VarChar problem

I am having a problem with a program that is using externally described
varchar fields. It appears that the program is not recognizing that the
fields are varchar, even though the program is compiled with
CVTOPT(*VARCHAR).

The compile listing shows that it is a variable length character field (70
is the max):

1035=O FTCCM3 562A CHAR 72 FTC
COMMENT 3
External data
type is Variable Length Character.


But when I try to write to this file I get a data mapping error for reason
14: "14 -- The length of a variable length field is not valid"

I am not moving anything to these fields in the program. I clear the
record format, then fill other data elements but do nothing with these
variable fields.

In testing, I moved a single character 'z' to these fields and it put the
'z' in the first position of the field (where the index should go).

C Eval FTCCM3 = 'z'
C Eval FTCCM4 = 'z'
C Eval FTCCM5 = 'z'

FTCCM3 CHAR(72) 'z '
VALUE IN HEX
'A9404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040'X


41
'4040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040'X
FTCCM4 CHAR(72) 'z '
VALUE IN HEX
'A9404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040'X


41
'4040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040'X
FTCCM5 CHAR(72) 'z '
VALUE IN HEX
'A9404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040'X


41
'4040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040404040'X

This program was working fine until we re-compiled it. It was previously
compiled in release v5r2m0 and now we are at v5r4m0.


Matt Hopkins
Sr. Programmer/Analyst
Web: www.pdpgroupinc.com
Email: MWHopkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Office: 410-584-0330
Fax: 410-584-0336