# OPEN: DECIMAL Specifier

The DECIMAL specifier controls the representation of the decimal symbol for a connection. It takes the following form:

DECIMAL = dmode

dmode | Is a scalar default character expression that evaluates to one of the following values:
'COMMA' | Indicates that a decimal comma should be used for decimal editing mode.
'POINT' | Indicates that a decimal point should be used for decimal editing mode.

The default decimal editing mode is 'POINT'.

You can only use this specifier for a formatted I/O connection.

When the mode is DECIMAL='POINT', the decimal point in a numeric input or output value is a period, values are separated by commas in list-directed and NAMELIST I/O, and the separator between the real and imaginary parts of a complex value is a comma.

When the mode is DECIMAL='COMMA', the decimal point in a numeric input or output value is a comma, values are separated by semicolons in list-directed and NAMELIST I/O, and the separator between the real and imaginary parts of a complex value is a semicolon.

The decimal editing mode can be temporarily changed within a READ or WRITE statement by the DECIMAL= specifier or by the corresponding DC and DP edit descriptors.

This specifier is not allowed on unformatted input or output.

Parent topic: OPEN Statement Specifiers