RE: Binary variables in RPG

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Joe Pluta
> 
> Conversely, the size of integer field types I and U indicates the
number
> of bytes in the field.

It's really bizarre how this works.  A two-byte field, 16 bits, can hold
from 0 to 65535 or from -32768 to 32767.  This field is called either a
4B or a 5U (or 5I for signed).  The five for U or I indicates that it
requires five decimal digits to hold the largest possible integer value
of the field, while the four for type B says that the field can only
hold all possible values for up to four decimal digits.  Ick.

I wish they had just chucked the whole decimal digits concept out the
window, and simply named the values after the number of bytes: 1I0, 2I0,
4I0 and 8I0.  We could figure out the details.

Joe