Data Types

SBCS DB2/2 supports three data types for character strings. In DBCS OS/2, data type support for character strings is enhanced as follows:

• The existing character string data types (CHAR, VARCHAR and LONG VARCHAR) are enhanced to accept mixed strings as well as SBCS strings.

• GRAPHIC, VARGRAPHIC and LONG VARGRAPHIC types, which only accept DBCS strings (but not SBCS strings or mixed strings), are added to correspond respectively to CHAR, VARCHAR and LONG VARCHAR.

  In this chapter, the term graphic string (instead of DBCS string) is used as a generic name of these data types and the term character string (equivalent to mixed string) is limited to CHAR, VARCHAR and LONG VARCHAR types to distinguish them from graphic string types.

  The following lists values of the SQLTYPE field of an SQLDA (SQL Descriptor Area):

  Data Type

  Values (Null Indicator: no/yes)
  GRAPHIC
  468/469
  VARGRAPHIC
  464/465
  LONG VARGRAPHIC
  472/473
  The following lists values of the COLTYPE column of the SYSCOLUMNS system catalog:

  Data Type

  Value
  GRAPHIC
  GRAPHIC
  VARGRAPHIC
  VARGRAPH
  LONG VARGRAPHIC
  LONGVARG

  Graphic strings are not compatible with character strings. Comparison or assignment between them will cause an error.

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