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The BITVAL function evaluates a string of bits within a character string. The bit string can be any group of bits within the character string and can cross byte and word boundaries. The function evaluates the bit string as a binary integer and returns the corresponding value.
BITVAL(string, startbit, number, outfield)
where:
Alphanumeric
Is the character string to be evaluated, enclosed in single quotation marks, or a field or variable that contains the character string.
Integer
Is the number of the first bit in the bit string, counting from the left-most bit in the character string. If this argument is less than or equal to 0, the function returns a value of zero.
Integer
Is the number of bits in the bit string. If this argument is less than or equal to 0, the function returns a value of zero.
Integer
Is the name of the field that contains the binary integer equivalent, or the format of the output value enclosed in single quotation marks.
BITVAL evaluates the bits 12 through 20 of LAST_NAME and stores the result in a field with the format I5:
TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE
PRINT LAST_NAME AND COMPUTE
STRING_VAL/I5 = BITVAL(LAST_NAME, 12, 9, 'I5');
WHERE DEPARTMENT EQ 'MIS';
ENDThe output is:
LAST_NAME STRING_VAL --------- ---------- SMITH 332 JONES 365 MCCOY 60 BLACKWOOD 316 GREENSPAN 412 CROSS 413
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