The LOWER-CASE function returns a character string that is the same length as argument-1 with each upper-case letter replaced by the corresponding lower-case letter. The type of this function depends on the argument as follows: 
 
   
	  
	 
 
		   
		   
		   
			  
				| Argument Type | Function Type | 
 
		  
 
		   
			  
				| Alphabetic | Alphanumeric | 
 
			  
				| Alphanumeric | Alphanumeric | 
 
			  
				| National | National | 
 
		  
 
		
 
 
   
 
  General Format
 
	  
	  
 
  Arguments
 
	   
	 - Argument-1 must be class alphabetic or alphanumeric 
		 
		   or national or national
 and must be at least one character in length. 
		 
Returned Values
 
	   
	 - The same character string as argument-1 is returned, except that each upper-case letter is replaced by the corresponding lower-case letter. 
	 
- The character string returned has the same length as argument-1. 
	 
- If the computer character set does not include lower-case letters, no changes take place in the character string.