ALFNUM Process

To access this process:

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

Copies a file while converting given alphanumeric fields to numeric.

The new fields are given the same name as the old, and replace them in the output file. Legal characters are 0-9,+,-,., and E. Any other characters are replaced by blanks before conversion. If the resulting string can still not be converted to a legal number, then the output field will contain an absent data value.

A minimum of one explicit alphanumeric field must be in the input file for conversion, but other fields may optionally be specified, up to a maximum of 20 fields.

Input Files

Name

Description

I/O Status

Required

Type

IN

Input file containing explicit alphanumeric field(s) to be converted.

Input

Yes

Table

FIELDLST

File to supply selected fields.

Input

No

Table

Output Files

Name

I/O Status

Required

Type

Description

OUT

Output

Yes

Table

Output file containing given alphanumeric field(s) converted to numeric.

Fields

Name

Description

Source

Required

Type

Default

F1

Name of alphanumeric field to be converted.

IN

Yes

Character

Undefined

F2

Optional second explicit alphanumeric field to be converted.

IN

No

Character

Undefined

F3

Optional third explicit alphanumeric field to be converted.

IN

No

Character

Undefined

F4

Optional fourth explicit alphanumeric field to be converted.

IN

No

Character

Undefined

F5

Optional fifth explicit alphanumeric field to be converted.

IN

No

Character

Undefined

FIELDNAM

Field in FIELDLST to identify selected fields.

FIELDLST

No

Character

Undefined

Example

!ALFNUM &IN(ALPHAS),&OUT(NUMS),*F1(SAMPLENO)

The "SAMPLENO" alphanumeric field in input file alphas is converted to numeric in the output file nums.

Error and Warning Messages

Message

Description

>>> FIELD NOT IN FILE <<<
>>> ERR 130 <<< ( fieldno) IN ALFNUM

An alphanumeric field specified for conversion to numeric does not exist in the input file. Fatal; the process is exited.

>>> FIELD IS ALREADY NUMERIC <<<
>>> ERR 131 <<< ( fieldno) IN ALFNUM

The given field names are checked to see that they are explicit and alphanumeric. If they are not, the process exits with the above error message.

>>> TOO MANY FIELDS <<<
>>> ERR 132 <<< ( 64) IN ALFNUM

There are more than 64 fields in the output file. Fatal; the process is exited.

 

 

>>> TOO MANY FIELDS TO BE CONVERTED <<<
>>> ERR 133 <<< ( 20) IN ALFNUM

More than 20 alphanumeric fields have been specified for conversion to numeric. Fatal; the process is exited.

 

>>> WARNING - RECORD 999999 FIELD aaaaaaaa - ABSENT DATA SUBSTITUTED <<<

If a string cannot be converted to a legal number, then the record is displayed together with the above error message. The output field will contain an absent data value '-' and processing continues.