--- task: String items: length limit and truncation version: R1.05 (first written for R1.03) source: IM 36K10C10-01EN 5th ed. (Feb. 2026) §3.3.4; IM 36K10G10-01EN 5th ed. (Feb. 2026) §3.2.2; data dictionary (`dssqld -f`); practiced on CI-Eng-Sample 2026-09-30 (R1.03) status: verified on R1.03 (2026-09-30); on R1.05 the limit 1–200 / default 80 was checked in the data dictionary and ITEM_DF is identical (2026-10-08, read-only); string writes and truncation not re-tested on the shared R1.05 test server, re-test awaits a decision (ISS-129) --- # String items A string item has a maximum length set when it is created (`ITEM_DF.STRING_LENGTH`). | Rule | Value (verified R1.03) | |---|---| | Allowed `STRING_LENGTH` | 1–200 (default 80); 201 is rejected with `DSS-E-VAL_RANGE` | | Audit trailing (`AUDIT_INFO`) | no effect on the limit (200 loads with audit on) | | Characters the item holds | **length − 1** (length 100 holds 99) | | Value that fits | stored, status 9 NORMAL | | Value too long | cut to length − 1, status **12 OVERRANGED**, no error from `itmval` | The R1.03 manuals disagreed (Engineering Module: max 100; Tutorial: 168; ISS-019). The R1.05 manuals (changed in R1.04, not listed in the revision tables) give default 80 and maximum 200 **bytes**, matching the software (ISS-124). Multi-byte characters take more than one byte. That a value holds only length − 1 characters is not in any manual. Quick load (the section must exist): ``` @FIELDS NAME,DESCRIPTION,ITEM_REP,STRING_LENGTH,AUDIT_INFO @ITEM_DF "
.","Status text","String",120,0 ``` Write and read: `itmval -p -n
. -v "text"`, `itmval -g -n
.`. After a write, check the status: 12 means the text was cut. The representation (type) and length cannot be changed on an existing item: remove and load it again.