Easytrieve MOVE Statement

Format 1 — Field and Record Transfer

1
2
3
MOVE send-field-name TO receive-field-name
MOVE send-record-name TO receive-record-name [receive-length-field]
MOVE send-file-name TO receive-file-name FILL '*'

Send parameter identifies file, record, field, or literal source. Receive parameter identifies destination. Data moves left to right unconverted as alphanumeric. Default send length for file or record is RECORD-LENGTH system field current value.

Format 1 Parameters

Truncation and FILL

When send area is longer than receive, excess bytes truncate on the right. When receive is longer, default padding is spaces unless FILL specifies another one- or two-byte character. Non-numeric FILL values use quotes. Numeric FILL digits are zoned decimal. Asterisk fill example from Language Reference pads ASTERISK-LINE to all stars for banner output.

1
2
3
4
DEFINE ASTERISK-LINE W 10 A VALUE '=========='
PROGRAM NAME MYPROG
  MOVE ZEROS TO COUNTER-1 COUNTER-2
  MOVE '*' TO ASTERISK-LINE FILL '*'

Format 2 — Constant Initialization

1
2
MOVE {NULL|SPACE|SPACES|ZERO|ZEROS|ZEROES|HIGH-VALUES|LOW-VALUES}
  TO receive-field-name ...

Format 2 sets one or more receive fields to constant pattern sized to each field defined length. ZEROS to packed field stores packed zero. SPACES to alphanumeric fills blanks. HIGH-VALUES and LOW-VALUES provide mainframe sentinel patterns for interchange and end-of-table markers.

SQL Nullable Fields

1
2
3
4
5
FILE PERSNL SQL (PERSONNEL)
SQL INCLUDE (EMP#) FROM PERSONNEL LOCATION * NULLABLE
MOVE ZEROS TO CTR1 CTR2
MOVE SPACES TO PLINE
MOVE NULL TO EMP#

Broadcom example clears counters and line buffer then sets nullable EMP# to SQL NULL. MOVE SPACES or ZEROS to nullable field establishes NOT NULL with blank or zero content. Choose intentionally when exporting to downstream systems that distinguish null from empty.

MOVE Versus Assignment

Use MOVE when copying without calculation: MOVE CUST-NAME TO OUT-NAME. Use assignment for expressions: TOTAL = BASE + BONUS. MOVE Format 1 avoids numeric conversion surprises when overlaying raw record bytes. Assignment applies field type rules during store. Both appear in PROC and JOB logic; shop style guides often standardize zeroing counters with MOVE ZEROS TO for readability matching COBOL heritage.

Record Buffer Pattern

1
2
3
4
5
6
BUILD-OUT. PROC
  MOVE SPACES TO OUT-REC
  MOVE IN-KEY TO OUT-KEY
  MOVE IN-NAME TO OUT-NAME
  OUT-AMT = IN-AMT * RATE
END-PROC

Clear output record then overlay fields. Calculated amount uses assignment because multiplication required. Entire-record MOVE IN-REC TO SAVE-REC snapshots input when field-by-field copy is unnecessary before destructive updates.

IDMS and Database Send Files

When send-file-name is IDMS file, all records in the file move per Language Reference note. Database record availability must exist before MOVE—same rules as other I/O statements referencing current data. SQL table rows follow FILE SQL semantics for nullable includes.

Variable Length Moves

Language Reference highlights MOVE for variable length data strings using length field overrides. Send-length and receive-length let you move portion of record without redefining every subfield in Library—useful for message text and delimited payload extraction paired with PARSE in later statements.

MOVE LIKE Statement

Related MOVE LIKE statement copies field structure patterns per release—see Language Reference when duplicating group layouts between records. Distinct from Format 1 byte transfer; MOVE LIKE targets structural correspondence documented in Programming section.

Common MOVE Mistakes

• Expecting arithmetic inside MOVE instead of assignment.
• Wrong length override truncating critical bytes silently.
• MOVE NULL when business needs blank NOT NULL display.
• Moving from file without current data availability.
• Ignoring FILL when receive field longer than literal send.
• Confusing Format 1 and Format 2 syntax on one line.

Explain It Like I'm Five

MOVE is copying from one notebook page to another. Format 1 copies what is written—maybe a whole page or one word. If the new page is bigger, you fill empty space with blanks or stars you choose. Format 2 is stamping every box with the same pattern—all zeros, all spaces, or empty meaning null for special database boxes. Assignment is doing math then writing the answer; MOVE just copies without math.

Exercises

1. Write PROC that MOVE SPACES TO out-record then overlays three fields.
2. Demonstrate MOVE ZEROS TO two numeric fields in one Format 2 statement.
3. Explain when MOVE beats assignment for record snapshot.
4. Use FILL to pad a ten-byte banner field with asterisks.
5. Contrast MOVE NULL versus MOVE SPACES on nullable SQL field outcomes.