This document describes how you can specify an edit mask for an alphanumeric or numeric field.
The following topics are covered:
With the session parameter EM you can specify
an edit mask for an alphanumeric or numeric field, that is, determine character
by character the format in which the field values are to be output.
Example:
DISPLAY NAME (EM=X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X)
In this example, each X represents one character of an
alphanumeric field value to be displayed, and each ^ represents a
blank. If displayed via the DISPLAY statement, the
name JOHNSON would appear as follows:
J O H N S O N
You can specify the session parameter EM
at report level (in a FORMAT statement),
at statement level (in a DISPLAY,
WRITE,
INPUT, MOVE EDITED or PRINT statement)
or
at element level (in a DISPLAY,
WRITE or
INPUT statement).
An edit mask specified with the session parameter
EM will override a default edit mask specified for a
field in the DDM; see
Using the DDM Editor
Screen,
Specifying Extended Field
Attributes.
If EM=OFF is specified, no edit mask at all will
be used.
An edit mask specified at statement level will override an edit mask specified at report level.
An edit mask specified at element level will override an edit mask specified at statement level.
Edit masks for numeric fields (formats N, I, P, F) must include a
9 for each output position you want filled with a number (even if
it is zero).
A Z is used to indicate that the output position will be
filled only if the available number is not zero.
A decimal point is indicated with a period (.).
To the right of the decimal point, a Z must not be
specified. Leading, trailing, and insertion characters - for example, sign
indicators - can be added.
Edit masks for alphanumeric fields must include an X for
each alphanumeric character that is to be output.
With a few exceptions, you may add leading, trailing and insertion characters (with or without enclosing them in apostrophes).
The circumflex character (^) is used to insert blanks in edit mask for both numeric and alphanumeric fields.
It is important to be aware of the length of the field to which you assign an edit mask.
If the edit mask is longer than the field, this will yield unexpected results.
If the edit mask is shorter than the field, the field output will be truncated to just those positions specified in the edit mask.
Assuming an alphanumeric field that is 12 characters long and the field
value to be output is JOHNSON, the following edit masks will yield
the following results:
| Edit Mask | Output |
|---|---|
EM=X.X.X.X.X |
J.O.H.N.S |
EM=****XXXXXX**** |
****JOHNSO** |
Edit masks for date fields can include the characters D
(day), M (month) and Y (year) in various
combinations.
Edit masks for time fields can include the characters H
(hour), I (minute), S (second) and T
(tenth of a second) in various combinations.
In conjunction with edit masks for date and time fields, see also the date and time system variables.
Natural programs are used in business applications all over the world. Depending on the local conventions, it is usual to present numeric data fields and those with a date or time content in a special output style, when displayed in I/O statements. The different appearance should not be realized by alternate program coding that is processed selectively as a function of the locale where the program is being executed, but should be carried out with the same program image in conjunction with a set of runtime parameters to specify the decimal point character and the "thousands separator character".
The following topics are covered below:
The Natural parameter DC (Decimal Character)
is available to specify the character to be inserted in place of any characters
used to represent the decimal separator (also called "radix"
character) in edit masks. This parameter enables the users of a Natural program
or application to choose any (special) character to separate the integer
positions from the decimal positions of a numeric data item and enables, for
example, U.S. shops to use the decimal point (.) and European shops to use the
comma (,).
To structure the output of a large integer values, it is common practice to insert separators between every three digits of an integer to separate groups of thousands. This separator is called a "thousands separator". For example, in the United States they generally use a comma for this purpose (e.g. 1,000,000), whereas in Germany they use the period (1.000.000), in France a space (1 000 000), etc.
In a Natural edit mask, a "dynamic thousands separator" is
a comma (or period) indicating the position where thousands separator
characters (defined with the THSEPCH parameter)
are inserted at runtime. At compile time, the option THSEP of system command
COMPOPT or the subparameter
THSEP of profile parameter
CMPO or
macro NTCCMPO
enables or disables the interpretation of the comma (or period) as dynamic
thousands separator.
If THSEP is set to OFF (default),
any character used as thousands separator in the edit mask is treated as
literal and displayed unchanged at runtime. This setting retains downwards
compatibility.
