By default, Maintain Data does not usually distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters. You can enter keywords and names, such as data source and field names, in any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters. The only two exceptions are the MAINTAIN and END keywords used to begin and end a request. These keywords must be uppercase.
However, if mixed-case or NLS field and segment names are used in your application by enabling the MNTCON MATCH_CASE command, you must be consistent with the case style used in the names you give your variables and other application components. In addition, function names must match exactly as documented. However, Maintain Data keywords, such as Repeat and Include, do not need any special consideration when using this feature. For more information on MNTCON MATCH_CASE, see MNTCON MATCH_CASE.
For example, the following ways of specifying the REPEAT command are equally valid, and Maintain Data always considers them to be identical:
REPEAT
repeat
RePeat
REPeat
By default, you can mix uppercase and lowercase to make variable names more understandable to a reader. For example, the stack name SALARYSTACK could also be represented as SalaryStack.
Note: In this content, sample Maintain Data source code shows keywords in uppercase, and user-defined names, such as field and stack names, in mixed-case. This is only a document convention, not a Maintain Data language rule. As already explained, you can code Maintain Data commands in uppercase and lowercase.
While, by default, Maintain Data is not sensitive to the case of syntax, it is sensitive to the case of data. For example, the MATCH command distinguishes between the values SMITH and Smith.
Note: Any Master Files that Maintain Data accesses must have field and segment names in uppercase, unless the MATCH_CASE feature is enabled.