JavaScript, FormAPI or John bug?

System

TeamSite 5.5.2 with Templating on Solaris, IE6 client.

FormAPI Code:

IWDatacapture.getItem( "whatever" ).setValue( result );

When result is zero, what actually gets saved to the DCR is a null string. When changed to:

IWDatacapture.getItem( "whatever" ).setValue( "" + result );

What actually gets saved to the DCR is the value of result (0).