Date:         Fri, 20 Sep 1996 00:53:26 GMT
Reply-To:     Francois Hebert <frheber@IBM.NET>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         Francois Hebert <frheber@IBM.NET>
Organization: F-G-L-M
Subject:      Re: Reading Cobol packed decimal data

John E. Bentley <bentleyj@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
<51mn1t$dru@dfw-ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>...
> I have a VSAM file that contains packed decimal numeric data.  How
> does one convert the 'picture' from the data dictionary and record
> layout to a SAS informat.  Can someone provide guidlines or a tabular
> reference?
>
> The SAS Language manual page 656 shows that COMP-3 PIC S9(7) can be
> read using PD4.  But I have a variable with PIC S9(2) V9(5).  How do I
> read that?  And what about PIC S9(3) and PIC S9(7) v99?
>
> Nobody here really understands VSAM and COBOL.  We have some legacy
> applications that run and nobody worries about them.  Now I've got a
> new dataset and don't know what to do with it.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
 
> Frangois Hibert <
>
> First, you must evaluate the total number of bytes for the field.
   This is given by the formula:
                     Number of bytes = integer(Number_of_digits / 2) + 1
   1 - Evaluate the number of bytes:
          PIC S9(x)V9(y)  COMP-3   ====>   x + y digits
 
   2 - Evaluate of the number of bytes:
        PIC S9(2)V9(5) COMP-3   =  integer( (2+5) / 2) + 1
                                                   =  integer(7 / 2)  +  1
                                                   =  3  + 1
                                                   =  4 bytes
          PIC S9(3)           COMP-3  =  integer(3/2) + 1    = 2 bytes
          PIC S9(7)V99    COMP-3  =  integer(9/2) + 1    = 5 bytes
 
   3 - Evaluate the SAS format
        The number of bytes gives you the length of your SAS format (e.g.
PD4._  PD2._  ...)
 
        The number of decimals is given by the cobol format (the V__ part).
 
        Having the number of bytes, you can define your SAS format like
this:
 
           PIC S9(2)V9(5) COMP-3  takes 4 bytes (with 5 decimals)  ===> In
SAS,  PD4.5
           PIC S9(3)          COMP-3  takes 2 bytes (with 0 decimals)  ===>
In SAS,   PD2.0
           PIC S9(7)V99   COMP-3  takes 5 bytes (with 2 decimals)  ===> In
SAS,   PD5.2
 
         This should do the job..... Good luck!