Numeric tests

You can test a field for numerics or non-numerics in character, zoned decimal or packed decimal format.

For example, you can include only those records in which a 5-byte field contains only '0'-'9' characters (that is, character numerics). Or you can include only those records in which a 9-byte field contains invalid zoned decimal data (that is, zoned decimal non-numerics). Or you can include only those records in which a 12-byte field contains valid packed decimal data (that is, packed decimal numerics).

A field to be tested for numerics in character format looks like this in hexadecimal:

FdFd...Fd

The field is considered to be character numeric if every d is 0-9. (This is equivalent to '0'-'9' for each character.) Otherwise, the field is considered to be character non-numeric. For example, '1234', '0001' and '9999' are all considered to be character numeric, whereas 'A234', '12.3', ' 1' and '123D' are all considered to be character non-numeric.

A field to be tested for numerics in zoned decimal format looks like this in hexadecimal:

zdzd...sd

The field is considered to be zoned decimal numeric if every z is F, every d is 0-9, and s is C, D or F. Otherwise, the field is considered to be zoned decimal non-numeric. For example, '1234' (X'F1F2F3F4'), '123D' (X'F1F2F3C4') and '123M' (X'F1F2F3D4') are all considered to be zoned decimal numeric, whereas 'A234' (X'C1F2F3F4'), '12.3' (X'F1F24BF3') and '123X' (X'F1F2F3E7') are all considered to be zoned decimal non-numeric.

A field to be tested for numerics in packed decimal format looks like this in hexadecimal:

dddd...ds

The field is considered to be packed decimal numeric if every d is 0-9, and s is C, D or F. Otherwise, the field is considered to be packed decimal non-numeric. For example, X'12345C', X'12345D' and X'12345F' are all considered to be packed decimal numeric, whereas X'A2345C', X'1B345D' and X'12F45F' are all considered to be packed decimal non-numeric.