Character representation

Character representation in the system is controlled by the Character Data Representation Architecture (CDRA).

CDRA identifies characters by encoding scheme identifier (ESid), character set, pairs of character sets and code pages (as needed), and additional coding-related information (as necessary). This identification is established by a system of tags. The tags are handled by the IBM i operating system in a way that ensures character set integrity.

The overall objective of CDRA is to define a method of assigning and preserving the meaning of coded graphic characters through various stages of processing and interchanging.