The SIZE phrase specifies the total size of
the date or time item in number of digits. The number of digits must be greater
than or equal to the size of the format literal. The size of the format literal
is determined by replacing the conversion specifiers with their largest value,
and doing conversions, if necessary, to the runtime CCSID. For more information
refer to the description of the CCSID parameter for CRTCBLMOD described in
the IBM Rational Development Studio for i: ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide.
The SIZE phrase must be specified for a date or time item when the length
of that item cannot be determined at compile time. The compiler cannot determine
the size of a date or time item when:
- Both literal-8 and the LOCALE phrase are specified, which means the actual
length of the date or time item will be partially determined at runtime from
the specified locale.
- Literal-8 is specified without a LOCALE phrase, and one of the conversion
specifications within literal-8 may result in a variable length item.
- Literal-8 is not specified, which means the actual
length of the date or time item will be completely determined at runtime from
the specified locale.
- integer-3, integer-4
- Integer-3 and integer-4 specify the size of the default date or time
item in number of digits. Integer-3 or integer-4 must be specified if the
size of the date or time item cannot be determined at compile time. For a
date and time item, integer-3 and integer-4 must be equal to or greater than
4. The maximum size of an item of class date-time is 256, if the item has
a USAGE of DISPLAY, or 31 for a USAGE of PACKED-DECIMAL.