Deletes one or more field definitions.  When the DELETE FIELD
 statement executes, Rdb/VMS deletes the field definition from the
 physical database.  If you invoke the database using the PATHNAME
 qualifier, Rdb/VMS also deletes the field definition from the data
 dictionary.  You can delete any named field, whether it was defined
 with a DEFINE FIELD statement or with a DEFINE RELATION statement.
 However, you cannot delete a field that is referred to in the
 definition of a relation, index, or constraint:

 Example:

      DELETE FIELD POSTAL_CODE.

Additional information available:

MoreFormatExamples

  o  You must have the Rdb/VMS DELETE privilege for a field to delete
     the field with the DELETE FIELD statement.

  o  If you want to delete a field that is part of a relation
     definition, you must use the CHANGE RELATION statement to delete
     the field from the relation definition, or you must delete the
     entire relation.

  o  If you want to delete a field that is referred to in a constraint
     or index definition, you must first delete the constraint or
     index.

  o  You cannot delete a field definition unless you have invoked the
     database that includes the field.

  o  You can delete a field definition even when there are active
     users.  Deleting a field definition will not affect active users
     until they exit their session and invoke the database the next
     time.

  o  You must execute this statement in a read/write transaction.  If
     there is no active transaction and you issue this statement,
     Rdb/VMS starts a read/write transaction implicitly.

 DELETE FIELD ───┬───> field-name ────┬───> .
                 └────<──── , ────<───┘

 field-name  The name of the field whose definition you want to
             delete.

 Example 1

 Delete a single field definition:

 RDO> INVOKE DATABASE PATHNAME 'PERSONNEL'
 RDO> START_TRANSACTION READ_WRITE
 RDO> DELETE FIELD TEMP_NUM.
 RDO> COMMIT

 This sequence deletes the field definition from the physical database
 and the data dictionary.


 Example 2

 Delete more than one field definition:

 RDO> INVOKE DATABASE PATHNAME 'PERSONNEL'
 RDO> START_TRANSACTION READ_WRITE
 RDO> DELETE FIELD TEMP_NUM, MONEY.
 RDO> COMMIT

 This sequence deletes the definitions for the TEMP_NUM and MONEY
 fields from the physical database and the data dictionary dictionary.


 Example 3

 Delete a field from a relation:

 RDO> INVOKE DATABASE PATHNAME 'PERSONNEL'
 RDO> START_TRANSACTION READ_WRITE
 RDO> DELETE FIELD STATUS_NAME.
 %RDO-W-NOCDDUPDAT, database invoked by filename, the CDD will not be
 updated
 %RDB-E-NO_META_UPDATE, metadata update failed
 %RDMS-F-RELEXI, field STATUS_NAME is used in relation, WORK_STATUS
 -RDMS-F-FLDNOTDEL, field STATUS_NAME has not been deleted
 RDO> CHANGE RELATION WORK_STATUS.
 cont>  DELETE STATUS_NAME.
 cont>  END.
 RDO> DELETE FIELD STATUS_NAME.
 RDO> COMMIT

 If a field is used in a relation, you need to perform two operations
 to delete it:

  o  Change the relation by deleting the field.

  o  Delete the global field definition.