Picture Clause Expressions

Overview

Picture Clause Expression formats the way data is stored into a selected index field in the Scanning Module.

The formatting is performed at two levels:

  • General Formatting Code applies to the entire field. For example, you may select an option to format the field to accept only capital letters.

  • Specific Data Entry is limited on a character-by-character basis to a specified value. For example, an index field can be formatted to accept only social security numbers.

When a Picture Clause Expression is used, the data input operator cannot enter anything that does not conform to the designated format.

Selecting a Picture Clause for a Field

1. Start the Index Field Editor for the selected database.

2. Click the [Picture Clause Expression] button.

  • The Expression Builder dialog box opens:

  • Fields: – This list displays how the field value will be formatted. After entering all selections, this field displays the field format template.

  • Character Formatting Codes – This section displays the options available for data entry. These are the available formatting codes for specific formatting. For example, if Social Security numbers are to be entered, type 999-99-9999 in the text field. This would allow only Social Security numbers to be entered.

  • Global Character Field Conditions – These are the general formatting codes that apply to this field. For example, if you select Convert All Lowercase Characters To Uppercase, any letter typed in this field will be converted to upper case.

  • For character field, the following dialog box opens:

  • For numeric fields, the following dialog box opens:

  • The previous descriptions for character fields apply to Field Format and Character Formatting Codes in this dialog box.

  • The Global Character Field Conditions contain general formatting codes that apply only to numeric fields.

For date fields, the following dialog box opens:

  • The previous descriptions apply to Field Format and Character Formatting Codes.

  • The Global Character Fields Conditions apply to only date fields.

  1. Enter your desired selections in the appropriate Picture Clause Editor dialog box.

  2. Click [OK] to save the settings.

  3. Image-Master returns to the Index Field Editor window.

NOTE: In all cases a Picture Clause can be used to further restrict the values stored in the created field

Picture Clauses: Controlling the Value Entered by the User

This legend shows which values the user can input onto the Picture Clause Expression field that will convert data to any format of their choosing. For example, entering 999-999-9999 establishes that the data will be in the form of a phone number. 

A = Alpha Only

9 = Number Only

L = Logical Only

Y = "Y" or "N" Only

N = Letter or Number Only

# = Number, Blank, Sign

! = Upper Case if Letter

X = Any Character

Validate Character Date Format

This validation clause that takes an 8-character string and determines if it represents a valid date given the specific format of YYYYMMDD where:

YYYY=Year (rng 1000-3000)
MM= Month (rng 1-12)
DD= Day (rng 1-31, 1-30, 1-29, 1-28 based on month & leap year)

It returns True=valid date or False invalid date.

To utilize:

  1. Deploy "F:\EIDMS\Validation Modules7\ISADate.FXP" to network IMASTER folder.

  2. Configure source field (Default Value) to be SPACE(8) and in Picture clause 99999999 (to enforce numbers and max length).

  3. In validation / Field Level Event Expression, enter ISADATE(m1fieldname) where m1 is a literal and fieldname is the actual name of the source field.

Related Topic

Introduction to Advanced Features