MP

Packs decimal numbers two per byte for storage and unpacks them for output.

Syntax

MP

Remarks

Leading + signs are ignored. Leading - signs cause a hexadecimal D to be stored in the lower half of the last internal digit. If there is an odd number of packed halves, four leading bits of 0 are added. The range of the data bytes in internal format expressed in hexadecimal is 00 through 99 and 0D through 9D.

This conversion only accepts decimal digits, 0 through 9, and plus and minus signs as input, otherwise the conversion fails.

Packed decimal numbers must be unpacked for output or they cannot be displayed.