>Johno: Replaced content with "=== AskPlus E.8.4.2 === AskPlus E.8.4.2 was released in March 2017. '''Highlights:''' :* New date formatting options. :* New text functions: left, right, mid, replacecha..."

2018-02-02T21:14:19Z

Replaced content with "=== AskPlus E.8.4.2 === AskPlus E.8.4.2 was released in March 2017. '''Highlights:''' :* New date formatting options. :* New text functions: left, right, mid, replacecha..."

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>Johno at 20:38, 2 February 2018

2018-02-02T20:38:36Z

>Johno at 18:07, 1 February 2018

2018-02-01T18:07:43Z

>Kevint at 20:03, 12 January 2018

2018-01-12T20:03:25Z

>Johno at 21:57, 22 December 2017

2017-12-22T21:57:02Z

>Johno: Created page with "=== AskPlus E.8.4.2 === AskPlus E.8.4.2 was released in March 2017. '''Instructions for Installing AskPlus:''' :Installing AskPlus Version '''Backwards Compatibility:''..."

2017-12-22T21:54:34Z

Created page with "=== AskPlus E.8.4.2 === AskPlus E.8.4.2 was released in March 2017. '''Instructions for Installing AskPlus:''' :Installing AskPlus Version '''Backwards Compatibility:''..."

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=== AskPlus E.8.4.2 ===

AskPlus E.8.4.2 was released in March 2017.

'''Instructions for Installing AskPlus:'''
:[[Installing AskPlus Version]]

'''Backwards Compatibility:'''

:'''User Exits !isdate and !isnum:'''
::The return values of !isdate and !isnum have been modified and consequently '''may''' not be fully backwards compatible with previous versions of AskPlus. See below for more details.
::Users should scan production reports to search for any occurrences of these operators prior to installing this version as the default version.
::There are two options for jobs (contexts) that use these operators:
::*Rename !isdate(...) to !isdateorig(...) and rename !isnum(...) to !isnumorig(...), or
::*Modify the job (context) to use the new operators which now return True/False instead of the actual date or number.
::Contact support if you would like assistance with this update.

'''Enhancements:'''
*'''Report Output to ASCII file:'''
:By default, Report output to an ASCII file will only fill the last page with blank lines (or a formfeed when CCTL is specified) if the file is created by Visimage, or when a trailer statement (Z1, Z2) is specified. To force the last page to be filled with blank lines in other situations, use the FILLPAGE keyword on the OUT statement.

REPORT
OUT=filename, DELETE, FILLPAGE
...

* '''Updated''' System Variables:

:* '''$DQUOTE - Double Quote'''
::* This variable returns the value of a '''double quote''' which can be used in an expression. For example,

D1, $DQUOTE splice MEMBER-FILE.NAME splice $DQUOTE, 1 left

* '''Updated''' Special Operators:

:* '''!getval:typelen(filename.filename, parm])'''
::* GetVal will strip trailing ''carriage return'' (\r) characters from a DOS formatted file (previously only ''linefeed'' (\n) chars were stripped.)
::* If no typelen is specified, the default return length is automatically calculated.

:* '''!isdate(parm[, "format"])'''
::* Now returns True/False (K1) if parm is a valid date. (Previously the actual date was returned when true.)
::* The format is now optional. If not specified a CYMD format is assumed.
::* The original version is still available with the name '''!isdateorig'''

:* '''!isnum(parm)'''
::* Now returns True/False (K1) if parm is numeric. (Previously the return value was the actual number, or 0.)
::* Any numeric '''parm''' returns True
::* An ASCII value that contains only digits and optional sign and decimal point returns True.
:::(At least one digit is required.)
::* The original version is still available with the name '''!isnumorig'''

:* '''!getstr(str, "off, len") - See '''!mid''' (below)
::* Len is no longer required, default is the rest of the str (starting at off).
::* Offset can be passed as a numeric value (since len is no longer required).

:* '''!datint(date, ["format"])'''
::* If no format is specified, "CYMD" will be used
::* When converting dates, !datint now supports the formatting characters '-' and '/', if the specified format is one of CYMD, YMD, MDCY, MDY, DMCY and DMY. For example: "3/15/2016" and "9/9/2009" can be converted using the format "MDCY".

