1. Variables, Variables, Everywhere
Walter F. Blood
Director of Product Management

2. Agenda Variables – A Quick Review Variables in Reports
Variables in Procedures
Variables in Masters

3. A Quick Review

4. Two types of Variable Classes of variables The Basics
Local - &xxx - scope limited to procedure
Named - &ABC
Positional - &1 – passed in order from invocation
Global - &&xxx - scope expanded to session
Value retained from procedure to procedure
Classes of variables
System – value supplied by system
Statistical – generated by WebFOCUS during processing
Special -- variables for interactive use including &ECHO

5. Classes of Variables System Variables always available &APPROOT &DATE
&DATEfmt
&DATXfmt
&DMY/&DMYY
&FOCCODEPAGE
&FOCEXURL
&FOCFEXNAME
&FOCFOCEXEC
&FOCINCLUDE
&FOCMODE
&FOCNEXTPAGE
&FOCQUALCHAR
&ECHO
&FOCHTMLURL
&FOCREL
&TOD
&YMD/YYMD
&RETCODE
&SETFILE
&AUTOINDEX
&MDY/&MDYY

6. Statistical variables follow activity
Classes of Variables
Statistical variables follow activity
&BASEIO
&FOCDISORG
&INDEXIO
&FOCERRNUM
&LINES
&READS
&RECORDS
&SORTIO

7. Characteristics The Basics All variables are strings of characters
Data treated as Alphanumeric
All numeric treated as Integer
Use SET DMPRECISION to add decimal precision
Maximum number of variables – 1024 active
Maximum length of variable – 32K
Variable Name characters
A to Z, a to z, numbers, and ‘_’
Named must start with alpha
Numeric only name treated as positional

8. Information About Variables
Existence
Test the existence of a variable with &variable.EXIST
Returns 0 if variable does not exist – test with EQ
Returns non-zero if variable exists – test with NE
Length of data
Retrieve length of data value in variable with &variable.LENGTH
Returns 0 if the variable is not present

9. Information About Variables
Variable Data Type
Test character of content with &variable.TYPE
Numeric – TYPE = N
Can the contents be converted to a floating point number?
Integer is the norm – no decimal points
Add decimal places with SET DMPRECISION
SET DMPRECISION = OFF/number
Calculation requires conversion to double precision
Calculation result truncated without DMPRECISION
Alpha – TYPE = A
Undefined – TYPE=U

10. Information About Variables
Evaluate Variable Immediately
Evaluate variable on demand with &variable.EVAL
Used when variable may not be fully resolved
Complex expression
Variable used within quotes
Automatic Single Quote Handling
Automatic adjustment to handle single quotes in data with &variable.QUOTEDSTRING
Useful to accommodate single quotes which must be doubled in order to be passed

11. Setting the variable to a given value
Basic Actions
Setting the variable to a given value
-SET – creates variable and assigns value
Requires terminator - ;
Can be set to
Literal value, including null, alpha in quotes
Another variable
Arithmetic, alphanumeric, logical, or compound expressions
-READ <ddname &xxx.A5 &yyy.I3
Load variable by reading file physically – position
DDNAME must be FILEDEFd or ALLOCATEd
All space must be accounted for
Use for Fixed or Comma-delimited files

12. Setting the variable to a given value
Basic Actions
Setting the variable to a given value
-DEFAULT and -DEFAULTH
Creates default value for use if none is –SET
-DEFAULTH hides value on AUTOPROMPT/PROMPT
Cannot be set to expression
-READFILE <filename>
Uses Master file to read the file
Assigns data values to &FIELDNAME

13. Working with variables
Basic Actions
Working with variables
EX procedure ABC= value1, value2, &DEF=value3
Key/value pair
ABC assigned to &ABC
&DEF assigned to &&DEF
Value - assigned positionally - &2
Implicit prompting
Unassigned variable forces prompting
AUTOPROMPT with -WFDESCRIBE
-PROMPT, -WINDOW, -CRTFORM
Explicit methods to get value for variables from FOCUS

14. Prompting allows additional extensions
Basic Actions
Prompting allows additional extensions
&variable.format. – control format of data entered
Type and length tested
Incorrect entry – FOC291 error
&variable.(text). – add text to display when prompting
Use apostrophe if text contains parenthesis

15. Prompting allows additional extensions
Basic Actions
Prompting allows additional extensions
&variable.list. – list of acceptable values for prompt
List - comma-delimited string
Range of values – FROM a TO b
Dynamic list – FIND field IN file
&variable.VALIDATE
Security – prevent injection
Validate data received at runtime
List, Range, FIND, REGEX

16. Variables in Reports

17. Self-service based upon user choice
Variables in Reports
Self-service based upon user choice
Create launch page to collect variable values
Populate parameters passed with focexec
Use values to generate report dynamically
Allows you to add information
Procedure information and variable description
Headings and Footings
Make use of default variable values

