Why does USER require VARCHAR and not work with CHAR?

Hi there,

IBM i 7.3, TR 2, cum level 17061, DB2 PTF group level 6

I have a CREATE TABLE statement where the create user column is using
CHAR(18) and the change user column won't allow CHAR(18) but works if
VARCHAR(18).
Why can't they both be CHAR(18)?

This won't work:

CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE glenn_test_table FOR SYSTEM NAME test_table (
create_user FOR COLUMN recrtuser CHAR(18) CCSID 37 NOT NULL DEFAULT USER ,
change_user FOR COLUMN rechguser CHAR(18) CCSID 37 NOT NULL GENERATED
ALWAYS AS (USER) )
RCDFMT RPCMMNT

SQL0574 Column, sequence, or variable attribute is not valid.

This does work:

CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE glenn_test_table FOR SYSTEM NAME test_table (
create_user FOR COLUMN recrtuser CHAR(18) CCSID 37 NOT NULL DEFAULT USER ,
change_user FOR COLUMN rechguser VARCHAR(18) CCSID 37 NOT NULL GENERATED
ALWAYS AS (USER) )
RCDFMT RPCMMNT

My question, why?


Yours truly,

Glenn Gundermann
Email: glenn.gundermann@xxxxxxxxx
Work: (905) 486-1162 x 239
Cell: (416) 317-3144