RE: Testing for valid numeric in an alpha field

Dan,
To prevent a decimal data error when the field does not contain numerics, 
redefine the receiving field and test for numerics before performing any 
calculations.   

05   ws-vnd-company     pic 9(04).
05   ws-vnd-company-x refefines  ws-vnd-company   pic x(04).

MOVE VNCOMPANY TO WS-VND-COMPANY.
if ws-vnd-company-x not numeric
   move zeros to ws-vnd-company.

Alexis Cousino
Detroit Newspapers
acousino@xxxxxxxx
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan [mailto:dbcerpg@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 10:30 AM
To: cobol400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Testing for valid numeric in an alpha field


I know how to do this in RPG but not Cobol:

I've got a 15-character alpha that is supposed to contain a 4-digit number 
left-justified.  In my
Cobol program, VNCOMPANY is a 15-character alpha field and WS-VND-COMPANY is a 
4-digit numeric. 
When I do this:
    MOVE VNCOMPANY TO WS-VND-COMPANY.
and VNCOMPANY contains '40             ', I get a decimal data error.

In RPG, I'd use a MOVEL and a TESTN.  Off the top of my head, the only way I 
can see doing this in
Cobol is to check the first four bytes of the field individually to be in the 
range of '0' through
'9'.  (Bytes 5-15 would have to be blank for our validation purposes.)

Any suggestions?

TIA, Dan

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