FORMAT [(rep)]
parameter
|
This document covers the following topics:
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
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 Element | Description |
---|---|
(rep) |
Report Specification:
The notation
A value in the range If 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 Example: DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 VARI (A4) INIT <'1234'> /* Output END-DEFINE /* Produced FORMAT AD=U /* --------- WRITE 'Text' VARI /* Text 1234 WRITE 'Text' (AD=U) VARI /* Text 1234 END See also Applicable Parameters below. |
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 |
Note:
The parameters MP
and
PS
do not take effect for a specific I/O statement, but
apply to the complete output created for the report. If multiple settings for
MP
and PS
are performed, the last
definition is used.
See also Underlining Character for Titles and Headers - UC Parameter (in the Programming Guide).
** 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
NAME+++++++ CITY+++++++ POSTAL+++++ COUNTRY++++ ADDRESS++++ =========== =========== =========== =========== <<ABELLAN>> <<MADRID >> <<28014 >> <<E >> <<ACHIESO>> <<DERBY >> <<DE3 4TR>> <<UK >> <<ADAM >> <<JOIGNY >> <<89300 >> <<F >> <<ADKINSO>> <<BROOKLY>> <<11201 >> <<USA>> <<BEVERLE>> <<90211 >>