How IDMS handles Chinese/Kanji characters on the mainframe?

Products

• IDMS
• IDMS - Database
• IDMS - ADS

Issue/Introduction

Question:

How does IDMS handle Chinese/Kanji characters on the mainframe?
Does it require the installation of double-byte character set (DBCS)?
Is the DBCS option something that needs to be purchased as an optional IDMS product?

Answer:

IDMS handles Chinese/Kanji characters the same way it handles non-EBCDIC alphabets, such as the Japanese Kanji alphabet, and the Korean Han-gul alphabet, with the use of a graphic literal, also known as a G-literal, which is a special type of double-byte character set (DBCS) string.

Previously DBCS was installed as a separately priced product and required a password.
At that time DBCS was installed as an option not a product.
Currently, DBCS does not require a password and does not require an LMP key and therefore there is no cost associated with the use of DBCS.

In order to install DBCS, in the SAMPJCL VARBLIST member; ensure the "CA IDMS DBCS" install option is set to YES.

The following manuals explain more on the use of DCBS.
Search with keywords "DBCS" and "KANJI" to find the references.

1.  CA IDMS IDD DDDL Reference Guide --> Appendix G Double-Byte Chanracter Set (DBCS) Strings                                   
2.  CA IDMS ADS Reference Guide --> Chapter 13 Arithmetic and Assignment Command  
3.  CA IDMS Server User Guide -->  Chapter 5: Configuring the Client on Windows and Appendix A Windows Registry Information   
4.  CA IDMS Database Administration Guide --> Chapter 14: Schema Statements                    
5.  CA IDMS Installation Guide --> Chapter 5: Starting Your Product and Appendix A: CA IDMS Product List                
6.  CA IDMS System Operation Guide --> Chapter 6: UCF Operations 
7.  CA IDMS System Generation --> Appendix B: System Programs and Tasks   

 

For IDMS 17.0, there are two apars required:

    RI23423 Title: DOCUP TO IDD DDDL REFERENCE GUIDE REGARDING DBCS.   

    RI26220 Title: RHDCMAPR: TRUE OPTIONAL APAR REPLACEMENT

    

For IDMS 18.0; RI29610 Title: OPTIONAL APAR BIT SETTINGS FOR RELEASE 18.0

 

For IDMS 18.5, RI70658 Title: OPTIONAL APAR BIT SETTINGS FOR RELEASE 18.5 

 

For IDMS release 19.0; for now, use the 18.5 optional apar RI70658.

 

Environment

Release: IDADSO00100-18.5-ADS-for CA-IDMS
Component: