FORMAT [(rep)]   parameter

This document covers the following topics:

• Function

• Syntax Description

• Applicable Parameters

• Example

For explanations of the symbols used in the syntax diagram, see Syntax Symbols.

Related Statements: AT END OF PAGE | AT TOP OF PAGE | CLOSE PRINTER | DEFINE PRINTER | DISPLAY | EJECT | NEWPAGE | PRINT | SKIP | SUSPEND IDENTICAL SUPPRESS | WRITE | WRITE TITLE | WRITE TRAILER

Belongs to Function Group: Creation of Output Reports

---

Function

The FORMAT statement is used to specify input and output parameter settings.

Settings specified with a FORMAT statement override (at compilation time) default settings in effect for the session that have been set by a GLOBALS command, SET GLOBALS statement, or by the Natural administrator.

These settings may in turn be overridden by parameters specified in a DISPLAY, INPUT, PRINT, WRITE, WRITE TITLE or WRITE TRAILER statement.

The settings remain in effect until the end of a program or until another FORMAT statement is encountered.

A FORMAT statement does not generate any executable code in the Natural program. It is not executed in dependence of the logical flow of a program. It is evaluated during program compilation in order to set parameters for compiling DISPLAY, WRITE, PRINT and INPUT statements. The settings defined with a FORMAT statement are applicable to all DISPLAY, WRITE, PRINT and INPUT statements which follow.

Syntax Description

Syntax Element	Description
(rep)	Report Specification: The notation (rep) may be used to specify the identification of the report for which the FORMAT statement is applicable. A value in the range 0 - 31 or a logical name which has been assigned using the DEFINE PRINTER statement may be specified. If (rep) is not specified, the FORMAT statement will be applicable to the first report (Report 0). For information on how to control the format of an output report created with Natural, see Report Format and Control (in the Programming Guide).
parameter	Parameter(s): The parameters can be specified in any order and must be separated by one or more spaces. A single entry must not be split between two statement lines. Field sensitive parameter settings applied here will only be regarded for variable fields used in an INPUT, a WRITE, DISPLAY or PRINT statement of the selected report. They do not apply for text-constants used in any of the mentioned statements. See also Applicable Parameters below.

Applicable Parameters

See the Parameter Reference for a detailed description of the session parameters which may be used.

Parameter	Description
AD	Attribute Definition
AL	Alphanumeric Length for Output
CD	Color Definition
DF	Date Format
DL	Display Length for Output
EM	Edit Mask
ES	Empty Line Suppression
FC	Filler Character
FL	Floating Point Mantissa Length
GC	Filler Character for Group Heading
HC	Header Centering
HW	Heading Width
IC	Insertion Character
ICU	Unicode Insertion Character
IP	Input Prompting Text
IS	Identical Suppress
KD	Key Definition
LC	Leading Characters
LCU	Unicode Leading Characters
LS	Line Size
MC	Multiple-Value Field Count (Can only be used in reporting mode.)
MP	Maximum Number of Pages of a Report, see Note below.
MS	Manual Skip
NL	Numeric Length for Output
PC	Periodic Group Count (Can only be used in reporting mode.)
PM	Print Mode
PS	Page Size, see Note below.
SF	Spacing Factor
SG	Sign Position
TC	Trailing Characters
TCU	Unicode Trailing Characters
UC	Underlining Character
ZP	Zero Printing

See also Underlining Character for Titles and Headers - UC Parameter (in the Programming Guide).

Example

** Example 'FMTEX1': FORMAT                                             
************************************************************************
DEFINE DATA LOCAL                                                       
1 EMPLOY-VIEW VIEW OF EMPLOYEES                                         
  2 NAME                                                                
  2 CITY                                                                
  2 POST-CODE                                                           
  2 COUNTRY                                                             
END-DEFINE                                                              
*                                                                       
FORMAT AL=7    /* Alpha-numeric field output length                     
       FC=+    /* Filler character for field header                     
       GC=*    /* Filler character for group header                     
       HC=L    /* Header left justified                                 
       IC=<<   /* Insert characters                                     
       IS=ON   /* Identical suppress on                                 
       TC=>>   /* Trailing character                                    
       UC==    /* Underline character                                   
       ZP=OFF  /* Zero print off                                 
*                                             
LIMIT 5                                       
READ EMPLOY-VIEW BY NAME                      
  DISPLAY NOTITLE                             
          NAME 3X CITY 3X POST-CODE 3X COUNTRY
END-READ                                      
*                                             
END

Output of Program FMTEX1:

NAME+++++++   CITY+++++++   POSTAL+++++   COUNTRY++++
                              ADDRESS++++              
===========   ===========   ===========   ===========
                                                     
<<ABELLAN>>   <<MADRID >>   <<28014  >>   <<E  >>    
<<ACHIESO>>   <<DERBY  >>   <<DE3 4TR>>   <<UK >>    
<<ADAM   >>   <<JOIGNY >>   <<89300  >>   <<F  >>    
<<ADKINSO>>   <<BROOKLY>>   <<11201  >>   <<USA>>    
              <<BEVERLE>>   <<90211  >>