Jerry Fochtman replies:

>When QUERY detects the item is type 'Z' and the FIND value is
>positive, it actually performs 2 DBFINDs; one signed and one
>unsigned.....

Yeah, I can see that's what it is doing.  My original question 
still stands: Why?

And furthermore, the more I think about this, the more the real 
problem seems to be SQL's inability to handle unsigned integers 
in the Z-type data items.  I mean, the problem never surfaced 
until we started updating the data set via ODBC and SQL, then 
all these "wierd" characters started appearing in the data. 

So, perhaps it's the SQL interface to Image, or the ODBCLine/SE 
product that's causing these problems.  I have good information 
that the problem is the SQL interface to Image, and has been 
for some time (like since SQL was first interfaced to Image).  
I have also been told that HP refuses to even consider a fix 
for this.

The end of all this is BEWARE!  If you're using Z-type data items 
as unsigned numbers, you can prepare yourself to convert all your 
data and programs and copylib's to handle signed numbers if you 
decide to use SQL or and ODBC product which requires SQL.

Jim Phillips                            Manager of Information Systems
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]      Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: (330) 527-2124                   P. O. Box 285
  Fax: (330) 527-2123                   Garrettsville, Ohio  44231