Re: External file fields are BIN(9,0) but compiler converts toP(9,0), Why?

"Tyler, Matt" wrote:
> 
> Hello all,
>         I have not noticed this until today.  I have been using a vendor's
> files that were created with integers and small integers.  In my RPG IV
> programs the files are externally described.  The compile listing even
> produces the correct data type definition on the import specifications.
> However, on the cross reference the same field is described as a packed
> field.  This does not occur when the file is reference in an externally
> defined DS.   The compiler references the binary field as a packed field
> when ever LIKE() definitions are used.  Am I missing anything here?    Why
> doesn't the compiler use the external field definition?
> 

Matt, it's a feature of RPG that you can have the same field packed in
one file and binary in another.  This works because I specs (which are
created by the compiler for externally-described files) just describe
move operations from the file buffer to the program fields.  I specs
don't actually define the program fields.  If you don't have an explicit
D spec definition for your program field, it will get defined for you by
the compiler with the default (which is packed for numeric fields).

To get the compiler to use the external definition, add an
externally-described data structure for the file.  That will create the
explicit D spec definitions for you.

Fmyfile   if    e        disk

D         e ds             extname(myfile)