Before data elements can be encompassed into a combined data element, they must be checked for correctness. Each data element
must meet the following requirements:
- The data element is part of the data store that is being processed.
- The data element is not a combined data element.
- The data element is not a BIT data element.
There are limitations to the management of combined data elements as follows:
- A previously defined combined data element cannot be inserted in the list of data elements.
- There is a 230-digit limit to the length of the fields for sampling and subsetting operations. If you want to perform these
operations on longer combined data elements, you must develop some exit routines.
(Data Express for z/OS only.)
- A combined data element can be masked only in
Data Express for z/OS, in the following cases:
- It is an MVS data element and its elementary data elements are consecutive, emulating the masking of a group COBOL field.
- It is an MVS data element with non-consecutive elementary data elements, does not exceed 255 bytes in the combined length,
and the value of UR-OUT-TYPE in the masking routine is set to F (R is not supported).