Cant see the wood for the trees

Hi everyone
first of all, let me just say that I don't really know what question I want
answered here.
Now if you understand that statement.
If you are sitting comfortably, then I'll begin.
I had made a change to an existing program, so that the output file would
be qualified

FFilename if a e k disk prefix('P99')

with

D P99 E DS Extname(Filename)
D QUALIFIED

with all the necessary changes to the fields of that file

P99.filename1
P99.filename2
etc. etc.

Once I finally compiled error-free, I tested the program and lo-and behold,
the file was produced with a number of records - but every field name, on
every record was clear, empty, devoid of data.
I re-ran the test in debug mode, and EVALing every field (eval
P99.filename1, eval P99.filename2 etc ) before the write, showed me that
data was in each and every field, but once again - empty fields on every
record.
Now for the astute people out there, I can here you all shouting "YOU
FORGOT THE PERIOD ON THE PREFIX, YOU @#$%^&*()"
Hence the subject title. Did not see that for literally HOURS.
Once the problem dawned on me, someone said that the look on my face was as
if the bird of paradise had flown up my butt. (Her words not mine)
I suppose my question is "Why did this compile in the first place?"
or something like that
Thanks for letting a now-deranged man get this off of his chest



Alan Shore

NBTY, Inc
(631) 244-2000 ext. 5019
AShore@xxxxxxxx
"If you're going through Hell, keep going" - Winston Churchill