Zoned Decimal array in RPG III

[Guest.Visitor]

How do I define a zoned decimal array in RPG III? "Help" in SEU says to leave the "type" field blanks for zoned decimal but a compile always generates a packed numeric array. Why Do I need this? Because the array is a parm to an RPG IV program that defines the array as signed numeric. Can I change the RPG IV program? Sure - but my original question persists. Thanks. Chris

[D.Handy]

Chris, "How do I define a zoned decimal array in RPG III?" I believe if you create a DS and name the array within it (ie from 1 thru x where x = entries * zoned length) that you can achieve what you want. Doug

[Guest.Visitor]

The help is referring to the data type in a file, if the array was being read from a file. To actually get a zoned array, you have to also code it as a subfield in a data structure. In the DS, code the from and to positions for the entire zoned array (if it's 7 elements of 4 zoned digits each, code it as 28 bytes). I remember scratching my head over this one once ... I hate the E spec - the array part is complicated enough without throwing the RAF stuff in too. Barbara Morris

[David Abramowitz]

RPG III will convert any zoned numeric into packed for internal processing. You can verify this by using the DUMP opcode in debug mode. The resulting dump will show that even database fields defined as zoned have been converted into packed fields. Dave

[Guest.Visitor]

David, When you pass a packed array as a parm to a program that defines the array as zoned decimal (which is what i was doing), the elements are not received properly in the called program. Chris

[Guest.Visitor]

Wow, I'm having flashbacks to my S/36 RPG II days! Thanks. Chris