RE: Internal handling of numeric data in Cobol -- COBOL400-L

Subject: RE: Internal handling of numeric data in Cobol
From: "Jon Paris" <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 8 Oct 2002 11:31:49 -0400
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 >> I have recently been told that    "COBOL programs run more efficiently
when numeric fields are defined as odd length.

This is true not just of COBOL but RPG as well (and I suspect other
languages too).  When an even length packed field is the target of a numeric
operation, additional code is generated by the compilers to ensure that the
upper nibble (nyble?) is set to zero.

Jon Paris
Partner400

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