{[bound:] bound}, 3

For explanations of the symbols used in the syntax diagram, see Syntax Symbols.

The array-dimension-definition option is used to define the lower and upper bound of a dimension in an array definition.

You can define up to 3 dimensions for an array.

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Syntax Description

Syntax Element	Description
bound	Lower/Upper Bound: A bound can be one of the following: a numeric integer constant; a previously defined named constant; (for database arrays) a previously defined user-defined variable; or an asterisk (*) defines an extensible bound, otherwise known as an X-array (eXtensible array). If only one bound is specified, the value represents the upper bound and the lower bound is assumed to be 1.

X-Arrays

If at least one bound in at least one dimension of an array is specified as extensible, that array is then called an X-array (eXtensible array). Only one bound (either upper or lower) may be extensible in any one dimension, but not both. Multi-dimensional arrays may have a mixture of constant and extensible bounds, for example: #a(1:100, 1:*).

Example:

DEFINE DATA LOCAL
1 #ARRAY1(I4/1:10)
1 #ARRAY2(I4/10)
1 #X-ARRAY3(I4/1:*)
1 #X-ARRAY4(I4/*,1:5)
1 #X-ARRAY5(I4/*:10)
1 #X-ARRAY6(I4/1:10,100:*,*:1000)
END-DEFINE

In the following table you can see the bounds of the arrays in the above program more clearly.

	Dimension 1		Dimension 2		Dimension 3
	Lower bound	Upper bound	Lower bound	Upper bound	Lower bound	Upper bound
#ARRAY1	1	10	-	-	-	-
#ARRAY2	1	10	-	-	-	-
#X-ARRAY3	1	eXtensible	-	-	-	-
#X-ARRAY4	1	eXtensible	1	5	-	-
#X-ARRAY5	eXtensible	10	-	-	-	-
#X-ARRAY6	1	10	100	eXtensible	eXtensible	1000

Examples of array definitions:

#ARRAY2(I4/10)                   /* a one-dimensional array with 10 occurrences (1:10)
#X-ARRAY4(I4/*,1:5)              /* a two-dimensional array
#X-ARRAY6(I4/1:10,100:*,*:1000)  /* a three-dimensional array

Variable Arrays in a Parameter Data Area

In a parameter data area, you may specify an array with a variable number of occurrences. This is done with the index notation 1:V.

Example 1: #ARR01 (A5/1:V)

Example 2: #ARR02 (I2/1:V,1:V)

A parameter array which contains a variable index notation 1:V can only be redefined in the length of

• its elementary field length, if the 1:V index is right-most; for example:

  #ARR(A6/1:V) can be redefined up to a length of 6 bytes
  #ARR(A6/1:2,1:V) can be redefined up to a length of 6 bytes
  #ARR(A6/1:2,1:3,1:V) can be redefined up to a length of 6 bytes

• the product of the right-most fixed occurrences and the elementary field length; for example:

  #ARR(A6/1:V,1:2) can be redefined up to a length of 2*6 = 12 bytes
  #ARR(A6/1:V,1:3,1:2) can be redefined up to a length of 3*2*6 = 36 bytes
  #ARR(A6/1:2,1:V,1:3) can be redefined up to a length of 3*6 = 18 bytes

A variable index notation 1:V cannot be used within a redefinition.

Example:

DEFINE DATA PARAMETER
 1 #ARR(A6/1:V)
 1 REDEFINE #ARR
   2 #R-ARR(A1/1:V)   /* (1:V) is not allowed in a REDEFINE block 
END-DEFINE

As the number of occurrences is not known at compilation time, it must not be referenced with the index notation (*) in the statements INPUT, WRITE, READ WORK FILE, WRITE WORK FILE. Index notation (*) may be applied either to all dimensions or to none.

Valid examples:

#ARR01 (*)
#ARR02 (*,*)
#ARR01 (1)
#ARR02 (5,#FIELDX)
#ARR02 (1,1:3)

Invalid example:

#ARRAYY (1,*)  /* not allowed

To avoid runtime errors, the maximum number of occurrences of such an array should be passed to the subprogram/subroutine/function via another parameter. Alternatively, you may use the system variable *OCCURRENCE.

Notes:

1. If a parameter data area that contains an index 1:V is used as a local data area (that is, specified in a DEFINE DATA LOCAL statement), a variable named V must have been defined as CONSTANT.
2. In a dialog, an index 1:V cannot be used in conjunction with BY VALUE.