SORT-MERGE/XL General User's Guide (32650-90883)

Chapter 6 87
SORT-MERGE/XL Commands
KEY
Display Digit Positive Negative No Sign
0 { (%173) } (%175) 0 (%60)
1 A (%101) J (%112) 1 (%61)
2 B (%102) K (%113) 2 (%62)
3 C (%103) L (%114) 3 (%63)
4 D (%104) M (%115) 4 (%64)
5 E (%105) N (%116) 5 (%65)
6 F (%106) O (%117) 6 (%66)
7 G (%107) P (%120) 7 (%67)
8 H (%110) Q (%121) 8 (%70)
9 I (%111) R (%122) 9 (&71)
DISCUSSION
SORT-MERGE/XL sorts keys contain binary, ASCII, or EBCDIC data according to an
eight-bit binary sequence (00000000 to 11111111), except for the type CHARACTER, which is
sorted according to the collating sequence of the native language specified in the
>LANGUAGE command. Refer to Appendix C for further information on native language
collating. Other types of data (integer, real, etc.) are sorted according to the standard
arithmetic relational operators. For example, 2 is greater than -5. The keys can contain
alphabetic, numeric, or alphanumeric (alphabetic and numeric intermixed) data. They can
P[ACKED] Key data item field contains a packed decimal number. In this format,
each character except the last contains two digits. Each digit occupies
four bits. The rightmost character contains the least significant digit of
the number in its four leftmost bits, and the sign of the number in its
four rightmost bits. The sign is considered minus if it has the value 1101
(binary) and plus otherwise.
PACKED* Same as PACKED except there are an even number of digits and a sign.
The leftmost four bits are not treated as part of the field.
DI[SPLAY-
TRAILING-SIGN]
Key field contains a numeric display quantity. Numeric display items
are represented by ASCII-coded decimal digits (0 through 9) except for
the rightmost digit, which carries the sign of the data item. The sign is
determined according to the table shown in Figure 6-1. (Sign is
optional.) For example, 123 is represented by 12C.
DISPLAY-L[EADING-
SIGN]
In this case, the leftmost digit carries the sign of the data item. For
example, -123 is represented by J23. Refer to the table shown in Figure
6-1. (Sign is optional.)
DISPLAY-TRAILING-
SIGN-S[EPARATE]
The sign is contained in the character position to the right of the
rightmost digit. For example, 123 is represented by 123+. (Sign can be
blank.)
DISPLAY-LEADING-
SIGN-S[EPARATE]
The sign is contained in the character position to the left of the leftmost
digit. For example, -123 is represented by -123. (Sign can be blank.)
DESC Indicates the records are to be arranged in descending order. If this
parameter is not specified, the records are arranged in the default
ascending order.