Testing DATE element for spaces (solution)

[Leonard_Berkowitz@harvardpilgrim.org]

(again apologies for double posting)

A few minutes ago, I posed the following question:

On the HP3000, PowerHouse 7.09:

I have an element defined as a DATE and stored as ZONED*6. Some of the data
is spaces and some is 000000. What test(s) could I apply to determine what
I have.

If I use ASCII (ELEM,6), I get 000000 either way

If I use ASCII (ELEM), I get 0 either way

If I use SIZE ASCII (ELEM), I get 1 (one) either way

SIZE (ELEM) gives an error: The datatype of the item ELEM is incorrect in
this context

INDEX (ELEM) gives the same error

I suspect that MATCHPATTERN (ELEM, "      ") will give the same error.
======================================================================
Meanwhile, I kept researching this problem. I discovered that the return of
the CHARACTERS function can be tested for spaces.

If anyone has a different idea or can point to a "gottcha" in my solution,
please let me know.

Thanks,

====================
Leonard S. Berkowitz
(work) Leonard_Berkowitz@hphc.org
(home) lberkowitz@earthlink.net