FTP of file w/packed decimal data from S/390 to iSeries *PF

List,

We have a VSAM KSDS (indexed) dataset on our VSE platform that we want to 
move to the iSeries. This file has fixed length records but some of the data 
in the record is in packed decimal format. I had a brief conversation with 
someone from iSeries FTP support and they pointed me to a document in the 
iSeries Information Center that states "Before packed decimal or zoned 
decimal data can be transferred to or from other system architectures (such 
as S/390(R) or UNIX(R)), you must convert the data to printable form."

Other than the obvious method of reformatting the data to printable format 
and FTP the reformatted file, I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas 
of how this could be accomplished. If that is our only recourse then that is 
what we will have to do. I just want to make sure I've exhausted all the 
possibilities before I resign myself to this task. We have several files 
that will have be handled this way.

TIA for any other ideas you may want to share.