protected static Ptg calcLeftB( Ptg[] operands )
	{
		WorkBook bk = operands[0].getParentRec().getWorkBook();
		if( bk.defaultLanguageIsDBCS() )
		{// otherwise just returns normal string
			int numchars = 1;
			if( operands.length < 1 )
			{
				return new PtgErr( PtgErr.ERROR_VALUE );
			}
			if( operands.length == 2 )
			{
				if( operands[1] instanceof PtgErr )
				{
					return new PtgErr( PtgErr.ERROR_VALUE );
				}
				try
				{
					numchars = operands[1].getIntVal();
					byte[] b = new byte[numchars];
					System.arraycopy( getUnicodeBytesFromOp( operands[0] ), 0, b, 0, numchars );
					return new PtgStr( new String( b, XLSConstants.UNICODEENCODING ) );
				}
				catch( Exception e )
				{
					return new PtgErr( PtgErr.ERROR_VALUE );
				}
			}
		}
		return calcLeft( operands );
	}