The OpenEdge Data Dictionary Format field and the ABL FORMAT phrase for character strings let you specify the display format in columns. For example, the character format "x(8)" can accommodate the following:
Eight, one-column characters. One-column characters exist in single-byte, double-byte, or UTF-8 code pages.
Four, two-column characters. Two-column characters exist in double-byte and UTF-8 code pages.
Other combinations of one- and two-column characters totaling up to eight columns.