Stopper fields are fields used to keep input fields from
accepting more characters than the defined length of the input field.
Representation of Stopper Fields
Rational® Developer for System z® recognizes stopper
fields as a 0 or 1 length field immediately following a variable field
with the attributes (ASKIP,NORM).
When Rational Developer
for System z creates a
stopper field, it is created as a 0 length field with the attribute ASKIP.
The following is an example of a Rational Developer
for System z automatically
added stopper field:
DFHMDF POS=(8,38),LENGTH=0,
ATTRB=ASKP
Adding Stopper Fields
Stopper fields are added by default to input fields, numeric fields,
modified data tag (MDT) fields, labeled input fields, and simple array
fields.
To manually add a stopper field:
- In the Design Page of the BMS Editor, right
click on the field and select Field Properties from
the context menu. (Edit Array if you with to
add stopper fields to an entire array.)
- The Field Properties dialog will open.
Select the Basic page from the left menu of
options.
- Mark the check box, Add Stopper Fields and
click OK to add stopper fields to the field.
Stopper fields can be manually added to complex array fields by
marking the check box when the fields are defined.
Note: If you return
to add a stopper field after an array or structure is resolved, some
array adjustment might be needed to account for the extra column the
stopper field will take up. Arrays and structures do not automatically
adjust at the addition of a stopper field.
Removing Stopper Fields
Stopper fields can be removed by clearing the Add stopper
fields check box under Field Properties for
the field. Alternatively, stopper fields can be removed by selecting
the field in the Design Page of the BMS Editor
and pressing delete.