From each COBOL Data Division, you can create two types of record layouts: a default record layout, and optionally one or
more conditional record layouts depending on your needs. If you do not define any conditional record layouts, all records
in the data file adopt the default record layout.
- Default record layout
- You can define one default record layout for each data file. When applied, a default record layout formats records that do
not otherwise meet the conditions specified by a conditional record layout defined in the same record layout file.
- Conditional record layout
- As well as a default record layout, you can create one or more conditional record layouts. When you create a conditional record
layout, you define one or more conditions to apply to one or more fields. When you apply a conditional record layout to a
data record, the data that is loaded into the Data File Editor must satisfy all the tests defined for that layout. When viewing
a data record that meets the conditions set by the applied record layout, this enables you to narrow the scope of fields that
appear in the Data File Editor to those that satisfy the conditions.
When you modify data in a record, the Data File Editor works out automatically which record layout to use for the modified
record.