UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hrchl56, please answer the following questions: What operating system are you on? What operating system did the file come from? What is the output from

Code:

iconv --list

hi, I am on Ubuntu,

the file comes from IBM, the output can be a view-able ascii format...

hope I answered your question

Packed decimal is a 4 bit per byte format used to conserve space. Each 8 bit byte contains 2 decimal digits, so that a 9 decimal digit number takes (9+1)/2 or 5 eight_bit bytes to store (rather than 9).
The issue with conversion is that the combinations do not necessarily produce printable ascii characters.
Are all the records the same format?
Can you print a sample record on the source machine, in both text and hexadecimal?

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I have the facilities to convert this using Cobol. (not no charge.)

Hi, yes, all the records are the same format.

I have installed opencobol. hope I can manage it in the end...

Opencobol is a good product, use version 1.1 though.

Thanks for your kind suggestions