DSXchange

I am needing to convert two type of numbers within a DS Server job.

Firstly, I need to convert a number (e.g. 5.5) to the following format - NNNN.NNNN (in other words 5.5 would equal 0005.5000.

Secondly, I need to convert a number (e.e. 15.50) to the following format - NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN (in other words 15.50 would equal 000000000000001550.

And finally, if my number is negative, how do I ensure that the '-' sign appears at the front ? I other words, -5.5 appears as -0005.5000 and not 000-5.5000.

Any suggestions ?

You are talking about the data type Decimal and Integer for you two cases in the order.

Use field and Concatenation

Thanks,
Anupam

Decimal has first bit as sign bit.

You can use the FMT function, check your online help. Off the top of my head there may not be a formatting option for a leading minus sign. If not, simply check if your value is < 0 and concatenate it on the front of your output field if so.

Forgot to mention that 'FMT' will handle both of your examples: the zero padding and the 'descaling' of the decimal point.

Thanks for the advice.

Have managed to sort out the 18 character field removing the decimal point but am having problems with the other issue.

Basically how to convert a value such as 72.19 to 0072.1900 or 0.03 to 0000.0300.

Use field along with the fmt function. Basically strip the contents before and after the decimal point, format it using the fmt function and then concatenate it back together. Not a very sleek solution but will get your things rolling.

Why not just 'format' it twice, inline the two calls? Seems like that would work...

I have used the following:
and
And for a value of 79.12 this gives me two values : 79 and 12.

When I then do
where LGD is the StageVariable name for the first bit of code above, I get the following output :

'''''

And I was hoping to see 0079
Any ideas ?

the fmt code is

Hi,
Is it not possible to read those numbers as decimal so that N.N will be automatically converted to NNNN.NNNN or whatever??

No. Remember the 'Server is typeless' mantra. And that the zeroes are not significant. So you need to explicitly 'format' them into a character field in order to preserve them.