Midrange News for the IBM i Community


Posted by: Tim Brinker
Variable Expression
has no ratings.
Published: 10 May 2012
Revised: 23 Jan 2013 - 3964 days ago
Last viewed on: 29 Nov 2023 (5357 views) 

Using IBM i? Need to create Excel, CSV, HTML, JSON, PDF, SPOOL reports? Learn more about the fastest and least expensive tool for the job: SQL iQuery.

Variable Expression Published by: Tim Brinker on 10 May 2012 view comments(5)

Is it possible to have a variable expression in RPG?

 

For example I can do the following:

 

          Result = %Dec(5+2*2: 10: 3);

 

I want to do the following:

 

          Equation = '5+2*2';
          Result = %Dec(%Trim(Equation): 10: 3);       

 

This fails with the following error "A character representation of a numeric value is in error (C G D F)."  The string is being converted to a numeric value instead of being solved.

 

Any ideas on how to accomplish this?

 

Thanks,

Tim

Return to midrangenews.com home page.
Sort Ascend | Descend

COMMENTS

(Sign in to Post a Comment)
Posted by: DaleB
Premium member *
Reading, PA
Comment on: Variable Expression
Posted: 11 years 6 months 22 days 16 hours 26 minutes ago

So the %DEC is secondary. What you really want is a subprocedure that evaluates a string containing an infix expression, and returns a numeric result:

Equation = '5+2*2';
Result = %DEC(evalExpression(Equation): 10: 3);

Anyone have an example of this? There's probably a way to do it with embedded SQL, along the lines of SELECT 5+2*2 FROM SYSIBM.SYSDUMMY, but you'd have to do it dynamically, since you don't know the string ahead of time.

Posted by: bobcozzi
Site Admin ****
Chicagoland
www.cozTools.com/qryfile
Comment on: Variable Expression
Posted: 11 years 6 months 22 days 16 hours 26 minutes ago

Yes and no.

You'd need to use embedded SQL and use (probably) the SET followed by execute immediate... have to think about that.

Posted by: tbrinkereaglewindowcom
Premium member *
Comment on: Variable Expression
Posted: 11 years 6 months 22 days 15 hours 42 minutes ago

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I believe SQL will work for what I am trying to do.

Posted by: TFisher
Premium member *
Comment on: Variable Expression
Posted: 11 years 6 months 22 days 8 hours 48 minutes ago

Isn't there a C function that will allow this? 

Posted by: bobcozzi
Site Admin ****
Chicagoland
www.cozTools.com/qryfile
Comment on: Variable Expression
Posted: 11 years 6 months 22 days 4 hours 36 minutes ago

No. There is however a Java!--script-- instruction that will do this.