packed decimal

, ,
1

hi

i want to do validation for packed decimal(p5,2).

iam using EM edit mask iam getting error

thanks in advance

2

The Natural Help says, that the following should work (but it’s not recommended):

define data local
01 #a4   (A4) init <H'1234567D'> /* packed -12345.67
01 redefine #a4
  02 #p5_2 (P5.2)
end-define
*
if #p5_2 = MASK (NNNZ)
  write 'packed'
else
  write 'not packed'
end-if
*
end
3

It must be MASK(NNNNNNZ), as N checks a digit (not a byte), whereas Z checks a byte for a signed digit (so in total 4 bytes / 7 digits are checked). This check is the only way to check a packed value for a correct value and thus, of course, recommended. What is not recommended, is the redefinition of a alpha string, but in Natural we are used to do this.

4

[quote="Wilfried B