Comparison of Alphanumeric to Comp variable

Anurag Singh · New User Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 25 Location: India

Please suggest , whether the below given expression will be executable in COBOL:

LAyout of variable:
WS-A Pic x(4)
WS-B Pic s9(4) comp-3

Both variables have value "1234"

Now

IF WS-A = WS-B
Perform 2000-para-a
else
perform 2000-para-b

What will be the answer and why ?
can we compare both the variables?
whether Para-a will be performed of Para-b?

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:40 pm

YOU try and tell us !

Anurag Singh · New User Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 25 Location: India

I dont have resources currently to check this , if any one can check this , kindly tell the result.

TIA

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:15 pm

Redefine WS-A as PIC 9(04) and then compare. The compiler will most likely "Pack" the redefined WS-A and ensure a "C" sign-nibble, then issue a "Compare Pack" instruction.

Some versions of the COBOL compiler will "Pack" the PIC X(04) version of WS-A and ensure the "C" sign-nibble, but you'll always be correct using the redefined PIC 9(04) definition.

I don't have a means to test this but, using the PIC 9(04) redefinition of WS-A will ensure a result of either an EQUAL or NOT EQUAL condition, providing WS-A resolves itself to a valid "Packed-Decimal" value. Otherwise, you'll get a S0C7 Data-Exception.

Note that your post indicates Alphanumeric to COMP comparison, but you're actually comparing Alphanumeric to Packed-Decimal (COMP-3).

Bill

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:15 pm

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:27 pm

Dick,

I understand that terminology sometimes intimidates. But, my method for madness was for the OP to possibly research this on their own time and not to impose on others.

After this post had been moved to the proper forum, I realized that I may have given TMI.

But, some information is better than none and (IMHO) it's best to educate one's self in their area of expertise, rather than to rely on others to spoon feed it to them, because they'll learn nothing except to meld themselves into some sort of "Entitlement".

Bill

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:07 am

Sorry Bill, you misinterpreted my comment.

I am ever mean-spirited in my posts because people post without
using the proper terminology - without which one can not attain a decent level of subject understanding.

the continual miss-use of the term JCL,
the obvious (and sometime not obvious) typo's are just indicative of not 'previewing' their work.

your posts are most informative, and don't ever think that I am being critical of your efforts.

Akatsukami · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:42 am

Shame on your sexism, Mr. Brenholtz; the incorrect use of the term "JCL" is not restricted to unmarried women

Terry Heinze · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:31 am

Anu,
The COBOL Language Reference manual has a table showing all valid and invalid types of MOVEs.

ajay_diaz · New User Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 28

Pardon me for replying to this post now (after 4 months!!). But I thought it might be useful for others in future.
I tried to test the program but the program couldn't even be compiled. It gave error message saying "The comparison of packed and alpha-numeric is discarded".