The DTACOL tag defines default values for data fields (DTAFLD) and selection fields (SELFLD) that are coded within a DTACOL definition.

Parameters

PMTWIDTH=n | * | **

This attribute specifies the number of bytes reserved for prompts for data fields and selection fields coded within the data column. The minimum width is 0 and the maximum is the remaining available panel width. When you specify PMTWIDTH=*, the conversion utility uses the length of the prompt text as the prompt width. When you specify PMTWIDTH=**, the conversion utility uses the maximum available space as the prompt width. If PMTFMT=CUA is specified (or defaulted) and the prompt text has fewer characters than the field allows, leader dots fill the remaining spaces. For output-only data fields, a colon is also added as the last character in the prompt width space. If any prompt contains more characters than the width you specify, the prompt is word-wrapped to fit on multiple lines.

Note: Any field within the data column defining a prompt width overrides the DTACOL PMTWIDTH value.

ENTWIDTH=n

This attribute specifies the number of bytes reserved for data fields coded within the data column. The minimum width is 1 and the maximum is the remaining available panel (or region) width.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining an entry width overrides the DTACOL ENTWIDTH value.

DESWIDTH=n | *

This attribute specifies the number of bytes reserved for the description text of the enclosed DTAFLDD tags. The minimum width is 0. When you specify DESWIDTH=*, the conversion utility uses the length of the description text as the description width. If the text is longer than the width you specify, the text is word-wrapped to fit on multiple lines.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining a description width overrides the DTACOL DESWIDTH value.

SELWIDTH=n | *

This attribute specifies the number of bytes reserved for choices in selection fields coded within the data column. The minimum width value is 1 and the maximum is the remaining available panel width. If the width required by the choice-text and its entry field exceeds the specified SELWIDTH value, the text is wrapped to multiple conversion utility will use the remaining available panel (or region) width.

Note: Any selection field within the data column defining a selection width overrides the DTACOL SELWIDTH value.

FLDSPACE=n

This attribute specifies the number of bytes reserved for the data field. The minimum width is 2 and the maximum is the remaining available panel (or region) width. The FLDSPACE value should include the actual entry width plus the number of entry field attributes. If the value specified by ENTWIDTH (plus attributes) is less than the specified FLDSPACE value, the entry field is padded with blanks to the FLDSPACE value. This creates blank space between the entry field and description text provided by the DTAFLDD tag and allows you to align description text from successive DTAFLD definitions.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining field space overrides the DTACOL FLDSPACE value.

PAD=NULLS | USER | char | %varname

This attribute specifies the pad character for initializing the field. You can define this attribute as a variable name preceded by a “%”.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining PAD overrides the DTACOL PAD value.

PADC=NULLS | USER | char | %varname

This attribute specifies the conditional padding character to be used for initializing the field. You can define this attribute as a variable name preceded by a “%”.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining PADC overrides the DTACOL PADC value.

OUTLINE=NONE | L | R | O | U | BOX | %varname

This attribute provides for displaying lines around the field on a DBCS terminal. You can define this attribute as a variable name preceded by a “%”.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining OUTLINE overrides the DTACOL OUTLINE value.

PMTFMT=CUA | ISPF | NONE | END

This attribute controls the generation of prompt leader characters. The default is to create CUA leader dots. When ISPF is specified, and at least 4 bytes of prompt text space remain following the prompt text, the “===>” character string is placed in the rightmost 4 positions of the prompt text space. When NONE is specified, no leader characters are added to the prompt text. When END is specified, the prompt text is right justified within the prompt text space.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining PMTFMT overrides the DTACOL PMTFMT value.

AUTOTAB=NO | YES

When AUTOTAB=YES, the cursor moves to the next field capable of input when the user enters the last character in this field. If no other field capable of user input exists on the panel, the cursor returns to the beginning of this field. The ISPF SKIP keyword is not supported when running in GUI mode.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining AUTOTAB overrides the DTACOL AUTOTAB value.

ATTRCHANGE=NO | YES | NEW

When ATTRCHANGE=YES or ATTRCHANGE=NEW, the conversion utility formats an additional entry in the panel )ATTR section (that can apply to multiple data fields) instead of creating a unique ".ATTR(field-name)" entry in the )INIT section for each field. With this option, multiple DTAFLD tags with the same characteristics require fewer panel logic statements. ATTRCHANGE=NEW creates a new entry. ATTRCHANGE=YES uses an existing attribute, if possible.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining ATTRCHANGE overrides the DTACOL ATTRCHANGE value.

PMTLOC=BEFORE | ABOVE

This attribute defines the prompt location for the enclosed DTAFLD and SELFLD tags.

Note: Any data field or selection field within the data column defining PMTLOC overrides the DTACOL PMTLOC value.

DBALIGN=YES | NO | PROMPT | FIELD | FORCE

This attribute defines the DBALIGN value for the enclosed DTAFLD tags.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining DBALIGN overrides the DTACOL DBALIGN value.

VARCLASS=variable-class-name

This attribute defines the name of the variable class for enclosed CHOFLD and DTAFLD tags.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining VARCLASS overrides the DTACOL VARCLASS value.

REQUIRED=NO | YES

This attribute defines whether the fields for enclosed CHOFLD and DTAFLD tags require input.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining REQUIRED overrides the DTACOL REQUIRED value.

CAPS=OFF | ON

This attribute defines whether the fields for enclosed CHOFLD and DTAFLD tags are displayed in uppercase characters.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining CAPS overrides the DTACOL CAPS value.

VARDCL=YES | NO

When VARDCL=NO the data field name is not checked to the declared variable information provided with the VARCLASS and VARDCL tags for enclosed CHOFLD and DTAFLD tags.

Note: Any data field within the data column defining VARDCL overrides the DTACOL VARDCL value.

Comments

The DTACOL tag defines default attribute values for data fields (DTAFLD), choice data fields (CHOFLD), and selection fields (SELFLD) that are coded within a DTACOL definition. This allows you to define common values for fields coded within the data column within a single tag definition.

The xxxWIDTH attributes are convenient for aligning fields on an application panel. Fields are laid out within the data column along boundaries established by the values specified on the DTACOL tag. This example shows those boundaries:

Figure 1. PMTWIDTH, ENTWIDTH, FLDSPACE, and DESWIDTH attributes

The prompt width (PMTWIDTH) is valid for data fields and selection fields coded within the data column description. The entry width (ENTWIDTH), field space (FLDSPACE), and description width (DESWIDTH) are only used by enclosed DTAFLD tags. The selection width (SELWIDTH) is used only by enclosed SELFLD tags. All of the previous cases stated are true only when the enclosed DTAFLD or SELFLD tags do not specify values that override the DTACOL values.

If the combined PMTWIDTH, ENTWIDTH, and DESWIDTH values exceed the remaining available panel (or region) width, the conversion utility issues a warning message and attempts to fit the data in the available width by wrapping the text.

Restrictions

• The DTACOL tag requires an end tag.
• You must code the DTACOL tag within an AREA, PANEL, or REGION definition. You can code a DTACOL definition anywhere within these tags, but the start and end tags must enclose any DTAFLD or SELFLD tags to which it applies. See AREA (Area), PANEL (Panel), and REGION (Region) for descriptions of these tags.
• If both PAD and PADC have been specified, PAD is ignored and PADC is used.
• When a "%varname" notation is found on any of the attributes that allow a variable name, the "%varname" entry must follow the standard naming convention described in Rules for “%variable” names.

Processing