If THSEP is set to ON, any comma
(or period) in the edit mask is interpreted as dynamic thousands separators. In
general, the dynamic thousands separator is a comma, but if the comma is
already in use as decimal character (DC), the period is
used as dynamic thousands separator.
At runtime the dynamic thousands separators are replaced by the current
value of the THSEPCH parameter
(thousands separator character).
A Natural program that is cataloged with parameter settings
DC='.' and THSEP=ON uses the edit mask
(EM=ZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9.99).
| Parameter Settings at Runtime | Displays as |
|---|---|
| DC='.' and THSEPCH=',' | 1,234,567.89 |
| DC=',' and THSEPCH='.' | 1.234.567,89 |
| DC=',' and THSEPCH='/' | 1/234/567,89 |
| DC=',' and THSEPCH=' ' | 1 234 567,89 |
| DC=',' and THSEPCH='''' | 1'234'567,89 |
Some examples of edit masks, along with possible output they produce, are provided below.
In addition, the abbreviated notation for each edit mask is given. You can use either the abbreviated or the long notation.
| Edit Mask | Abbreviation | Output A | Output B |
|---|---|---|---|
| EM=999.99 | EM=9(3).9(2) | 367.32 | 005.40 |
| EM=ZZZZZ9 | EM=Z(5)9(1) | 0 | 579 |
| EM=X^XXXXX | EM=X(1)^X(5) | B LUE | A 19379 |
| EM=XXX...XX | EM=X(3)...X(2) | BLU...E | AAB...01 |
| EM=MM.DD.YY | * | 01.05.87 | 12.22.86 |
| EM=HH.II.SS.T | ** | 08.54.12.7 | 14.32.54.3 |
* Use a date system variable.
** Use a time system variable.
For further information about edit masks, see the session parameter
EM in the
Parameter Reference.
** Example 'EDITMX01': Edit mask (using default edit masks)
************************************************************************
DEFINE DATA LOCAL
1 VIEWEMP VIEW OF EMPLOYEES
2 NAME
2 JOB-TITLE
2 SALARY (1:3)
2 CITY
END-DEFINE
*
READ (3) VIEWEMP BY NAME STARTING FROM 'JONES'
DISPLAY 'N A M E' NAME /
'OCCUPATION' JOB-TITLE
'SALARY' SALARY (1:3)
'LOCATION' CITY
SKIP 1
END-READ
END
Output of Program EDITMX01:
The output of this program shows the default edit masks available.
Page 1 04-11-11 14:15:54
N A M E SALARY LOCATION
OCCUPATION
------------------------- ---------- --------------------
JONES 46000 TULSA
MANAGER 42300
39300
JONES 50000 MOBILE
DIRECTOR 46000
42700
JONES 31000 MILWAUKEE
PROGRAMMER 29400
27600
** Example 'EDITMX02': Edit mask (using EM)
************************************************************************
DEFINE DATA LOCAL
1 VIEWEMP VIEW OF EMPLOYEES
2 NAME
2 FIRST-NAME
2 JOB-TITLE
2 SALARY (1:3)
END-DEFINE
*
READ (3) VIEWEMP BY NAME STARTING FROM 'JONES'
DISPLAY 'N A M E' NAME (EM=X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X^X) /
FIRST-NAME (EM=...X(10)...)
'OCCUPATION' JOB-TITLE (EM=' ___ 'X(12))
'SALARY' SALARY (1:3) (EM=' USD 'ZZZ,999)
SKIP 1
END-READ
END
Output of Program EDITMX02:
Compare the output with that of the previous program (Example Program without EM
Parameters) to see how the EM
specifications affect the way the fields are displayed.
Page 1 04-11-11 14:15:54
N A M E OCCUPATION SALARY
FIRST-NAME
----------------------------- ---------------- -----------
J O N E S ___ MANAGER USD 46,000
..VIRGINIA ... USD 42,300
USD 39,300
J O N E S ___ DIRECTOR USD 50,000
..MARSHA ... USD 46,000
USD 42,700
J O N E S ___ PROGRAMMER USD 31,000
..ROBERT ... USD 29,400
USD 27,600
See the following example programs: