Date:         Thu, 29 Mar 2001 12:59:16 +0000
Reply-To:     JA <donotreply@INTERBULLETIN.BOGUS>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         JA <donotreply@INTERBULLETIN.BOGUS>
Organization: BBS InterBulletin.com
Subject:      SAS Question

I'm using SAS V6.8 in the mainframe platform.  My input flat file contains a field defined as packed-decimal.  When I tried to compare it with literal zero, it does not give me the correct evaluation even if the field actually contains a zero value packed-decimal.

e.g.,

   INPUT @01 varnum  PD8.3;  /* varnum has X'000000000000000F' */
    ...
   IF (varnum NE 0.00) or (varnum NE .)
   THEN varvalid = 'N';
   ELSE varvalid = 'Y';

I got varlid equal to 'N'.  Why?

I was able to go around it by changing the condition to :
   IF ((varnum * 1) NE 0)

Why do I have to perform a numeric operation before it arives to the correct answer?

Thanks for your help in advance.



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