...This issue of how variables are stored is illustrated in the manual by the modifiers for the HSEIN command including BIN and DEC.

BIN --> receive binary numbers
DEC -->receive decimal numbers


but snce all data is received in binary, this is slightly confusing. Des this mean that BIN receives the value of a byte directly, wheras DEC interprets the value of each byte as an ASCIIcode and then converts to a single binary value (i.e receives ASCII code for 3 and 2, then stores 32 in a byte) .... If the latter, how does the compiler 'know' how many bytes make up the number (i.e how many characters in the number ...)

Sorry If I'm talking rubbish ...