RE: Data manipulation

If you only have to "tokens" in this 36-position field (where's the city
being entered?) then it should be a matter of extracting both of these
tokens into individual fields and looking at the data in these fields to
determine if it is a valid STATE. If it isn't then check it for valid
ZIP/Postal code syntax.
Start with: STZIP = "IL 60606"
End with:  STATE="IL"   ZIP="60606"
To do this, first trim off the left-side blanks using %TRIML like this:
 Eval   STZIP = %TrimL(STZip)
Then, Scan for a blank, like this:
 Eval   pos = %Scan(' ' : StZip)
If   Pos > 0
Eval   state = %Subst(stzip:1:pos-1);
Eval   zip = %subst(stZip: pos + 1)
Eval   zip = %Trim(zip)
Endif

At this point you should have the State and ZipCode in the two fields.
Of course I just ad hoc coded this stuff, so it might not be perfect.
<g>
Bob Cozzi
www.rpgiv.com/forum

> > Hi:
> >
> > I have a free-form 36 position field with a state and postal code
(but
> > since its not edited I don't know where in the field)..
> >
> > Does anyone have a slick way of extracting the postal code?
> >
> > The postal code could be US or Canadian.....