If you are using a pre-Version 3 Release 1.0 DDM file, the key comparison is not done at the Data Management level during a READE or READPE operation, EQ indicator for SETLL, or during sequential-within-limits processing by a record address file. The READE or READPE operation, EQ indicator for SETLL, or during sequential-within-limits processing by a record address file, will instead compare the keys using the *HEX collating sequence.
This may give different results than expected when DDS features are used that cause more than one search argument to match a given key in the file. For example, if ABSVAL is used on a numeric key, both -1 and 1 would succeed as search arguments for a key in the file with a value of 1. Using the hexadecimal collating sequence, a search argument of -1 will not succeed for an actual key of 1. Some of the DDS features that cause the key comparison to differ are:
In addition, if the sign of a numeric field is different from the system preferred sign, the key comparison will also differ.
The first time that the key comparison is not done at the Data Management level on a pre-V3R1 DDM file during the READE or READPE operation, EQ indicator for SETLL, or during sequential-within-limits processing by a record address file, an informational message (RNI2002) will be issued.