1. Mainframe Adapter for TCP CICS User’s Guide
  2. Understanding How Oracle TMA TCP for CICS Works
  3. Translating Data with TMA TCP gateway
  4. Strings and Numeric Data: A Closer Look
  5. Including NULL Characters in String Length Calculations

2.3.3.1 Including NULL Characters in String Length Calculations

When you create VIEW definitions for input and output records that are used by CICS applications, do not specify an extra position for the terminating NULL characters that are used in string fields.

For example, when a CICS application program expects 10 characters in an input record, specify 10 for that field, not 10 plus 1.

Note:

Although TMA TCP gateway does not require strings to be NULL-terminated, it respects NULL termination. Therefore, when TMA TCP gateway detects a NULL (zero) character within a string, it does not process any subsequent characters. To pass full 8-bit data that contains embedded NULL values, use a CARRAY type field or buffer.

The character set translations performed by TMA TCP gateway can be fully localized, in accordance with the X/Open XPG Portability Guides. ASCII and EBCDIC translations are loadable from message files. The TMA TCP gateway software contains default behaviors which should meet the requirements of most English-language applications. However, you may find it necessary to customize tables. See the Oracle TMA TCP gateway User Guide for complete instructions.

Parent topic: Strings and Numeric Data: A Closer Look