Hi All:

Does the WHEN=FLD test, apply to the field style-sheet lines refers to or you can use the WHEN referring to another filed?

Requirements is to NOT show Brackets or Negative sign for the amounts less than 0, BUT show those in Red Color only

Field A is the original field can be negative or positive .
I defined field B to make it a number (FLDA * -1, if LT 0) , This is used in the subheading to display


For the Stylesheet line for FLD B (which is being displayed)

when I use FLDA in WHEN test it does not work
when I use FLDB in WHEN test it does work (color red)

Thanks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Kathryn Henning>,

The WHEN test can refer any field in the "internal matrix", but there are a few gotchas. To my understanding, this is the current situation:

• It can only handle very basic expressions, such as WHEN=FLD GT 0. Forget about things like WHEN=FLDA GT 3 AND FLDB LT 5, that's over its head.
  
• The referenced field has to be in the projection list, visible or not, so it has to be a field in the projection (PRINT, SUM, BY or ACROSS fields). If you just DEFINEd it, I think the field is considered unused in the TABLE-request and doesn't end up in the "internal matrix" and hence isn't available for styling.
  
• WHEN expressions can only do comparisons between a field-value and a constant. You can't compare two constants and you can't compare two field values.
  
• If you have multiple references to the same field in your projection, say you used it in a COMPUTE and you PRINT it, then the field ends up in the "internal matrix" multiple times and it's possible that you need to "enumerate" your field reference in your STYLE. For example, if you have a FLDA, you may have to reference it as FLDA (2) or even FLDA (3). I suspect you can "list" what's in the internal matrix using ?FF on your TABLE request output if you put it in a HOLD-file. Otherwise you'll need to get it through trial-and-error.

If your requirements surpass these limitations, the usual approach is to DEFINE a field to handle the "complex" expression and turn it into a simple yes-or-no value. Don't forget to PRINT that field though!

Before you ask, yes it matters where your expression is to how the syntax is and what features are supported. Why? Beats me.

If any of the above is incorrect, I'm sure someone will chime in

A little example including a few WebFOCUS commands:

  
-* File acrosscolor.fex
-* Example repro'd from a customer
-* Customer can choose a number of sortfields
-* The interface inserts BY or ACROSS where needed in the resulting parameter.
-*
-DEFAULT &BY_LIST='COUNTRY BY CAR BY BODYTYPE'
-DEFAULT &ACROSS_LIST='SEATS ACROSS MPG IN-RANGES-OF 15'
-*
-* The user can choose a number of verb objects. Some are COMPUTES defined with the LET command.
-*
LET 
NITZUL=COMPUTE RATIO/D7.2% = RCOST / DCOST * 100;;
NITZULU=COMPUTE RATU/D7.2%=RCU / DCU * 100;;
END
-*
-* Use of DEFINE to create a random couple of fields.
-*
DEFINE FILE CAR
DCU/D7=DCOST * (1+RDUNIF('D3.2'));
RCU/D7=RCOST * (1+RDUNIF('D3.2'));
END
-*
TABLE FILE CAR
SUM 
     DEALER_COST
     RETAIL_COST
     NITZUL
     DCU
     RCU
     NITZULU
BY  &BY_LIST
ACROSS &ACROSS_LIST
ON TABLE SET PAGE-NUM NOLEAD 
ON TABLE NOTOTAL
ON TABLE PCHOLD FORMAT HTML
ON TABLE SET HTMLCSS ON
ON TABLE SET STYLE *
     INCLUDE = endeflt,
$
-*
-* Styling using WHEN
-*
TYPE=DATA,
     ACROSSCOLUMN=RATIO,
     BACKCOLOR='RED',
     WHEN=RATIO GT 120,
$
TYPE=DATA,
     ACROSSCOLUMN=RATIO,
     BACKCOLOR='LIME',
     WHEN=RATIO GT 0,
$
TYPE=DATA,
     ACROSSCOLUMN=RATU,
     BACKCOLOR='RED',
     WHEN=RATU GT 120,
$
TYPE=DATA,
     ACROSSCOLUMN=RATU,
     BACKCOLOR='LIME',
     WHEN=RATU GT 0,
$
ENDSTYLE
END

Hi FOCdeveloper,

As Wep5622 indicates the WHEN test can refer any field in the "internal matrix".
So probably FLDA is not in your internal matrix.
Adding a "FLDA NOPRINT" might do the trick for you.

Martin.

Thanks All.. Right after I posted this.. I used COMPUTE for the testing field in WHEN and it worked..

Yes It has to be in the internal matrix, that was the issue when I just had it in a define and not in PRINT ..

Thanks

No, a DEFINE does not add a field to the internal matrix unless you use it.