:* '''!datext(int-date, ["format"])'''
::* Where "int-date" is any date in internal format (usually a call to !datint)
::* If no format is specified, "CYMD" will be used
::* New formats for displaying and converting dates:
:::* The characters d (day), m (month) and y (year) have a special meaning according to the table shown below.
:::* All other characters are treated as insertion characters - see examples.
:::* When DDD, DDDD, MMM or MMMM appear in all caps, the corresponding name will also be all upper case.
:::: (Any other combination will display the day/month name using initial caps. Case has no meaning for d, dd, m, mm, yy and yyyy.)

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: 80px;"
| '''Format Chars''' || '''Meaning''' || ''' Output Length'''
|-
| d, dd || Day of month || One or two digits. (dd is always two).
|-
| ddd, dddd || Day name || Three chars (ddd) or full name (dddd).
|-
| m, mm || Month number || One or two digits. (mm is always two).
|-
| mmm, mmmm || Month name || Three chars (mmm) or full name (mmmm).
|-
| yy, yyyy || Year || Two digits (yy) or four (yyyy).
|}

::*Examples:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: 80px;"
| '''Date Value''' || '''Format''' || ''' Result'''
|-
| 20160704 || "mm/dd/yyyy" || 07/04/2016
|-
| 20160704 || "dd-MMM" || 04-JUL
|-
| 20160704 || "d-m-yy" || 4-7-16
|-
| 20160714 || "ddd mmmm d, yyyy" || Thu July 14, 2016
|-
| 20160714 || "DDDD MMMM DD, YY" || THURSDAY JULY 14, 16
|}

::*For CYMD dates, these formats can be used as print formats (Visimage & AskPlus) and with '''!format()'''

* '''New''' Special Operators:
:* '''!uniqueid(number)'''
::* Returns a unique ID based on the input number, example: !uniqueid(member-file.account)
::* The generated ID is guaranteed to be unique and repeatable
::* The calculation of the unique ID is mathematically reversible, however, no reverse function is provided and the algorithm is not documented
::* This function will be useful if you want to provide a 3rd party a unique identifier for a member without disclosing the member's actual account number

:* '''!iseven(parm)'''
::* Similar to '''!even''', except '''!iseven''' returns True/False (1/0), not 1 and -1.

:* '''!isint(parm)'''
::* Similar to '''!isnum''' returns True/False (K1) if parm is '''integer'''.
::* If '''parm''' is type E or R - return False
::* If parm is any other numeric type - return True
::* An ASCII value that contains only digits and an optional sign returns True.
:::(At least one digit is required.)

:* '''!mid(str, "off[,len]")''' - return a substring (see note)
::* Return the '''middle''' part of '''str''' for the specified '''off''' and '''len'''. ('''off''' is 1 based.)
::* If the '''len''' is not specified, the remainder of '''str''' is returned (starting at '''off'''.)
::* Functionally equivalent to '''!getsr()'''.

:* '''!left(str, len)''' - return the '''first''' len characters of a string (see note)
::* Return the '''left''' part of '''str''' for the specified '''len''' (off = 1).

:* '''!right(str, len)''' - return the '''last''' len characters of a string. (see note)
::* Return the '''right''' part of '''str''' for the specified '''len'''.
::* Trailing blanks are counted. Use !right(!rtrim(str), len) to eliminate trailing blanks.

:* '''Special note''' for !mid, !left & !right:
::In most cases the first parm will be an ASCII (string) value, however, these operators will accept numeric values. The value will be converted to a character string and then the appropriate chars will be extracted.
:* '''!trim(str)''' - return a trimmed string
::* Trim leading & trailing blanks (and control characters < BLANK) from '''str'''.

:* '''!ltrim(str)''' - return a trimmed string
::* Trim all leading (left) blanks (and control characters < BLANK) from '''str'''.

:* '''!rtrim(str)''' - return a trimmed string
::* Trim all trailing (right) blanks (and control characters < BLANK) from '''str'''.

:* '''!upper(str)''' - return an upshifted string
::* '''Upshift''' all characters in '''str'''.
::* Functionally equivalent to '''!shift(str, "U")'''

:* '''!lower(str)''' - return an downshifted string
::* '''Downshift''' all characters in '''str'''.
::* Functionally equivalent to '''!shift(str, "D")'''

:* '''!initcap(str)''' - return an string using InitCap logic
::* '''Upshift''' the first character after each non letter in '''str''' (Downshift all of the other characters.)
::* Similar to '''!shift(str, "I")''', except shift only upshifts after a BLANK, whereas initcap upshifts after every non alpha character.

