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Operands in Character String and Byte String Processing

Operands in Character String Processing

If you use character string processing (defined by the addition IN CHARACTER MODE in overloaded statements) and statements that only support character string processing, the relevant operands must be character-like. This is because the operands are processed by character and the repository of the characters in the memory is dependent on the code page used. This is absolutely essential for character string processing to work properly.

Note also that the concept "character-like" (or "character-type") is more strictly defined in Unicode programs than in non-Unicode programs.

This last point enables character string processing of byte strings in non-Unicode programs to produce the same results as explicit byte string processing in Unicode programs, if the statement is suitable as defined in the table of statements.

Note

When you use the character-like data objects d, n, and t in character string processing, note that the conversion rules appropriate to type do not apply to the assignment of interim results to target fields; instead the conversion rules for data type c apply.

Operands in Byte String Processing

If you use byte string processing (defined by the addition IN BYTE MODE in overloaded statements) and the statements GET BIT and SET BIT, the relevant operands must be byte-like. This is because the operands are processed by byte. This rule applies both inside and outside classes and in both Unicode and non-Unicode programs.