HP Query Utility extract of Binary fields

[DJRB]

Hi,
I'm trying to use Query on an HP957 MPExl OS. I am selecting records from an IMAGE/VSAM Master dataset into a flat Ascii file for input into a Cobol program. However, some of the fields in the dataset are described Pic S9(07)V99 COMP. Such fields appear as packed data in the extracted flatfile. Does anyone know of a Query method, or other HP utility which can unpack such fields. I'm trying to avoid writing a Cobol program to select and unpack this data. Thanks, DJRB

 

[3gm]

I'm confused and may not understand your question.

You seem to be mixing things up here. I assume, since you're using Query, that you're extracting data from an IMAGE database (KSAM can be dealt with essentially as a flat file using FCOPY or other flat file tools). If so, if I recall correctly, you can output the data essentially as DISPLAY direct from Query and read it that way in COBOL. You can also output the data in a self-describing file where binary (type I & J) items remain binary (i.e. COMP), but you have no control over the layout of the record, it is basically a record dump.

If what you're trying to do is extract the data with Query and put it into a format defined by the COBOL program to include COMP fields (which are binary, not packed), I think you're out of luck; you'll have to modify the COBOL program to accept the dumped format, or use another tool to extract the IMAGE data (e.g. Suprtool, Quiz, QTP).

Glenn