inserting mixed db2 field with both alpha strings and packed decimals

Question

Below is a table/file layout for "SH.PROM", a db2 table in an AS/400 that is responsible for rendering monthly promotion items throughout our system. Anyone not familiar with the typical table layouts should know that there are usually three columns: F00001, K00001 and F00002. Sometimes a fourth appears in ours (K00002). In our system, F00002 usually holds multiple subfields which I have provided name, position, length and data types for. Anything in the notes column labeled 'Fluff' means zeroed out or 'spaced' out in EBCDIC characters so non-important from a data standpoint but still needs to be in there properly.

        Field   Pos.  Len.  Name      Type     Notes
        ---------------------------------------------
        F00001    1     2   MACT      Alpha    Activity Code, Always 1 or 9 (active/inactive)
        K00001    1    20   MITEM     Alpha    Item Number
        K00001   21     2   MP        Alpha    Unknown title, Always 'P'
        K00001   23     2   MPITCL    Alpha    Unknown title, Always 'P' or 'I'
        F00002    1     8   MSTDAT    Integer  Promotion Start Date, MMDDYY0F
        F00002    9     8   MEXDAT    Integer  Promotion End Date, MMDDYY0F
        F00002   17     8   MLIST     Decimal  Amount to be subtracted from original price
        F00002   25     8   MRETAL    Decimal  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002   33     8   MCOST     Decimal  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002   41    10   MQTY      Decimal  Fluff, 000000000f
        F00002   51     6   MPCHNG    Integer  Fluff, 00000f
        F00002   57    12   MNPEFT    Alpha    Fluff, 404040404040
        F00002   69     8   MNSTDT    Integer  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002   77     8   MNEXDT    Integer  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002   85     8   MNLST     Decimal  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002   93     8   MPNRTL    Integer  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002  101     8   MNCOST    Decimal  Fluff, 0000000f
        F00002  109     8   ZZ14      Alpha    Fluff, 40404040
        F00002  117     8   MALPHA    Alpha    Fluff, 40404040
        F00002  125   170   ZZ64      Alpha    Fluff, 40404040404040...

I am having issues Inserting those promotion start/end dates.

If I insert data into column F00002 as a string, it automatically converts to EBCDIC numbers:

    INSERT INTO "SH.PROM" (F00001,K00001,F00002) VALUES ('1','0000620311PP','0201140F0228140F...')

( ***The trailing dots on F00002's insert data means the rest follows the file/table layout above. )

And F00002 as an integer just to try it:

    INSERT INTO "SH.PROM" (F00001,K00001,F00002) VALUES ('1','0000620311PP',0201140...)

The column omits the left padded zero and converts it to EBCDIC characters again.

Here is an example of an existing F00002 field as well as two helpful SquirrelShots :) (aka SQL Squirrel Screen Shot) First Second :

  08  01  13  0f  01  31  14  0f  00  00  38  0f  00  00  00  0f  00  00  00  0f  00  00  06  80  0f  00  00  0f  f0  f0  f0  f0  f0  f0  00  00  00  0f  00  00  00  0f  00  00  00  0f  00  00  00  0f  00  00  00  0f  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  40  

How do I insert this F00002 field so that the data stores properly?

Answer 1

The correct solution would be to externally describe the file using Data description specifications (DDS).

Legacy programs will have no problem accessing an externally described file.

Once it is externally described you can access the fields normally and let the database handle type conversion.

Here's a sample to get you started. Without the actual input specifications from the program source I guessed at the decimal places for the numeric fields.

A          R PROM
A            MACT           2A
A            MITEM         20A
A            MP             2A
A            MPITCL         2A
A            MSTDAT         8S 0
A            MEXDAT         8S 0
A            MLIST          8S 2
A            MRETAL         8S 2
A            MCOST          8S 2
A            MQTY          10S 0
A            MPCHNG         6S 0
A            MNPEFT        12A
A            MNSTDT         8S 0
A            MNEXDT         8S 0
A            MNLST          8S 2
A            MPNRTL         8S 2
A            MNCOST         8S 2
A            ZZ14           8A
A            MALPHA         8A
A            ZZ64         170A
A          K MITEM
A          K MP
A          K MPITCL