You can refer to an individual field in any one of the following ways:

• Using the field name defined in the Master File.
• Using the alias (the field name synonym) defined in the Master File.
• Using the shortest unique truncation of the field name or the alias. When a truncation is used, it must be unique. If it is not unique, an error message is displayed.

In the following requests, DEPARTMENT is the complete field name, DPT is the alias, and DEP is a unique truncation of DEPARTMENT. All these examples produce the same output.

1. TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE
   PRINT DEPARTMENT
   END

2. TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE
   PRINT DPT
   END

3. TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE
   PRINT DEP
   END

Note: If you use a truncation that is not unique, the following message will appear:

(FOC016) THE TRUNCATED FIELDNAME IS NOT UNIQUE : D