RE: Use of %DEC with unformatted character numerics

To all,
        Thanks for the suggestions and explanations.  I was fishing there
was something I was missing.  I was hoping to convert all my code finally
over to free format, but I guess I will need to stick with the MOVE opcode
for these situations (which I did using a sub-procedure to do the work).  

        I do not see the purpose of having to write an augment to a standard
BIF and I have to agree with Chris about the need for the precision if the
decimal point needs to be there anyway.  How I think it should work with
characters is the precision is the total length of the number and the
decimal places is to tell %DEC() how to format the number for the result
field.  

        And Jon, I cannot remember why or when the standard of character was
chosen (which not truly a standard but a typical situation in our shop) but
it is something I have to deal with and it probably relates to unit testing
from the command line (it's easiest to call a program using characters than
packed or zoned numbers).  Character parameters are not done in all programs
and the sign is handled because it's just a move to and from.   

        I checked the V5.3 and it looks like the same text.  Hopefully,
there will either be a change in the BIF or the text to make this point
clearer.

        There are other ways I can get what I want, like DS overlays but we
are new to V5.2 and I was itching to start using new stuff in this release.

Thank you,
Matt Tyler
WinCo Foods, Inc
mattt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx