RE: DB2 Table: Is there any valid reason to create a zoned decimal column?

I got the point about the decimal but the data can be parsed and a decimal added to it by whatever is reading the data. 123F converts to trash and there is nothing that an ASCII system can do with it. If an ASCII system want to "GET" data via FTP from the IBM i, someone on the IBM i has to unpack it first.

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Rob Berendt
Sent: Saturday, September 9, 2023 4:32 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: DB2 Table: Is there any valid reason to create a zoned decimal column?

I think you missed my point. 123.45 will look like x'F1F2F3F4F5' and there will be nothing for the decimal as it is implied. So if I ftp that over to a PC it will appear as 12345. Therefore zoned decimal brings nothing to that party.

On Sat, Sep 9, 2023 at 12:32 PM <smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"And, as far as transferring flat files to heterogeneous environments
goes, implied decimal positions seen with zoned decimal isn't going to
be any easier than packed decimal. Both will need to go through a
download tool to convert or something like CPYTOIMPF."

I have to disagree with that statement. FTP will automatically
convert EBCDIC to ASCII. Therefore, EBCDIC zoned F1F2F3 automatically
converts to ASCII 313233 but EBCIDC packed 123F does not convert to
anything intelligent in ASCII.

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
Rob Berendt
Sent: Saturday, September 9, 2023 8:55 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: DB2 Table: Is there any valid reason to create a zoned
decimal column?

Are people still using files without column definitions? Where they
simply do a CRTPF MYFILE RCDLEN(256) and use RPG to define the field
positions?
Otherwise I cannot fathom the glory of DSPPFM to find numerics.

And, as far as transferring flat files to heterogeneous environments
goes, implied decimal positions seen with zoned decimal isn't going to
be any easier than packed decimal. Both will need to go through a
download tool to convert or something like CPYTOIMPF.

On Fri, Sep 8, 2023 at 4:25 PM Osborne, Wynn <
Wynn.Osborne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi all,

This question arose within me while putting together some database
standards for my team.
I cannot think of valid reason why I would ever this

What about you? Have you come across a scenario where this was good

choice?

Regards,

Wynn Osborne
Senior IBM i Programmer-Analyst,Database Administrator The Villages


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