blanksAsZero

The blanksAsZero build descriptor option controls what happens when you assign or compare a text variable to a numeric variable.

In the simplest case, if the value of the blanksAsZero option is YES and you assign a text value that contains all blanks or all hexadecimal zeroes ("low values") to a numeric variable, the result is zero. The default value is NO.

The option also applies to comparisons. Results can be further affected by the value of the v60NumWithCharBehavior build descriptor option, as shown in the following table:
Table 1. Effect of v60NumWithCharBehavior on blanksAsZero
Value of blanksAsZero Value of v60NumWith-CharBehavior Text source (blank or "low values") Numeric target Results
n/a YES CHAR NUM v60NumWithCharBehavior takes priority:
  • blanksAsZero has no effect.
  • assignment sets target to 0
  • comparison is byte-by-byte with no change to the value of the CHAR variable
NO NO CHAR NUM v60NumWithCharBehavior does not apply. The text value is not valid in a numeric assignment or comparison, so EGL throws an exception.
YES NO CHAR NUM v60NumWithCharBehavior does not apply.
  • assignment sets the target to 0
  • comparison treats the text source as 0
NO n/a Any other combination of text source and numeric target types v60NumWithCharBehavior does not affect these types. The text value is not valid in a numeric assignment or comparison, so EGL throws an exception.
YES n/a Any other combination of text source and numeric target type v60NumWithCharBehavior does not affect these types:
  • assignment sets the target to 0
  • comparison treats the text source as 0

The blanksAsZero build descriptor option does not affect the assignment of a text value that is null to a numeric variable. If the source is null, a numeric target variable that is defined as nullable takes a null value; a numeric target variable that is not defined as nullable is set to 0.

Values

YES
Treats a text value that is all blanks or low values as though it is zero when assigning or comparing the text value to a numeric variable.
NO (the default value)
Throws an exception when you assign or compare a text value that is all blanks or low values to a numeric variable.

For more information, see the table in this topic.