Binary or COMP Format  Description and Discussion http://www.simotime.com

Introduction
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This document provides an overview (description and discussion of content and size) of binary (or COMP) fields as they are implemented on an IBM Mainframe or a Micro Focus Wintel or Unix environment.

Note: The items in this document are appropriate for applications that are written in COBOL, Mainframe Assembler (HLASM) or PL/I. The IBM Mainframe architecture drove many of the numeric formats that existed in the early ANSI specifications for COBOL.and have been carried forward to the current COBOL ANSI specifications.

The following table shows the structure of a three digit numeric field using the Binary format that is used on an IBM Mainframe System(i.e. the COBOL syntax would be USAGE IS COMP). The field contains a value of one-hundred-twenty-three (or 123). Since the binary format stores the number as an actual binary value the field will only be two (2) bytes in length.

Note-1: A binary field that is defined as "Unsigned" (i.e. PIC 999) is an implied positive value. A two (2) byte unsigned, binary field may contain a range of implied positive values from 0 to 65,535.
Note-2: A binary field that is defined as "Signed" (i.e. PIC S999) will use the high-order, leftmost bit as the sign. A zero (0) is a positive sign and a one (1) is a negative sign. A two (2) byte signed, binary field may contain a range of implied positive values from -32,767 to +32,767.

The Idiosyncrasies of Binary or COMP Fields
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The creation and processing of COMP or BINARY data on a Windows or UNIX platform must be done in the same manner as the mainframe. On the mainframe COMP or BINARY fields must be 2, 4, or 8 bytes in length (the mainframe was originally a half-word, full-word and double-word centric system). On Windows or UNIX (using Micro Focus COBOL with Net Express or Server Express) the COMP or BINARY fields may be 1 through 8 bytes in length.

Note: The syntax for COBOL is "USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL". However, this is usually abbreviated to COMP or may be coded as BINARY.

Notice the following, the record layout for the Item Master File contains two (2) COMP or BINARY fields. These fields are defined as PIC 9(7) and may contain values from zero (0) through 9,999,999 or the binary values of x'000000' through x'98967F' which may be contained in a three (3) byte binary field.

Herein is the problem, on the EBCDIC-encoded, half-word, full-word, double-word, mainframe environment the fields would be allocated with an actual length of four (4) bytes for a binary field. For the Micro Focus, ASCII-encoded, byte-oriented environment the fields would be allocated with an actual length of three (3) bytes for a binary field.

       01  ITEM-RECORD.
           05  ITEM-NUMBER              PIC X(12).
           05  ITEM-DATA.
               10  ITEM-DESCRIPTION     PIC X(48).
               10  ITEM-QTY-ONHAND      PIC 9(7)            COMP.
               10  ITEM-QTY-ALLOCATED   PIC 9(7)            COMP.
               10  ITEM-UNIT-OF-MEASURE PIC X(16).
               10  ITEM-COST            PIC S9(7)V9(2)      COMP-3.
               10  ITEM-PRICE           PIC S9(7)V9(2)      COMP-3.
               10  ITEM-LADATE          PIC X(8).
               10  ITEM-LATIME          PIC X(8).
               10  ITEM-TOKEN           PIC X(3).
               10  ITEM-D-CODE-1        PIC X.
               10  ITEM-D-PERCENT-1     PIC S9(3)V9(4).
               10  ITEM-D-CODE-2        PIC X.
               10  ITEM-D-PERCENT-2     PIC S9(3)V9(4).
               10  ITEM-D-CODE-3        PIC X.
               10  ITEM-D-PERCENT-3     PIC S9(3)V9(4).
               10  FILLER               PIC X(375).

The solution to this problem for the Micro Focus environment is to use the IBMCOMP and NOTRUNC directives when compiling the programs. This will force the mainframe format for COMP or BINARY fields and the field lengths will be the same as the mainframe.

An alternative solution is to modify the copy file and change the PIC 9(7) to PIC 9(8). However, this solution requires a source code change and is not recommended during the first phase of a data migration.

Numeric Fields, Table of Definitions and Lengths
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The following table shows the COBOL picture clause, the number of digits, the length of a packed field, the length of a binary (COMP) field for an IBM Mainframe and the length of a binary field for the Micro Focus Net Express environment.

The differences in field (or data string) length are high-lighted in RED .

It is important to note that Micro Focus Mainframe Express supports the mainframe format for binary (or COMP) fields. This is accomplished by pre-setting the compiler directives to force this behavior. The compiler directives are IBMCOMP and NOTRUNC. These directives may also be used with Net Express and must be configured manually since the default for Net Express is to allow binary fields to be any length.

Summary
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The purpose of this is to provide an overview of binary formats for numeric data strings or fields.

Software Agreement and Disclaimer
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Downloads and Links to Similar Pages
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Refer to  The Numbers Connection  for additional information about the structure and processing of number data items (or numeric fields).

The  hexadecimal dump  of the parameter-buffer uses the same technique as describe in another SimoTime example that describes the dumping of a data string using COBOL. The name of the member that does the actual hexadecimal dump is called SimoDUMP. A copy file (PASSDUMP.CPY) is provided for defining the pass area.

The  SimoZAPS Utility Program  has the capability of generating a COBOL program that will do the conversion of sequential and VSAM (KSDS) files between EBCDIC and ASCII while maintaining mainframe (or COBOL) numeric formats and integrity. SimoZAPS can also read a sequential file in EBCDIC format and create an ASCII/CRLF file or VSAM KSDS file in ASCII format. The conversion tables may be viewed or modified to meet unique requirements. The Hexcess/2 function provides the capability of viewing, finding or patching the contents of a file in hexadecimal.

This item is a link to an  ASCII or EBCDIC translation  table. A column for decimal, hexadecimal and binary is also included.

The following table provides a list of white papers describing the numeric formats used on an IBM Mainframe system. A couple of sample COBOL programs are also included.

This document provides a quick summary of the  File Status Key  for VSAM data sets and QSAM files.

To review all the information available on this site start at  The SimoTime Home Page .

Glossary of Terms
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Check out  The SimoTime Glossary  for a list of terms and definitions used in the documents provided by SimoTime.

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