Testing from the command line (was: Use of %DEC with unformatted character numerics)

> 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).

As an aside, unit testing from the command line implies ad-hoc
processes.  I always test using a test jig, typically written in CL.
The advantages there are that I can put all my test cases in one place
and fire them all when I make a program change.  By running all my
test cases every time, I'm more likely to catch inadvertent problems
than when I make a change and test _for_that_change_alone_.

I realise you probably didn't want to hear this but on a public list
it's often good to address the larger issues for the lurkers and the
archives.
  --buck