Re: Binary fields in DB2 and RPG

Scott Klement wrote:

Anyway, if you declare a field in SQL as type INT, it is actually
declared in DB2 as a 9B0 field. This is fine right up until the time
you try to write a value over 999,999,999.

I think, perhaps, you're assuming that 9B 0 in the database behaves like 9B 0 in RPG. It does not. 9B 0 in the database is a "real integer", and does not have the 999,999,999 limit.

9B 0 in RPG does have that limit. Unfortunately, by default, RPG will map a 9B 0 database field into the (yucky) 9B 0 RPG field, thus causing a problem. Worse, programs generated by the UPDDTA function of DFU will generate RPG code that uses this awful 9B 0 data type.

however, the database 9B 0 can store values up to the full 32 bits, like a true integer field. If you code EXTBININT(*YES) on your RPG H-spec, the RPG compiler will use true integers when it reads/writes the file as well, thus providing full integer support all around. (Unfortunately, for backward compatibility, EXTBININT(*YES) is not the default)

To try it out... create the following PF (I used DDS instead of DDL because it makes it clearer that it's a 9B 0 field):

Thanks for this input, Scott!! I'll take your word for this, because as it turns out an integer field wasn't long enough anyway, so I've had to change to BIGINT, and the odd behavior at the highest digit is no longer an issue, since I won't be hitting that particular threshhold in this application.

Now if only EXTBININT worked for LIKE defines...

Joe