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A user-defined data type (or type name) is a 01 level elementary or group item that contains the TYPEDEF clause. No storage is allocated for such an item. It can be thought of as a template that describes a data name and its subordinate items. A type name can then be used to define a data name (or another type name) by specifying it within a TYPE clause. The defined data name will have the characteristics of the type name specified in the TYPE clause. If the type name is a group item, then the defined data name will be a group item with subordinate items having the same names, hierarchy, and characteristics as the items subordinate to the type name.
When defining a data name (or type name) by using a user-defined data type in a TYPE clause, only the following clauses may be used in conjunction with the TYPE clause to complete the description of the data name:
The scoping rules for type names are the same as those for data names.
For more information about the TYPE and TYPEDEF clauses, refer to TYPE Clause and TYPEDEF Clause.
The TYPEDEF clause declares an elementary or group data item to be a user-defined data type (or type name). Once the type name has been defined, it can be used (in a TYPE clause) to define other data items.
>>-+----+--TYPEDEF--------------------------------------------->< '-IS-'
The TYPE clause allows a user-defined data type (or type name) to be used to define a data item. This is done by specifying the type name (which is declared using the TYPEDEF clause) in a TYPE clause. If the type name is a group item, then the defined data item will also be a group item: its subordinate entries will correspond in name, hierarchy, and characteristics to those subordinate to the type name.
>>-TYPE--type-name-1-------------------------------------------><
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