in the field. A picture string can
                             contain only one V. The picture string
                             9(5)V99 specifies a 7-digit field; the last
                             two digits of the field value follow the
                             decimal point.
                   P         Each P specifies a decimal scaling
                             position. Each P represents a "distance"
                             in digits from an implied decimal point.
                             (A P does not count toward the limit of
                             31 digits per field.) A P can appear at
                             the right or left of the picture string.
                             A V is unnecessary for any picture string
                             containing a P.