In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask] says... > In article <[log in to unmask]>, > [log in to unmask] says... > <snip> > > 3. COBOL performs data conversion when moving from one type of field > > to another (e.g. display to comp, display alphanumeric to display > > numeric, comp to comp-3, etc.). Use the same datatypes where possible > > to avoid unwanted conversions. > > I'm trying to understand the customers code. They move a PIC X(8) into a > binary variable (well a COMP type which I thought was binary). How does > COBOL know that the PIC X(8) contains a binary value rather than an ASCII > string like "200"? > > The reason this doesn't work on ACU COBOL is that ACU tries to interpret > @4<0><0> as an ASCII string. So this code will work on MPE but not on > ACU COBOL with an emulation of HPEXTIN. It's OK - I see the problem now. There's no point in that DISPLAY of the real number - it's going to print rubish. I should just pass it to PAUSE and not worry about it. I think I'm OK now! Thanks. -- http://www.beluga.freeserve.co.uk * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *