Unless I'm mistaken a move of non-numeric char data to an numc field will result in ABAP filling the numc field with zeroes, rather than an exception.
Although most language connoisseurs would look down on this as a "let the buyer beware" approach unworthy of SAP, I like it because it reminds me of the days when language designers could design intelligent languages because they knew that in general, intelligent programmers would be using them.
I also like it because it also provides a way to code a very convenient non-numeric test for legacy data of the sort that has all kinds of crap in it because someone didnt' convert EBCDIC correctly ... as I said, lemonade from lemons. (Of course, if all zeroes is a valid value, then you've gotta be careful.)
Can anyone think of any other uses for this "successful" but incorrect conversion?
