I want to use the decode function from a file with data.
the data looks like
codx description
aaa this is value aaa
bbb and here we have bbb
ccc next is code ccc

I put this in the file ..
TABLE FILE DATA
PRINT CODX
COMPUTE SP/A2=' ';
DESCRIPTION
ON TABLE HOLD AS TODECODE FORMAT ALPHA
END
Then do a define
DEFINE FILE CAR
DESCR/A30=DECODE MODEL(TODECODE ELSE 'unknown')
END

now create my report with the field DESCR

TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT MODEL DESCR
BY ...
END

I get only the first word of my description so:
this
and
next

etc

I see what is going wrong but how can I avaoid it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kerry,

Frank,

You need to enclose your description within singles quotes as they contain spaces.

TABLE FILE DATA
PRINT CODX
COMPUTE SP/A2=' ';
COMPUTE NEW_DESC/A40='''' || DESCRIPTION || '''';
ON TABLE SAVE AS TODECODE FORMAT ALPHA
END

Make the computed field two characters longer than the DESCRIPTION field and do a SAVE instead of HOLD. HOLD produces a master file description that you do not require for this type of decode.

T

yes, of course...
thanks

Tony

I was looking at this old question, since I got a problem with it.
I found that you need to ad the line

SET HOLDLIST=PRINTONLY

Else the holdfile also gets the original DESCRIPTION field in the dataset and that will give unexpected results.