diff --git a/ca b/ca
index 963d46b..169bde5 100755
--- a/ca
+++ b/ca
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 # ca* by Dirk Zimoch
 # $Source: /cvs/G/EPICS/App/scripts/ca,v $
-# $Date: 2015/05/18 07:56:05 $
+# $Date: 2015/06/03 09:12:16 $
 
 regsub -all {\$} {ca* by Dirk Zimoch
 $Source: /cvs/G/EPICS/App/scripts/ca,v $
-$Revision: 1.30 $
-$Date: 2015/05/18 07:56:05 $} {} version
+$Revision: 1.31 $
+$Date: 2015/06/03 09:12:16 $} {} version
 
 package require Tclx
 package require Epics
@@ -128,7 +128,11 @@ proc formatval {channel {value {}} {sevr {}} {stat {}} {time {}}} {
             # long string: try to re-read as array of char
             set field [file extension $channel]
             if {$field != "" && $field != ".VAL"} {
-                catch {set value [pvget $channel$]}
+                catch {
+                    set value [pvget $channel$]
+                    set TYPE "DBF_CHAR"
+                    set SIZE [llength $value]
+                }
             }
         }
         catch {