Hi, Jim
Usually Make Trailing sign for Negative Value , 
Or use for Report Detail Line Pic 9(4) + Pic x value space.
Implied Trailing one blank space, for all the Data is positive value.

Cheers



Peter Chong
Sr. ERP/MRP Analyst.
714.956.9200 x 363

>>> JIM McINTOSH <[log in to unmask]> 12/16/99 05:00PM >>>
Hello.

Please consider the following code.  The result is that DATE-ERR-NUM is not
equal to ZERO.  When the picture is changed to PIC 9(4) (without the
negative sign), the result is that DATE-ERR-NUM is equal to ZERO.  The
question is: has it always been thus?  Thanks in advance.

$CONTROL VALIDATE,BOUNDS,CMCALL
 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
 PROGRAM-ID.    JCMTESTC.
 AUTHOR.        JC MCINTOSH.
 DATE-WRITTEN.  DECEMBER 1999.
 DATE-COMPILED.
 REMARKS.

 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
 CONFIGURATION SECTION.
 SOURCE-COMPUTER.  HP-3000.
 OBJECT-COMPUTER.  HP-3000.

 DATA DIVISION.
 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.

 01  DATE-ERR-NUM             PIC 9(4)-.

 PROCEDURE DIVISION.
 00-MAIN.
     MOVE ZERO TO DATE-ERR-NUM.

     IF DATE-ERR-NUM NOT = ZERO
       DISPLAY "NOT ZERO " DATE-ERR-NUM
     ELSE
       DISPLAY "ZERO     " DATE-ERR-NUM
     END-IF.

     STOP RUN.

Jim McIntosh
Professional Data System, Inc.
(206) 789-5163
[log in to unmask]