Re: Difference between Zoned and packed

[Hans Boldt <boldt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Aruna Thota wrote:
> Hello everybody,
>           I want to know the diffrence between the datatypes zoned and
> packed.
> Are there any specific situations where they have to be used? i.e Usage of
> both datatypes.
>
> Thanks

Functionally, zoned decimal numeric, packed decimal numeric, and binary 
decimal numeric all work exactly the same way. However, you need to 
explicitly use one of them when a procedure or program requires a 
(reference) parameter of a specific decimal format. Otherwise, for most 
RPG programmers, if a decimal numeric field is needed, packed format is 
the usual choice since it is the most efficient of the decimal numeric 
formats. (But of course, integer and unsigned are the most efficient 
numeric formats on the iSeries.)

Cheers! Hans