Using BINARY(4) in CL Program

[LiQuiD_FuSioN]

Hello, all.

I'm still relatively new to using CL programs in general on the IBM i. I'm looking into using the QDCRDEVD API to retrieve information on *PRT printer device descriptions specifically so I can output the results to a database file:

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/ssw_ibm_i_73/apis/QDCRDEVD.htm

I'm familiar with dealing with character-based types, like 'CHAR(10)' and I do understand the decimal offset information. E.g. DEVD1100 Format: Offset - Dec - 152, CHAR(10), 'device class.'

However, let's say I'd like to retrieve the values or data for 'Switch setting' that uses 'BINARY(4)' type with Offset - Dec - 144. You can't exactly use 'TYPE(*BIN)' of course in a CL pgm, so how best would you deal with this type of data? Would you need to do a conversion? I just can't seem to grasp this concept yet. If there's documentation on this I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

[Scott Klement]

I really hate that IBM calls them "BINARY" since everything in a computer is stored in binary, its really ambiguous. Most languages (including modern CL) refer to these BINARY(4) variables as "integer".

DCL VAR(&SWITCHES) TYPE(*INT) LEN(4)

[LiQuiD_FuSioN]

I really hate that IBM calls them "BINARY" since everything in a computer is stored in binary, its really ambiguous. Most languages (including modern CL) refer to these BINARY(4) variables as "integer".

DCL VAR(&SWITCHES) TYPE(*INT) LEN(4)

That makes things a little easier to work with then. Thanks for the response! How would you recommend I go about converting the integer value to character type? I see that %CHAR might accomplish this:

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_74/rbam6/rbam6charbif.htm

[Scott Klement]

How would you recommend I go about converting the integer value to character type? I see that %CHAR might accomplish this

Depends. What do you plan to do with the CHAR value?

[LiQuiD_FuSioN]

Depends. What do you plan to do with the CHAR value?

In the end I'd like to output the information to a database file. Making sure I'm formatting the data correctly.

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_74/apis/QDCRDEVD.htm

Using 'Inactivity timer' instead:

136

88

BINARY(4)

Inactivity timer

This is part of what we have so far in CL. I can post the whole CL if needed:

DCL VAR(&INACTTA) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(4)
DCL VAR(&INACTT) TYPE(*DEC) LEN(5 0)
DCL VAR(&INACTTN) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(4)


CHGVAR &INACTTA %SST(&DEVINFO 137 4)
CHGVAR &INACTT %BIN(&INACTTA)
CHGVAR &INACTTN &INACTT


CHGVAR VAR(&SQL_STMT) VALUE('INSERT INTO +
TESTLIB.PRTQRY VALUES (' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &DEVD *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &DEVTYPE *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &CTLDESC *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &LASTACT *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &IPADDRS *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &SYSDRV *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &INACTTN *CAT &QTE *CAT ',' *CAT &QTE +
*CAT &DEVATTR *CAT &QTE *CAT ')')

[Scott Klement]

For that, I think %CHAR should work nicely.