Re: just curious - Number of Parms(numeric zip codes and other crimes against nature) -- RPG400-L

Yes, that actually makes very good sense.  I also got bitten by the zip code 
character issue.

I had written an application for a retail store, full inventory, invoice, a/r, 
a/p type system.  I
had made zip codes as 5 numeric.  Everything was fine.  Til 6 months later 
someone calls
up from Canada for us to ship them something.  Ooops.  They use a 9X9 X9X type 
of
zip code format.  Not only is their characters in there, but it's longer too.  
We were able to
kludge that one order, put the zipcode in the address 2 line, but then I had to 
go through all
my programs and change them from numeric to character and increase the length..
Luckily because I had written this thing in Clipper (compiled dBase) once I 
changed the
database I didn't have to recompile all the programs because it used dynamic 
variable
declaration (declared at run time, not compile time).  Was a pain changing the 
screens and
printouts where they showed up though.

Regards,

Jim Langston

Joel Fritz wrote:

> I was taught a very simple rule on when to use a numeric--"Will it be used
> in computations; does it represent a quantity; or does it show order?  If
> yes to any of the above, use a number, otherwise use a character variable."
> I think we could debate the order criterion at length, although numbers are
> pretty darned easy to increment.
>
> I've seen ZIP codes stored as numeric because "It takes up less space," or
> "It's easier to format ZIP +4 with edit words."  Same thing with phone
> numbers.  The real fun is using Query or RPG to join files by ZIP code when
> you have character in one and numeric in the other.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Gary Guthrie [mailto:GaryGuthrie@home.com]
> > Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 9:48 PM
> > To: RPG400-L@midrange.com
> > Subject: Re: just curious - Number of Parms
> >
> >
> >>
> > Limiting the conversation momentarily to the USA, Zip Codes often are
> > defined as numeric. In fact, in the not so distant past, they were
> > defined as 5 digits in length. Of course, 9 is a more
> > appropriate length
> > now. But, all of a sudden your company decides to do business
> > outside of
> > the USA -- hmm, now we need alpha characters, too! And,
> > there's nothing
> > that prevents USA standards to change to allow alpha characters.
> >
> > This having been said, I submit that it's best to leave numeric
> > definitions to those entities that indicate quantitative data
> > and avoid
> > the type of problems mentioned.
> >
> > Thoughts?
> >
> > Gary Guthrie
> > REAL Solutions Technical Support
> > NEWS/400 Technical Editor

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