Zoned decimal constants

Edit online

Each digit is converted into its 8 bit EBCDIC representation (see  4  in Table 1). The sign indicator (see  5  in Table 1) replaces the first four bits of the low-order byte of the constant.

Here are the range of values that can be assembled into a decimal constant:

Type of decimal constant Range of values that can be specified
Packed 1031-1 to -1031
Zoned 1016-1 to -1016

For both packed and zoned decimals, a plus sign is translated into the hexadecimal digit C, a minus sign into the digit D. The packed decimal constants (P-type) are used for processing by the decimal instructions.

If, in a constant with an implicit length, an even number of packed decimal digits is specified, one digit is left unpaired because the rightmost digit is paired with the sign. Therefore, in the leftmost byte, the leftmost four bits are set to zeros and the rightmost four bits contain the unpaired (first) digit.

Table 1. Decimal constants
  Subfield Value Example Result
1. Duplication factor Allowed    
2. Type P and Z    
3. Type Extension Not allowed    
4. Program type Allowed    
5. Modifiers      
  Length: 1 to 16 (byte length)
.1 to .128 (bit length)		    
  Implicit length:
(Length modifier not present) 		As needed Packed:
P DC P'+593'

Zoned:
Z DC Z'-593'		  
L'P = 2 

L'Z= 3
  Alignment: Byte    
  Scale: Not allowed    
  Exponent: Not allowed    
6. Nominal value
Represented by:		  
Decimal digits (0 to 9)		 Packed:
DC P'5.5'  1 
DC P'55'  1 
DC P'+555'  2 
DC P'-777'

Zoned:
DC Z'-555'  4 		 Object code
X'055C'
X'055C'
X'555C'  3 
X'777D'  3  

Object code
X'F5F5D5'  5 
  Enclosed by: Apostrophes    
  Exponent allowed: No    
  Number of values per operand: Multiple    
  Padding: Packed:
with binary zeros at left

Zoned:
with EBCDIC zeros (X'F0') at left		    
  Truncation of assembled value: At left    
In the following example, the DC statement specifies both packed and zoned decimal constants. The length modifier applies to each constant in the first operand (that is, to each packed decimal constant). A literal cannot specify both operands. 
DECIMALS DC    PL8'+25.8,-3874,+2.3',Z'+80,-3.72'
The following example shows the use of a packed decimal literal. 
         UNPK            OUTAREA,=PL2'+25'