Convert to full free format Datastructure with fixed positions

Question

i'm converting a program to full free format but don't know how to replace a data structure with fixed positions. and i cant find a good example online also.

i have 2 data structures like below. i tried

dcl-ds bl dim(12)
bl01 char(7);
bl02 char(7);
...
end-ds

and

 dcl-s bl char(7) dim(12);

this is the part that i try to convert

 //*************************************************************************
  // NORMAL DATA STRUCTURES                                                 *
  //*************************************************************************
 D                 DS
 D  BL                     1     84
 D                                     DIM(12)                              BARCODE LABEL
 D  BL01                   1      7
 D  BL02                   8     14
 D  BL03                  15     21
 D  BL04                  22     28
 D  BL05                  29     35
 D  BL06                  36     42
 D  BL07                  43     49
 D  BL08                  50     56
 D  BL09                  57     63
 D  BL10                  64     70
 D  BL11                  71     77
 D  BL12                  78     84
 D                 DS
 D  TL                     1     72
 D                                     DIM(12)                              TEXT LABEL
 D  TL01                   1      6
 D  TL02                   7     12
 D  TL03                  13     18
 D  TL04                  19     24
 D  TL05                  25     30
 D  TL06                  31     36
 D  TL07                  37     42
 D  TL08                  43     48
 D  TL09                  49     54
 D  TL10                  55     60
 D  TL11                  61     66
 D  TL12                  67     72            

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

EDIT: Do not use the first option here. Leaving answer here as is because it is good to note when an option is incorrect.

You have two options here. You can use either pos or overlay. overlay positions relative to another field while pos is an absolution position.

dcl-ds *n;
    bl char(7) dim(12);
    bl01 char(7) overlay(bl);
    bl02 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl03 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl04 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl05 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl06 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl07 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl08 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl09 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl10 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl11 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
    bl12 char(7) overlay(bl:*next);
end-ds;

The other option:

dcl-ds *n;
    bl char(7) dim(12) pos(1);
    bl01 char(7) pos(1);
    bl02 char(7) pos(8);
    bl03 char(7) pos(15);
    ...
end-ds;