JR39651: DATASTAGE FUNCTION ISVALID("INT64",COLUMN) HAS DIFFERENT RESULTS IN DATASTAGE 7.5 AND INFORMATION SERVER 8.5 AND 8.1.

IBM InfoSphere Information Server, Version 8.5 Fix Pack 2
IBM InfoSphere Information Server, Version 8.5 Fix Pack 3

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• DataStage function IsValid("int64",column) changed behavior
  between 7.5 and 8.5.
                                                                 .
  In 7.5.x  the following call:
      IsValid("int64","123.456")
  would return 0 (decimal is not valid integer).
                                                                 .
  However, in both 8.5 and 8.1, the above call returns 1 instead
  of 0, even though the parameter is not a valid integer.
                                                                 .
  The same problem with int64 type occurs for int32 also.  In
  Information Server 8.1 it appears the intent of IsValid()
  function is now to test whether the parameter can be implicity
  converted to the indicated datatype.
                                                                 .
  As a result of this change, jobs written for 7.5 may not work
  correctly when imported into 8.x.  This change needs to be
  documented and compatibility option provided if possible
  to allow 7.5 jobs to continue working unmodified.
  The fix adds the new evironment variable APT_ISVALID_BACKCOMPAT
  does restore the version 7.5.2 functionality to the IsValid()
  function.
  The 8.5 behavior is more liberal than the 7.5.2 behavior.  In
  8.5 IsValid() will return TRUE if the value can be converted to
  the desired type by the transformer code generator. Thus,
  IsValid("int64", x )  will return 1 for all the following values
  of x
  
  "1234567890.12345678"
  "1000000000000000.0"
  "2.01E+07  "
  "1.00E-05"
  With
  12345678901234                 0  .
  But in 7.5.2 will return 0 for all these values because they are
  not valid ints without conversion.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• DataStage function IsValid("int64",column) changed behavior
  
      between 7.5 and 8.5.
  
  .
      In 7.5.x  the following call:
          IsValid("int64","123.456")
      would return 0 (decimal is not valid integer).
  
  .
      However, in both 8.5 and 8.1, the above call returns 1
  instead
      of 0, even though the parameter is not a valid integer.
  
  .
      The same problem with int64 type also occurs for int32.  In
      Information Server 8.1 the intent of IsValid()
      function is now to test whether the parameter can be
  implicitly
      converted to the indicated datatype.
  
  .
      As a result of this change, jobs written for 7.5 may not
  work
      correctly when imported into 8.x.  There should be a
  compatibility option provided to allow 7.5 jobs to continue
  working unmodified.
  

Problem conclusion

• The fix adds the new evironment variable
      APT_ISVALID_BACKCOMPAT does restore the version 7.5.2
      functionality to the IsValid() function
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  WIS DATASTAGE

• Fixed component ID

  5724Q36DS

Applicable component levels

• R810 PSY

     UP

• R850 PSY

     UP