Conversion from Char to Bin and Bin to character in PL/I

Sudhakar9d · New User Joined: 10 Aug 2005 Posts: 3

How to convert Char to BIN fixed and bin fixed to character in pl/i. Please see the below code I have.

I have: DCL VSC FIXED BIN(31) and for online display I need PIC 'ZZZZZ9999' format. also from PIC 'ZZZZZ9999' TO vsc assignment

Will this work

DCL XPIC PIC 'ZZZZZ9999';
DCL VSC FIXED BIN(31) BASED(ADDR(XPIC);

Will automatically convert from VSC to XPIC format??? pls suggest. and vice versa.

Akatsukami · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:19 am

No; VSC will simply overlay the first four bytes of XPIC, giving you garbage, and possibly an 8097 on-code.

If you're programming in Enterprise PL/I, use the DECIMAL function. In MVS PL/I, automatic conversion might give you the results that you want.

prino · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:28 am

Sudhakar9d · New User Joined: 10 Aug 2005 Posts: 3

Thanks for the answer.

I'm new to PL/I, Actually I want is 'REDEFINE' function cobol similary in PL/I.

I have INTEGER column in DB2 Table and DCLGEN generated as FIXED BIN(31). after getting value and calculation I need to display on screen without leading zeros. So REDEFINE in cobol would be best for this but I'm not sure in PL/I.. Pls tell what is the solution for this.

I'm not sure how to use Automatic Conversion. can you explain pls.

I tried DEFINED, BASED functions did not work, Is there anything else to REDEFINE or share memory space b/w variables in PL/I

dick scherrer · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:10 am

Hello,

Sudhakar9d · New User Joined: 10 Aug 2005 Posts: 3

I use PL/I Language and ISPF Dialog panels for Online screens. I changed my DB2 table to include INTEGER column(VSC) and DCLGEN was generated copybook for this as DCL VSC FIXED BIN(31). so down the line in program I use VSC to compare in IF and other Embedded SQL statements for the same column. After all, I want display VSC field at online screen, and also users will enter the values for this field.

Ex:1. VSC = 00012345 -- I want to display on screen as 12345

Since this field is bin fixed, I can't use for display directly. So I want to map this to a PVSC PIC 'ZZZZZ9999' and use PVSC to display at on line screen for the same value.

So in order to do this I want map both variables(VSC,PVSC) to the same memory location and use any variables at any time. I do not need to move each other to make it same all time, when I use any one of these variables.

Since my screen will display in this program more than 8 times and each time I need to move VSC value to PVSC and display and receiving time move back to PVSC to VSC. This I have to do 8 time in the program if I not using the same memory location for both of the variables.

So this is the reason, I was looking for PIC and BIN variables can share same memory location and when it use, does it automatically convert to their declaration type?. Is there any other mothed to use.

In COBOL, I used 'REDEFINE' clause for this case, not sure in PL/I

Robert Sample · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:23 am

Neither COBOL nor PL/I will do this. The hex value of a PIC S9(09) COMP or FIXED BIN(31) field with value 12345 is x'00003039'. The hex value of the last 5 characters of a display field PIC ZZZZZ9999 would be x'F1F2F3F4F5' -- not at all the same, and a REDEFINES or BASED will not change them from one to the other -- only a move to another variable will do it.

I recommend you spend some time in the manuals learning the internal formats for the various data types so you will know which ones make sense to overlay and which don't.

dick scherrer · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:39 am

Hello,