Hi,

I am trying to come up with a function that will verify the contents of a parameter against a list. When not in a function I can do the following:

  
-SET &STUFF='All';
-SET &STRIPPED=STRIP(&STUFF.LENGTH, &STUFF, ',', '');
-SET &TRIMMED=TRUNCATE('&STRIPPED.EVAL');
-SET &TEST='All,E,I,O' CONTAINS '&TRIMMED.EVAL';
-TYPE &TEST;

Which works fine

However I can't can't seem to translate that into a function

  
DEFINE FUNCTION ISVALIDENTRY(FLD/A20, ENTRIES/A20)
  STRIPPED/A20=STRIP(20, FLD, ',', '');
  ISVALIDENTRY/I2=ENTRIES CONTAINS STRIPPED;
END
-RUN
-SET &TEST1=ISVALIDENTRY('&STUFF.EVAL','All,E,I,O');
-TYPE &TEST1;

The &TEST1 variable always returns 0.

Thanks!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: manish from curaspan,

You don't tell us what happens when you attempt to use the function, but I suspect you need a -RUN after the function definition and before you try to use it.

Sorry! That was a bad cut and paste job on my part I have a -RUN after the define but the &TEST1 variable always returns 0. I have updated the original post but the entire source is :

  
-SET &STUFF='All';
DEFINE FUNCTION ISVALIDENTRY(FLD/A20, ENTRIES/A20)
  STRIPPED/A20=STRIP(20, FLD, ',', '');
  ISVALIDENTRY/I2=ENTRIES CONTAINS STRIPPED;
END
-RUN
-SET &TEST1=ISVALIDENTRY('&STUFF.EVAL','All,E,I,O');
-TYPE &TEST1;

if you run with echo all, you'll see that the function name must be 8 letters long, no more.
(in 7.6.8 ,anyway)
-SET &STUFF='All';
DEFINE FUNCTION ISVALIDENTRY(FLD/A20, ENTRIES/A20)
STRIPPED/A20=STRIP(20, FLD, ',', '');
ISVALIDENTRY/I2=ENTRIES CONTAINS STRIPPED;
END
-RUN
(FOC1940) DEFINE FUNCTION name not 1-8 characters: ISVALIDENTRY
BYPASSING TO END OF COMMAND
--------
another thing to be aware of is that you're specifying 3 characters in an &var, but when you pull it into the function, you're taking 20 characters, the initial 3 plus whatever 17 are next to it in memory. might be playing a part here.
so your test should be carried out on defines, rather than on dm machinations w/ &vars.

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

Yes - the actual vs assigned length of the test value is causing the issue..
here is one way of getting around it..

  
-SET &STUFF='All';
-SET &LEN = IF &STUFF.LENGTH LT 10 THEN EDIT(&STUFF.LENGTH,'$9') ELSE &STUFF.LENGTH;



 
DEFINE FUNCTION ISVALIDENTRY(FLD/A&LEN.EVAL, ENTRIES/A20)
  STRIPPED /A&LEN.EVAL=STRIP(&LEN.EVAL,FLD,',',STRIPPED);
  ISVALIDENTRY/I1= ENTRIES CONTAINS STRIPPED;
END
-RUN
-SET &TEST1=ISVALIDENTRY('&STUFF.EVAL','All,E,I,O');
-TYPE &TEST1;

-EXIT

This code doesn't take care of the length cals for values that contain commas --it would be better to do the STRIPping of commas in DM before passing it to the function.

thanks
Sashanka

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Severus.snape,

RUN THIS

 -SET &STUFF = 'JAG,,,';
DEFINE FILE IBISAMP/CAR
STUFF/A6 WITH CAR = &STUFF.QUOTEDSTRING ;
STRIPPED/A20 WITH CAR =STRIP(20,STUFF , ',' , '');
ISVALID/I2 = CAR CONTAINS STUFF ;
END
TABLE FILE IBISAMP/CAR
PRINT CAR STUFF STRIPPED ISVALID
END 

and you'll see what's happening with the size mismatch...

You're confusing STRIP with STRREP
the syntax for STRIP that you have is
STRIPPED/A20=STRIP(20, FLD, ',', '');

the syntax should be
STRIPPED/A20=STRIP(20, FLD, ',', STRIPPED);

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

Thanks everyone.

But there seems to be a flaw in my logic.
The function will also return 1 when I set &STUFF='Al'.
Is there any other ways to make sure that a specific value is in a list of values?

What I ended up doing is writing a python script that can be called with my parameter and the list of valid values and sets the exit code. Webfocus checks the exit code via the &EXITRC variable.

Something similar can probably be in a shell script.