!initcap("PATRICK O'BRIEN") = "Patrick O'Brien"
!shift("PATRICK O'BRIEN", "I") = "Patrick O'brien"

:* '''!keepchar(str, chars)''' - return a string '''keeping''' only certain chars
::* Parse '''str''' and only '''keep''' the characters present in '''chars''' (all other characters are '''purged'''.)

:* '''!purgechar(str, chars)''' - return a string '''purging''' certain chars
::* Parse '''str''' and '''purge/drop''' any characters present in '''chars''' (all other characters are '''kept'''.)

!purgechar(NAME, """'") will purge all double and single quotes in NAME.

:* '''!replacechar(str, "c1c2")''' - return a string replacing chars
::* Parse '''str''' and replace all occurrences of '''c1''' with '''c2'''.
::* Only the first two characters of parm2 are used.

!replacechar(NAME, """'") will replace all double quotes in NAME with a single quote.

:* '''!minval(parm1, parm2)''' - return the min value using a '''numeric''' comparison
::* Return the smaller value (numerically) between '''parm1''' and '''parm2'''
::* Any ASCII parms are converted to R4 before the compare is done.

:* '''!maxval(parm1, parm2)''' - return the max value using a '''numeric''' comparison
::* Return the larger value (numerically) between '''parm1''' and '''parm2'''
::* Any ASCII parms are converted to R4 before the compare is done.

:* '''!minstring(parm1, parm2)''' - return the min value using a '''string/ASCII''' comparison
::* Return the smaller value (using a string comparison) between '''parm1''' and '''parm2'''
::* Any numeric parms are converted to ASCII before the compare is done.

:* '''!maxstring(parm1, parm2)''' - return the max value using a '''string/ASCII''' comparison
::* Return the larger value (using a string comparison) between '''parm1''' and '''parm2'''
::* Any numeric parms are converted to ASCII before the compare is done.

:* New '''Formats''' (Edit Mask) for '''Dates'''
::* For dates stored in CYMD format the new '''!Datext''' formats described above can be used directly as a print format.
::* These formats are valid in Visimage3 and on AskPlus print statements and with the '''!format()''' operator.
::* If dates are stored in a format other than CYMD, a combination of !datint and !datext is still necessary.

D1, LOAN-FILE.DUE-DATE, "Ddd Mmmm d, yyyy", tab1

:'''Fixes:'''
:* Fix a bug in '''!cymd-diff-mths''' - The wrong number of months could be calculated when one of the dates was eom.
:* Fix '''Convert Bug''' (Float to Int), for example, "67.71" * 100 did not work.
:: In a few instances, reading a float from an ASCII file and converting to INT had a rounding error in earlier releases.
:* '''Limit''' warning messages in the selection to print a maximum of 50 times.
:: Previously available in Report/Save, now also in Find.
:* Modify '''!isnum()''' and '''!isdate()''' to return True/False (K1) instead of attempting to return a numeric value
::* Previous versions of '''!isnum''' returned inconsistent results
::* For backwards compatibility rename the original versions as '''!isnumorig()''' and '''!isdateorig()'''
:* Fix '''!Even()''' on Itanium.
:* Fix a core dump when opening SD or INDEXED files with missing files or inconsistent access permissions
:* Fix a core dump when the select file cannot be created.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 :* New text functions: left, right, mid, replacechar, purgechar, upper, lower and many more
 :* Several bug fixes
 '''Backwards Compatibility:'''

@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 ::* Where "int-date" is any date in internal format (usually a call to !datint)
 ::* If no format is specified, "CYMD" will be used
-::* New formats for displaying and converting dates:
+<div id="DateFormats"></div>
 :::* The characters d (day), m (month) and y (year) have a special meaning according to the table shown below.
 :::* All other characters are treated as insertion characters - see examples.

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 '''Instructions for Installing AskPlus:'''
-:[[Installing AskPlus Version]]
+:[[Installing AskPlus on HPUX]]
 '''Backwards Compatibility:'''