Variant Config type conversion

have an issue taking in a non human readible nomenclature from the IPC interface into VC.

Problem

Java IPC converts 25 Fatory installed options into BASE32 and is represented by the last 8 digits of the Nomenclature. VC must decode the BASE32 and divide out the 25 FIOP values. VC takes in the last 8 digits in type CHAR. to Decode i need to convert CHAR into INT. I've tried setting the Variable of type CHAR equal to a variable of type NUMERIC but it wont pass syntax.

I.E

$SELF.X_1 = 0 IF FIOP_POS_11 = 0,

$SELF.X_1 = 1 IF FIOP_POS_11 = 1,

$SELF.X_1 = 2 IF FIOP_POS_11 = 2,

how will i do this in VC syntax or will i have to have an ABAP/4 and call the function?

regards

Brandon