I usually use "iand" to change an integer*1 to an integer*2 or an integer*2 to an interger*4: integer*1 byte integer*2 pixel pixel=iand($00ff,byte) -- Brent L. Bates NASA-Langley Research Center M.S. 361 Hampton, Virginia 23665-5225 (804) 864-2854 E-mail: blbates at aero4.larc.nasa.gov or blbates at aero2.larc.nasa.gov