VALID Function

Purpose

Determines whether a reference to a scalar pictured value has a value that is valid with respect to its picture specification.

Syntax

VALID(x)

Parameters

x is a reference to a scalar pictured value.

Description

The VALID function determines whether x, a reference to a scalar pictured value, has a value that is valid with respect to its picture specification. The result is a bit string of length one that indicates if the character-string value of x can be edited into the picture declared for x.

If the character-string value of x can be edited into the picture declared for x, the result value is '1' B; otherwise, the result is '0' B.

The VALID function can be used when a pictured data item or a pictured item that is a member of a structure is read using the READ statement. Record input done with READ does not perform the validation that is normally done when a value is assigned to a pictured data item.

Examples

VALIDATE_FILE: PROCEDURE (BALANCES, REC_COUNT);
   DECLARE BALANCES FILE RECORD; 
   DECLARE REC_COUNT FIXED BIN(31); 
   DECLARE TOTAL PICTURE '999V.99';

DO I = 1 TO REC_COUNT;
   READ FILE(BALANCES) INTO (TOTAL);
   IF ^VALID(TOTAL) THEN
      DO;
      PUT LIST('Invalid total value:', TOTAL); 
      PUT SKIP;
      END;
   END;
END VALIDATE_FILE;

Restrictions

None.