Handling a field with SZZ9????

[beebs]

This question is kind of related to the Byte Usage of PIC S9.

I am doing a report layout (new to COBOL) and I am trying to get a minus sign at the end of my field using the S in the PIC clause, but I also need to use the Z in the PIC clause as well to get rid of any leading zeros, I have tried SZZ9 for a field length
of 3, but it seems not to like that syntax.

Any Suggestions??

 

[mvanbro]

Store it as S9(03) and define it in report as:

IN CODE MOVE IT TO REPORT FIELD

PIC --9 WILL FLOAT THE MINUS UP TO THE SIGNIFICANT DIGIT

PIC ZZ9 SIGN TRAILING SEPERATE
" " " LEADING "

PIC ZZ9CR FOR CREDIT
ETC...

 

[BettyScherber]

MVANBRO is right, but didn't tell you the easiest picture string so I thought you might like to see it.

Try PIC ZZ9-

The S is for an internal sign only and minus is for a displayed sign. Since you are printing (the Z character) the compiler decided your characters were incompatible and gave you the message.

Betty Scherber
Brainbench MVP for COBOL II

http://www.brainbench.com