How to convert EBCDIC (binary data PIC S9(4) COMP) to ASCII

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:32 pm

Hi,

I have tried almost all the transform Datatype functions to read the SmallInt(2) i.e a EBCDIC(binary) data from Complex flat file stage in the data format option selected ASCII and type binary to convert the field into ASCII data, none of the function is giving me expected results.

Does anyone knows which transform datatype function i should be using or we dont any such conversion function in DS Version 7.1?

Thanks very much,
Sandeep

chulett · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:48 pm

Packed data (any of the COMP family) isn't EBCDIC nor ASCII - it's packed. And 'converting' it in any fashion will corrupt it. You just need to 'unpack' it. Define the input field as an appropria ...

What's this?

crouse · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:11 pm

but if you're using CFF stage like the additional note says, it will do the unpacking for you if your copy book (input meta data for the CFF stage) is defined correctly.

If you decide to do it via the routine, remember it takes up more room (more bytes) unpacked than packed (I guess I just stated the obvious).

Depending on how it is packed determines how big it is unpacked... which can cause you grief (I did this stuff before the CFF stage was developed).

Best bet is to make the CFF stage do it, that's one of the best reasons for the CFF stage.

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:23 pm

Thanks for the response, I quite didnt understood regarding unpacked and packed stuff? can you please elaborate little more with some examples? Dont we have a trasnform/routine which can convert my binary data to a readable format on datastage? I am curious to know?

crouse · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:06 pm

Have you tried using the CFF stage yet?

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:12 pm

Yes, I am using CFF stage with ASCII as data format , Record Style as binary and I have Binary fields in my source...as such I am getting data in a flat file with ebcdic and binary mode format, however when I am using CFF stage, I could view most of the other character fields as ASCII but Binary field data is still an issue

Thats the reason I am looking for any routine or transform function which will convert this binary fields into ASCII human readable format

Thanks much for the help, please advice if i can use any such functions?

crouse · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:48 pm

Sorry to keep bringing up the CFF stage, but if you have it configured right and the meta data truely
reflects your data then the CFF stage works.

Else fall back to using the transform/routine mr. Hulett refers to. Their use is pretty straight forward.

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:56 pm

Thanks for the response,

I have tried almost all the functions on the server transform/routines, none of this is working fine for me, i have a binary field, length is 2 I am unable convert it to ASCII format, Can you please suggest some way? alternate or right way of using this functions?

I have tried DataTypePicComp,DataTypePic9,DataTypeEbcidicToAscii,DataTypePicS9,etc...

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:00 pm

Hello,

Experts please suggest some alternative, or right way of using the transform functions to reac ebcdic(binary) data to convert it into Ascii, I am still struggling with this encdic to ascii conversion..any help would be great..

chulett · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:28 pm

Again, if we're still just talking about packed decimal fields, they're neither EBCDIC nor ASCII. Tell us exactly how you tried to use the DataTypePicComp SDK routine and how it didn't work for you, i.e. what came out the other end. Stages, data types and sizes, derivations.

Examples are always good. Details are always good. Saying something just "didn't work" for you... not so good.

ps. As that other Craig noted, none of this is necessary if you are using the CFF stage. Set it up correctly with the proper metadata and all this is automagic.

crouse · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:40 pm

I've finally got to a machine to bring up the CFF stage and the settings.

First of all, how did you acquire the data?
I'm assuming it is from an IBM mainframe, right?
Did you get it via FTP? Was the FTP performed in ASCII or BINARY mode?
If in ASCII mode, your packed/binary data is no good anymore and you can't convert it no matter what you do, and the CFF stage won't help either.
If you FTP'd the data in BINARY mode, you should use the EBCDIC option for Data Format in the CFF stage, and BINARY for Record Style. The CFF stage figures out the record length in this mode, assuming you're copybook is correct (you do have a copybook defining the mainframe data, right?)

Now, the routines/transforms... if the data was FTP'd in ascii format, the data is no good and can never be unpacked using any routine/transform.

Now, let's assume the data was FTP'd in Binary and you don't want to use the CFF stage. Well, the packed/binary data can be unpacked using the transforms/routines. The trick? Knowing just exactly where the data is in the row. The copybook says it is PIC S9(4) COMP, right? Well, it doesn't take up 4 or 5 bytes in your raw data file from the mainframe. It takes up 2 or 3 or 4, I forget. So you need to make sure you're looking at the right/correct bytes in order to unpack it. This is precisely why you use the CFF stage. If you have more than a handful of packed fields, defining the correct file layout in the Sequential file stage is really hard and prone to data shifting big time. Think about it, you define the first packed field incorrectly and the entire remainder of the row meta data is screwed up.

I may be going off into left field. Does any of this help with your issue?

chulett · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:13 pm

psssttt... it takes up 2. Wink

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:41 pm

Thanks a lot experts,

I have FTPied it using mainframe in EBCDIC and MODE is binary
Here is an example I am struglling with
my source column MONTHKEY is PIC S9(4), I have used Binary(4) in CFF stage and it shows me valyue as 7397, but the expected value is 7329

I have used following functions convert it into binary
1) DataTypeAsciiPic9(DSLink8.MONTHKEY) the traget column MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
2)DataTypePicS9(DSLink8.MONTHKEY) the target column is MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
3)DatatypePicComp(DSLink8.MONTHKEY) the target column is MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
4) DatatypeEbcdictoasciiDSLink8.MONTHKEY) the target column is MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
...
....
Likewaise I tried almost all the functions, any idea what is correct way of using this functions? or I am defining my metadat incorrectly? however all the character data in the EBCDIC file shows up as expected...dont know why this binary is troubling me so much...

Thank much

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:42 pm

Thanks a lot experts,

I have FTPied it using mainframe in EBCDIC and MODE is binary
Here is an example I am struglling with
my source column MONTHKEY is PIC S9(4), I have used Binary(4) in CFF stage and it shows me valyue as 7397, but the expected value is 7329

I have used following functions convert it into binary
1) DataTypeAsciiPic9(DSLink8.MONTHKEY) the traget column MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
2)DataTypePicS9(DSLink8.MONTHKEY) the target column is MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
3)DatatypePicComp(DSLink8.MONTHKEY) the target column is MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
4) DatatypeEbcdictoasciiDSLink8.MONTHKEY) the target column is MONTHKEY is smallInt(5)
...
....
Likewaise I tried almost all the functions, any idea what is correct way of using this functions? or I am defining my metadat incorrectly? however all the character data in the EBCDIC file shows up as expected...dont know why this binary is troubling me so much...

Thank much

Sandeep.pendem · Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:46 am

Hello Experts,

Could you please throw somelight here....is this doable? I mean can we use those DS transform function to convert it into Ascii, I am wondering why none of this functions give me accurate results.....please advice....