(a) elmtype=array-data-format
Specify either ff, fv, or vv.
When the elmtype operand is omitted, the array data takes the FF format for a DAT or fixed-size data format file; it takes the VV format for a binary-format file.
For details about the array data formats, see section 5.5.4 Arrayed data format for tables containing repetition columns.
- ff
- This refers to a fixed field fixed element (FF) format.
- For this format, always specify a fixed number of element data items without specifying a current number of elements (the effective number of elements specified in the input data file) in the input data.
- Criterion
- The FF format is useful for storing data in a repetition column without specifying the current number of elements in the input data.
- Rules
- The number of element data items specified in the input data must be no greater than the number of elements specified in the table definition.
- You can specify the FF format for the following input data formats:
DAT format
Binary format
Fixed-size data format
- The utility determines whether or not the specified data is to be stored in the database on the basis of whether the following conditions are met:
Whether specified data represents null values
How null values are to be handled
- fv
- This refers to a fixed field variable element (FV) format.
- For this format, specify the current number of elements along with the element data in the input data. This input data must contain as many element data items as there are elements specified in the table definition, column structure information file, or null value/function information file.
- Criterion
- Because the FV format allows the processing of data in fixed length, it facilitates the creation and modification of data by UAPs, but at the expense of an increase in file size.
- Rules
- You can specify the FV format for the following input data formats:
Binary format
Fixed-size data format
- The FV format specifies input data in terms of a fixed-length data type. Therefore, for a variable-length data type (VARCHAR, MVARCHAR, or NVARCHAR), the valid data length must be specified at the beginning of each element data item. Following the valid data, the remaining portion of data must be padded with fill characters up to the length defined in the table, so that the input data always has the length defined for the table.
- vv
- This refers to a variable field variable element (VV) format.
- For this format, specify the current number of elements along with the element data in the input data. The number of specified element data items must be equal to the current number of elements.
- Criteria
- Because the VV format requires the specification of a minimum length of data, the file size can be smaller than in the FV format. However, because it supplies data only in the current number of elements, this format makes the task of data modification by a UAP more complicated when compared with the FF or FV formats.
- Rules
- For a variable-length data type, specify data equal in length to the valid data length specified at the beginning of each element data item.
- You can specify the VV format for the following input data formats:
DAT format
Binary format
You must specify the array data format described previously in one of the following files according to specification units:
Specification units | File to be specified | Description |
---|
Tables | Control information file | Specify with the elmtype operand of the array statement. |
Columns | DAT or fixed-size format | Column structure information file | Specify with the elmtype operand. |
Binary format | Null value/function information file | Specify with the elmtype operand. |
(b) nullset=null-value-option
- ~<<c>>
With the FF array data format, this operand specifies how null value storage is to be handled if null values are specified in an element through the end of the specified elements.
When specified with a format other than the FF format, this option is ignored.
Specify one of the following values for the null value option:
c: Nothing is to be stored in a specified element.
e: Null values are to be stored in a specified element.