REPEAT Function

Purpose

Returns a string consisting of the source string concatenated to itself the number of times specified by the second argument.

Syntax

REPEAT(x,y)

Parameters

xis a character-string, bit-string, or picture value, and y is a positive integer expression. If x is an arithmetic value, it is converted to a bit string if it is binary, or to a character string if it is decimal.

Description

The REPEAT function copies a particular string, x, a certain number of times, y, and concatenates the result to the original string x. REPEAT effectively returns a string containing (y+1) occurrences of the string argument with length (y+1) * length (x).

Examples

DECLARE X CHAR(8);

X = REPEAT('AB',3);       /* returns X = 'ABABABAB' *

Note that the same result could be produced by using a string repetition factor, as illustrated below:

X = (4) 'AB';

Here is an example of using the REPEAT function for bit–strings:

DECLARE B_STRING BIT(4) STATIC INIT('1110'B); 
DECLARE B_RESULT BIT(8);

B_RESULT = REPEAT(B_STRING,1);

The above example will produce B_RESULT equal to '11101110'B.

Restrictions

None.