18. Variables in Reports- Auto-Prompting

19. Variables in Requests - Auto Prompting
All variables must have values before running
Request scanned for variables
Evaluated from –SET, -DEFAULT, -DEFAULTH
Variables without values trigger prompting
Variable ignored in prompting
-SET variable
Global variable - &&
-DEFAULTH variables (hidden)
Special character handling
‘( ‘ - make sure there is space before it
‘&’ - to use this as a character use ‘&|’
-HTMLFORM BEGIN NOEVAL to suppress ‘&’ evaluation

20. Variables in Report - Selection
Static Single Select List of Values
Dynamic Single Select List of Values
WHERE STORENAME EQ ‘&STORENAME.(eMart,TV City, WebSales).’
WHERE STORENAME EQ ‘&STORENAME.(FIND STORENUM, STORENAME IN CENTORD). Store Name. ’

21. Variables in Selection
Static Multi-Select List of Values
Dynamic Multi-Select List of Values
WHERE STORENAME EQ
‘&STORENAME.(OR (eMart,TV City, WebSales).Store Name.’
WHERE STORENAME EQ ‘&STORENAME.(OR(FIND STORECODE, STORENAME IN CENTORD)). Store Name. ’

22. Variables in Selection
Special selection values
FOC_ALL – Select All option
WHERE -set to all values in multi-select list separated by OR /AND
No selection
_FOC_NULL – default value
Can be reset in IBIF_describe_null variable
Phrase or expression containing _FOC_NULL removed from request before run
FOC_NONE – applies to non-DM line
Line removed before request is run

23. Variables in Display or Sort – Static Single Select
Static Single Select List of Display fields
Static Single Select List of BY fields
Static Single Select List of ACROSS fields
SUM &SumFlds.(<Sales,DOLLARS>,<Budget,BUDDOLLARS>, <Units,UNITS>).Sum.
BY &SortBy.(<Category,GGSALES.SALES01.CATEGORY>, <PRODUCT>).By.
ACROSS &Acrs.(<Area,REGION>,<State,ST>, <None,FOC_NONE>).Across.

24. Variables in Display or Sort – Static Multi-Select
Static Multi-Select list of display fields
Static Multi-Select list of BY fields
Static multi-select list of ACROSS fields
SUM &SumFlds.(AND(<Sales,DOLLARS>,<Budget,BUDDOLLARS>, <Units,UNITS>)).Sum.
BY &SortBy.(AND(<Category,GGSALES.SALES01.CATEGORY>, <PRODUCT>)).By.
ACROSS &Acrs.(AND(<Area,REGION>,<State,ST>, <None,FOC_NONE>)).Across.

25. Variables in Display or Sort – Dynamic Single Select
Dynamic Single Select List of Display fields
Dynamic Single Select List of BY fields
Dynamic Single Select List of ACROSS fields
SUM &SumFlds.(FIND NAME, FLDDESC IN GGDETFLD). Sum Field.
BY &SortBy.(FIND NAME, FLDDESC IN GGBYFLD).By Field.
ACROSS &Acrs.(FIND NAME, FLDDESC IN GGACRFLD).Across Field.

26. Variables in Display or Sort –Dynamic Multi-Select
Dynamic Multi- Select List of Display fields
Dynamic Multi-Select List of BY fields
Dynamic Multi-Select List of ACROSS fields
SUM &SumFlds.(AND(FIND NAME, FLDDESC IN GGDETFLD))
.Sum Fields.
BY &SortBy.(AND(FIND NAME, FLDDESC IN GGBYFLD)).By Fields.
ACROSS &Acrs.(AND(FIND NAME, FLDDESC IN GGACRFLD))
.Across Fields.

27. Variables in Selection
Additional considerations
What else can be parameterized in a report?
Titles, Headings, SubHeads, SubFoots, Footings
Calculations
On retrieval with DEFINE
On output with COMPUTE
Variable values can also be created in
HTML
Javascript

28. Variables in Procedures

29. Variables in procedures
System Variables always available for testing or info
&APPROOT
&DATE
&DATEfmt
&DATXfmt
&DMY/&DMYY
&FOCCODEPAGE
&FOCEXURL
&FOCFEXNAME
&FOCFOCEXEC
&FOCINCLUDE
&FOCMODE
&FOCNEXTPAGE
&FOCQUALCHAR
&ECHO
&FOCHTMLURL
&FOCREL
&TOD
&YMD/YYMD
&RETCODE
&SETFILE
&AUTOINDEX
&MDY/&MDYY

30. Variables in procedures
Statistical variables available following activity
&BASEIO
&FOCDISORG
&INDEXIO
&FOCERRNUM
&LINES
&READS
&RECORDS
&SORTIO

31. Variables in procedures - Navigation
Calling other local procedures
Use Global variables that last for the session
EX <focexecname> <parm1> <parm2>
Variables not evaluated in calling focexec
Variables are passed as parameters
Existing local variables are lost
-INCLUDE <focexecname>
Variables in –INCLUDE focexec are evaluated
Existing local variables survive
Code is added at parse time of calling focexec

32. Variables in procedures - Navigation
Calling other local procedures
Use Global variables that last for the session
EX <focexecname> <parm1> <parm2>
Variables not evaluated in calling focexec
Variables are passed as parameters
Existing local variables are lost
-INCLUDE <focexecname>
Variables in –INCLUDE focexec are evaluated
Existing local variables survive
Code is added at parse time of calling focexec

