Float Decimal (p)

For compatibility with IBM PL/I, data declared as float decimal is stored and processed by default as 4-byte or 8-byte float binary. (If the specified precision is ≤ 6, 4-byte float binary is used.)

Alternatively, float decimal data can be stored and processed as 12-byte Binary Coded Decimal BCD float decimal data by using the -nofdasfb ("no float dec as float bin") compiler option. In this case, Float Decimal (p) is a decimal floating-point number, stored in packed decimal format. It consists of a sign, an exponent sign, two bits used for infinity, not-a-number (usually 0), a 3-digit (base 10) exponent and a 17-digit (base 10) fraction. Both the exponent and fraction have a separate sign bit. All digits are packed Binary Coded Decimal (BCD), such that the entire string fits in 96 bits (12 bytes). The fraction contains at least p decimal digits.