The following code outputs a work file that is not the same as when I send it to HTML. When run to the screen, the COMPUTE column shows 4-35 for the 1st record as desired. When run to a file, the original field value is pre-pended to the 4-35 resulting in 34354-35.

Would someone mind testing my code to see if my code is wrong... ...or if I have a 7.6.7 problem...


APP PREPENDPATH IBISAMP
APP FI DNL012H01 DISK BASEAPP/DNL012H01
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT
COMPUTE R1B01/A8 = EDIT(WEIGHT,'$$$9-99'); AS 'TEST'
COUNTRY
CAR
MODEL
BODYTYPE
SEATS
DEALER_COST
RETAIL_COST
SALES
LENGTH
WIDTH
HEIGHT
WEIGHT
WHEELBASE
FUEL_CAP
BHP
RPM
MPG
ACCEL



ON TABLE NOTOTAL
ON TABLE HOLD AS DNL012H01 FORMAT ALPHA
END

File Output...

34354-35 ENGLAND JAGUAR V12XKE AUTO CONVERTIBLE 2
42002-00 ENGLAND JAGUAR XJ12L AUTO SEDAN 5
40000-00 ENGLAND JENSEN INTERCEPTOR III SEDAN 4
22412-41 ENGLAND TRIUMPH TR7 HARDTOP 2
20500-50 JAPAN DATSUN B210 2 DOOR AUTO SEDAN 4
22192-19 JAPAN TOYOTA COROLLA 4 DOOR DIX AUTO SEDAN 4
23053-05 ITALY ALFA ROMEO 2000 GT VELOCE COUPE 2
23203-20 ITALY ALFA ROMEO 2000 SPIDER VELOCE ROADSTER 2
25905-90 ITALY ALFA ROMEO 2000 4 DOOR BERLINA SEDAN 4
37007-00 ITALY MASERATI DORA 2 DOOR COUPE 2
25715-71 W GERMANY AUDI 100 LS 2 DOOR AUTO SEDAN 5
24004-00 W GERMANY BMW 2002 2 DOOR SEDAN 5
24004-00 W GERMANY BMW 2002 2 DOOR AUTO SEDAN 4
00-00 W GERMANY BMW 3.0 SI 4 DOOR SEDAN 5

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bbollmann,

Use SET HOLDLIST=PRINTONLY at the beginning of your procedure. The tells WF to only hold those items in the hold file that would also be displayed on the screen. So you won't get both the original AND the re-defined field.

Brian, you are using an EDIT with mask on a numeric field, I would suggest using FTOA first to convert to an alpha field, then add the '-'

One can use EDIT with a mask on a numeric field. Just know that the outcome is always alpha.
See the following:

  
-* File bbollmann1.fex
DEFINE FILE CAR
SALES2/A3=EDIT(SALES,'999');
RCOST7/A3=EDIT(RCOST,'$$$$999');
END
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT SALES SALES2 RCOST RCOST7
BY COUNTRY BY CAR BY BODY
END

  
  COUNTRY    CAR              BODYTYPE      SALES SALES2 RETAIL_COST RCOST7     
  -------    ---              --------      ----- ------ ----------- ------     
  ENGLAND    JAGUAR           CONVERTIBLE       0 000          8,878 878   
                              SEDAN         12000 012         13,491 491   
             JENSEN           SEDAN             0 000         17,850 850   
             TRIUMPH          HARDTOP           0 000          5,100 100   
  FRANCE     PEUGEOT          SEDAN             0 000          5,610 610   
  ITALY      ALFA ROMEO       COUPE         12400 012          6,820 820   
                              ROADSTER      13000 013          6,820 820   
                              SEDAN          4800 004          5,925 925   
             MASERATI         COUPE             0 000         31,500 500   
  JAPAN      DATSUN           SEDAN         43000 043          3,139 139   
             TOYOTA           SEDAN         35030 035          3,339 339   
  W GERMANY  AUDI             SEDAN          7800 007          5,970 970   
             BMW              SEDAN          8950 008          5,940 940   
                                             8900 008          6,355 355   
                                            14000 014         13,752 752   
                                            18940 018         14,123 123   
                                            14000 014          9,097 097   
                                            15600 015          9,495 495   

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Danny-SRL,

Brian,
Darin is right. Because the compute uses a real field to calculate it's result, that real field is also retrieved from the database.
When holding HTML this is an implicit noprint field. But when putting it into a hold file all fields used to create the result will be stored in the hold file. Unless you use SET HOLDLIST=PRINTONLY, or ON TABLE SET HOLDlIST PRINTONLY.

Although you can use EDIT on a numeric, the documentation states

quote:

The EDIT function extracts characters from or adds characters to an alphanumeric string.

Be careful!

Waz,

If you can get your hands on a M/F focus manual of the 1980's, you will see that EDIT with a mask is said to also work on numeric fields. I hope that what is the the newer manuals is an omission, otherwise many legacy applications out there are going to suffer from a serious bout of upward compatibility.

Up till now - and during the last 25 years - there has never been a problem. But, of course, all that could change...

You can even use EDIT to convert from numeric to alpha, but there are differences between using EDIT and FTOA. With EDIT, it will treat a number as an integer and will not translate the decimal portion. EDIT also zero fills the number and can convert a number up to 9 digits. FTOA blank fills the new field and can convert up to 16 digits and will retain decimal values. You can also convert from an alpha to a numeric but the same restrictions apply.

Daniel, I just was concerned that IBI may "Code tighten" and it will all fail.

I've since lost my FOCUS 4.5, 5 or was it 5.5 manual, had many dog eared pages, great reference manual, impossible to read though.

Waz,

As both uses of EDIT are covered in the Functions Reference Version 7 Release 6.1 and higher manual (DN3501785.0408) you are probably safe.

EDIT: Extracting or Adding Characters - pg 35

EDIT: Converting the Format of a Field - pg 141

Cheers

Stu

Guys, Guys, (and Gals),

The issue doesn't really have anything to do with the EDIT function. How did we get there? He just wanted to know why he saw additional fields in his hold file that did not display in his report.

He's redefined a real field using the same name so the report only prints the column once, but when you ON TABLE HOLD it would hold both the original real field used in the DEFINE and the newly defined value. SET HOLDIST=PRINTONLY solves the problem.

Guys, sorry about the rantings, but I was only concerned about supported code. If one day it fails you won't have a leg to stand on.

The important thing is Brian has an answer to his problem.

Sorry I didn't come back to this sooner... ...Darin's original reply worked so well I forgot all about the posts.

SET HOLDLIST=PRINTONLY

The EDIT discussion was helpful too!