Checking defined character conversions

Character conversion definitions identify valid conversions for source and target CCSIDs for DB2®. Many of these definitions are predefined. If you are not sure if a particular character conversion that you need is defined to DB2, check your character conversion definitions.

Procedure

To check defined character conversions:

  1. Query the DB2 catalog table SYSIBM.SYSSTRINGS. Each row in the catalog table describes a conversion from one CCSID to another. IBM® supplies some of the rows. You can also add your own rows.
    Begin general-use programming interface information.
    Example: You can use the following query to view the defined conversions for CCSID 500:
    SELECT INCCSID, OUTCCSID, TRANSTYPE, HEX(ERRORBYTE) AS ERRORBYTE, 
       HEX(SUBBYTE) AS SUBBYTE, TRANSPROC, IBMREQD, HEX(TRANSTAB) AS TRANSTAB
       FROM SYSIBM.SYSSTRINGS WHERE CCSID=500
    End general-use programming interface information.
  2. Check the conversion image for z/OS® Unicode Services by using the DISPLAY UNI command. This image contains character conversion definitions. If a definition for a particular source CCSID and target CCSID already exists in SYSIBM.SYSSTRINGS, DB2 uses that definition instead. The exception is for Unicode CCSIDs. If the source or target CCSID is 1200 or 1208, DB2 uses the definition in the conversion image for z/OS Unicode Services

    For an example of the DISPLAY UNI output, see Unicode CCSIDs