33. Variables in procedures - Navigation
Calling procedures on other systems
To send code to be run on another system surround code with
-REMOTE BEGIN
-REMOTE END
To run a focexec on another system within remote block
EXEC <focexecname> <parm1> <parm2>
What to do with the output?
ON TABLE HOLD leaves data and metadata on remote system
ON TABLE PCHOLD retrieves data and metadata

34. Variables in procedures - navigation
Controlling the flow of the procedure
Branch to perform an action – -GOTO – unconditional
-- -IF ..GOTO ELSE …GOTO.. – conditional
CREATE LOOKUP FILE
LOOKUP FILE ?
RUN REPORT NO
YES
-SET &A=‘ ‘;
-READ LOOKUP &A.1.
-IF &A NE ‘ ‘ THEN GOTO RUNREPORT ELSE
GOTO CREATEREPORT ;

35. Variables in procedures - navigation
Controlling the flow of the procedure
Storing multiple values for a single variable
DONE
LOOP
MORE RECORDS? NO
YES
SET COUNTER
READ RECORD
-SET &A=‘ ‘;
-SET &CTR=0;
-LOOP
-SET &CTR=&CTR + 1;
-READ LOOKUP &A.&CTR.1.
-IF &IORETURN NE 0 THEN GOTO DONE
ELSE GOTO LOOP;
-DONE

36. Variables in procedures - navigation
Controlling the flow of the procedure
REPEAT process a variable number of times
REPEAT label N TIMES
REPEAT label FOR variable FROM x TO y STEP n
DONE
READ
IORETURN NE 0? NO
YES
REPEAT WHILE
WRITE
-REPEAT DONE WHILE &IORETURN NE 0;
-READ LOOKUP &A
-WRITE OUTPUT NOCLOSE &A
-DONE

37. Variables in procedures
Gathering data values
Testing if variable value in file
Using the master file to load field variables
Place SET values in variables
SET COUNTER
-SET &A=&C IN FILE FILENAME;
LOOP
-READFILE CAR
-TYPE COUNTRY IS &COUNTRY
-TYPE CAR IS &CAR
-CLOSE CAR
MORE RECORDS? NO
READ RECORD
-? SET ASNAMES &ABC
DONE
YES

38. Variables in procedures
Displaying values in variables
Local variables - list specific & variable
Global variables – list all && variables
SET COUNTER
LOOP
-? &ABC
MORE RECORDS? NO
? &&
READ RECORD
DONE
YES

39. Variables in procedures -HTMLFORM
Passing information using HTMLFORM
SET COUNTER
-IF &OPTION.EXIST GOTO HRINFO ELSE GOTO CANTRUN;
-HRINFO
TABLE FILE CENTHR
. . .
END
-EXIT
LOOP
-CANTRUN
-HTMLFORM BEGIN
<HTML>
<BODY>TOTAL REPORT CAN'T BE RUN WITHOUT AN OPTION. TIME &TOD </BODY>
</HTML>
-HTMLFORM END
-EXIT
MORE RECORDS? NO
READ RECORD
DONE
YES
-READFILE CAR
-TYPE COUNTRY IS &COUNTRY
-TYPE CAR IS &CAR
-TYPE MODEL IS &MODEL
-CLOSE CAR

40. Variables in procedures
Variables in web pages
Referring to variable value
Referring to variable value length
Variable in form input field
Local variable !IBI.AMP.variablename;
Global variable !IBI.GLB.variablename;
Local variable !IBI.AML.variablename;
Global variable !IBI.GLL.variablename;
<INPUT TYPE=TEXT NAME=variable VALUE=“IBI.AMP.variable;”>

41. Variables in Master Files

42. Master File global variables
Global variables declared in Master files
Global variables for use in requests based upon the Master
Global variables for use in Master File profiles
Global variables for attributes including
TITLE
DBA USERID and VALUE
ACCESS file parameters – TABLENAME, CONNECTION
VARIABLE NAME=[&&]var, USAGE=Aln, [DEFAULT=defvalue,] [QUOTED={OFF|ON},] $

43. Master File Profile
MFD Profile opens new possibilities
MFD Profile is standard focexec
Run as soon as Master File is opened
Contains any standard syntax
Beware infinite loops – self referencing
Possibilities
Tailoring Field Titles by a condition
Dynamic conditional creation of DBA or FILTER FILE
Changing data location or allocation dynamically
Dynamic alteration of request elements in Master
Dynamic DECODE table generation
FILE=name, SUFFIX=SQLMSS, MFD_PROFILE=profilename…,$

44. Master File – MFD Profile
MFD Profile characteristics
Executed for commands
TABLE, TABLEF, MATCH, GRAPH,
CREATE,
DEFINE,
CHECK, ?F, and ?FF
MATCH/MORE –executed in reverse order
JOINed files – all MFD PROFILES are executed
Variables will be subject to order of MFD PROFILES !
Ignored for MODIFY, MAINTAIN and READFILE
Do not call the master the MFD PROFILE is in – infinite loop

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