Ernie,
Although some think that, you cannot convert direct in general EBCDIC to
ASCII.
EBCDIC a 8 bit code (256 characters are described)
ASCII is a 7 bit code (128 characters are described)
They are not even all the same, morever in ASCII is used to fullfil the need
for some characters a kind of sometimes called non existing Extendend ASCII
where the top bit is used to create codes, depending on whatever need. By
instance in the PC by IBM/Microsoft first done with codepages as 457 and
850.
I am not sure what you mean with an Overpunch, where I assume a 12/11 in an
IBM punchcard which had the function to give a plus and a minus field. That
has nothing to do with EBCDIC however more how a numeric value was
represented in a punchcard, some had the system to put the minus (11) in the
first (most significant) position some did it on the last (less
significant).
However there has never been an overal system for that as there are now for
that kind of things.
Just my idea.
Cor
