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This window appears when you complete your replies for a row in the Rows for Contents List window |
Purpose |
This window enables you to define, amend and delete the row's columns. The window lists columns that have already been defined. The items are listed in the order in which they appear when the data is exported or imported. To change the order, see 'Move item' below. |
Note |
The maximum total column width is 1500 characters. |
Move through list |
You can move through the list using the cursor and <Page Up> and <Page Down> keys in the standard way. |
Add |
To add a new column, move the cursor to the line below the last entry in the list. Alternatively you can press <F5> to insert an entry into the list, or <F4> to go into 'Add' mode. The prompts are described in detail below. |
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Press <F3> to automatically create columns for all the fields in the selected record into the row. |
Amend |
To amend an existing column, move the cursor to the required entry and press <Return>. The prompts are described in detail below. |
Delete |
To delete a column, position the cursor on it and press <F7>. |
Warning |
You are not asked for confirmation before the column is deleted. |
Move item |
To move an entry in the list: § Position the cursor on the column you want to move and press <F10>. See note below. |
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§ Move the cursor to the line above which you want the column to appear. |
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§ Press <F5>. The list is redisplayed with the column in its new position. |
Note |
On some terminals another key or combination of keys is used; e.g. <CTRL-A>. Press the Help key, <F8>, to discover which key is used on your terminal. |
The prompts are:
Column |
This is the column name and can be up to 16 characters. For constants this defaults to the constant name, otherwise this defaults to the Global short name. |
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When adding a new entry you can press: § <F1> for a pop-up enquiry of fields which are available from the current record at the selected startpoint. |
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§ <F2> to insert a constant in a contents list for export. This is a fixed item. It can be text, a hexadecimal string, a 'skipped field', a new line indicator, spaces, or zeroes. Þ Type of Constant Menu. |
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§ <F2> to insert a skipped field in a contents list for import. This indicates that the item in this position is not to be imported into Global. |
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§ <F3> to automatically create a column for every field in the selected record. |
Note |
When a text field containing LOW-VALUES or HIGH-VALUES is exported, it is exported as a blank field. |
Title |
(Y/N.) Enter N if you do not want this column to have a title when exporting data via a style which exports titles. Otherwise enter Y. |
Field name |
(Display only.) For Global data items, this is the technical Global field name. This can be up to six characters and is fixed in the software. |
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For constants, this item is set to a number unique within the row. |
Type |
(Display only.) This is the type of the data item as defined in the Global record, or the type of constant. Global items can be text, numbers, or dates. Constants can be fixed text, hexadecimal strings, skip fields, new row, blank, or zero values. |
End |
(Y/N.) Enter Y if a delimiter is to be included in the output stream following this entry. Setting this to N can be used to compose items in the output stream from more than one Global data item or constant. The default is Y. |
Note |
A delimiter is automatically output following the last item in the row regardless of the setting of this option. |
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For text fields, a quote is output prior to the delimiter if quotes are selected in the scenario's style. |
Size |
(Display only.) The size of the field. For Global fields, it is the size defined in the record: § For text fields, the size is the maximum number of characters in the field. |
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§ For numeric fields, the size is shown as the maximum number of leading digits and, when relevant, the maximum number of trailing digits. |
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§ For dates the size is shown as D. |
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For constants, the size is in bytes. |
Note |
The size and format of exported dates is determined by the 'style'. For further information, see the paragraph on Dates in the Maintain Styles Window. |
Import/Export |
(Not available for dates, or hex string, skip or new row constants.) This enables you to define the exact part of the data item to export or import; for example if you want to export the first 20 characters of a 30 character name. |
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For text items, specify the first and last character you want to export. Using the example above, you would enter 1 as the first character and 20 as the last. |
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For numeric items, specify the number of leading digits and, when relevant, the number of trailing digits. |
Note |
For Global items, the defaults are the full size of the Global field. |
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For a constant of zeroes, specify the number of zeroes required. |
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If you specify a size for export which is bigger than the Global field size: § Text is left justified and padded with spaces to the right. |
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§ Numbers are right justified to the required decimal precision and padded with leading spaces and/or trailing zeroes. |
Note |
The way leading and trailing spaces and zeroes are dealt with, is determined by the style. For further information, see the paragraph on Leading spaces in the Maintain Styles Window. |
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If you specify a size for export which is smaller than the Global field size: § Only the specified characters are exported from text fields. |
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§ Numbers are decimal point aligned and any excess of precision rounded to the nearest value before export. |
Occurs |
The number of times the column is to appear in the row. This is useful when exporting data to spreadsheets. |
Example |
When exporting spreadsheet data, You can specify a 'skipped field' constant to appear four times to force the next column to appear in the fifth spreadsheet column. |
Description |
(Not for New row or skip field constants.) A description of up to 30 characters for the column. |
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For Global items, this defaults to the Global field name's description. |
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For Fixed text or Hex string constants, enter the actual value which is to be exported. |
Short name |
(Display only.) The short name for the Global field. This can be up to 16 characters and is fixed within the software. |
On completion |
Þ Next line in the Columns for Row window. |
On exit |