Net.Data Reference Guide

String Functions

The following are the set of standard string functions supported by Net.Data:

• DTW_ASSIGN

• DTW_CONCAT

• DTW_DELSTR

• DTW_INSERT

• DTW_LASTPOS

• DTW_LENGTH

• DTW_LOWERCASE

• DTW_POS

• DTW_REVERSE

• DTW_STRIP

• DTW_SUBSTR

• DTW_TRANSLATE

• DTW_UPPERCASE

Attention: Net.Data does not support multi-byte character string manipulation on any platforms other than the OS/400.

DTW_ASSIGN

Purpose

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Assigns the value of an input variable to an output variable. Because $(Vn), where n is a number, is not recognized outside the REPORT block, you can use this function to assign the value to a different variable if you want to reference the value outside the ROW block.

You can also use this function to change a variable in a macro. For example, you can change DATABASE for an HTML block. (See the example in DATABASE.)

Syntax

• @DTW_ASSIGN(stringOut, stringIn)

Parameters

Table 20. DTW_ASSIGN Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains the literal string identical to stringIn.
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_ASSIGN(RC, "0")

• Sets RC to "0".

Example 2:

@DTW_ASSIGN(string1, string2)

• Sets string1 to the value of string2.

DTW_CONCAT

Purpose

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Concatenates two strings.

Syntax

• @DTW_CONCAT(stringIn1, stringIn2, stringOut)
• @DTW_rCONCAT(stringIn1, stringIn2)

Parameters

Table 21. DTW_CONCAT Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn1	IN	A variable or literal string.
string	stringIn2	IN	A variable or literal string.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains a string of 'stringIn1 + stringIn2'.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_CONCAT("This", " is a test.", result)

• Returns: result = "This is a test."

Example 2:

@DTW_CONCAT(string1, "Jose!", result)

• Input: string1 = "No way "
• Returns: result = "No way Jose!"

Example 3:

@DTW_rCONCAT("This", " is a test.")

• Returns: "This is a test."

DTW_DELSTR

Purpose

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Deletes a substring of the specified string from the nth character for length characters.

Syntax

• @DTW_DELSTR(stringIn, n, length, stringOut)
• @DTW_DELSTR(stringIn, n, stringOut)
• @DTW_rDELSTR(stringIn, n, length)
• @DTW_rDELSTR(stringIn, n)

Parameters

Table 22. DTW_DELSTR Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string.
integer	n	IN	The position of the character where the substring to delete begins. If n is greater than the length of stringIn, then stringOut is set to the value of stringIn.
integer	length	OUT	The length of the substring to delete. The default is to delete all characters to the end of stringIn.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains the modified form of stringIn.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_DELSTR("abcde", "3", "2", result)

• Returns: result = "abe"

Example 2:

@DTW_rDELSTR("abcde", "6", "1")

• Returns: "abcde"

DTW_INSERT

Purpose

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Inserts a string into another string starting after the nth character.

Syntax

• @DTW_INSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, length, pad, stringOut)
• @DTW_INSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, length, stringOut)
• @DTW_INSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, stringOut)
• @DTW_INSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, stringOut)
• @DTW_rINSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, length, pad)
• @DTW_rINSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, length)
• @DTW_rINSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2, n)
• @DTW_rINSERT(stringIn1, stringIn2)

Parameters

Table 23. DTW_INSERT Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn1	IN	A variable or literal string to be inserted into stringIn2.
string	stringIn2	IN	A variable or literal string.
integer	n	IN	The character position in stringIn2 after which stringIn1 is inserted. If n is greater than the length of stringIn2, it is padded with the padding character, pad, until it has enough characters. The default is to insert at the beginning of stringIn2.
integer	length	IN	The number of characters of stringIn1 to insert. The string is padded with the padding character, pad, if this parameter is greater than the length of stringIn1. The default is the length of stringIn1.
integer	pad	IN	The padding character used as described for n and length. The default pad character is a blank.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains stringIn2 modified by inserting part or all of stringIn1.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_INSERT("123", "abc", result)

• Returns: result = "123abc"

Example 2:

@DTW_INSERT("123", "abc", "5", result)

• Returns: result = "abc 123"

Example 3:

@DTW_INSERT("123", "abc", "5", "6", result)

• Returns: result = "abc 123 "

Example 4:

@DTW_INSERT("123", "abc", "5", "6", "_", result)

• Returns: result = "abc__123___"

Example 5:

@DTW_rINSERT("123", "abc", "5", "6", "+")

• Returns: "abc++123+++"

DTW_LASTPOS

Purpose

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Returns the position of the last occurrence of a string in another string, starting from the nth character working backwards.

Syntax

• @DTW_LASTPOS(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, position)
• @DTW_LASTPOS(stringIn1, stringIn2, position)
• @DTW_rLASTPOS(stringIn1, stringIn2, n)
• @DTW_rLASTPOS(stringIn1, stringIn2)

Parameters

Table 24. DTW_LASTPOS Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn1	IN	A variable or literal string searched for in stringIn2.
string	stringIn2	IN	A variable or literal string.
integer	n	IN	The character position in stringIn2 to begin searching for stringIn1. The default is to start searching at the first character.
integer	position	OUT	The position of the last occurrence of stringIn1 in stringIn2. If no occurrence is found, 0 is returned.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_LASTPOS(" ", "abc def ghi", result)

• Returns: result = "8"

Example 2:

@DTW_LASTPOS(" ", "abc def ghi", "10", result)

• Returns: result = "8"

Example 3:

@DTW_rLASTPOS(" ", "abc def ghi", "7")

• Returns: "4"

DTW_LENGTH

Purpose

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Returns the length of a string.

Syntax

• @DTW_LENGTH(stringIn, length)
• @DTW_rLENGTH(stringIn)

Parameters

Table 25. DTW_LENGTH Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string.
integer	length	OUT	A symbol containing the length of stringIn.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_LENGTH("abcdefgh", result)

• Returns: result = "8"

Example 2:

@DTW_rLENGTH("")

• Returns: "0"

DTW_LOWERCASE

Purpose

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Returns a string in all lower case.

Syntax

• @DTW_LOWERCASE(stringIn, stringOut)
• @DTW_rLOWERCASE(stringIn)
• @DTW_mLOWERCASE(stringMult1, stringMult2, ..., stringMultn)

Parameters

Table 26. DTW_LOWERCASE Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string with characters of any case.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains stringIn with all characters in lower case.
string	stringMult	INOUT	On input: A variable that contains a string. On output: A variable that contains the input string converted to upper case.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_LOWERCASE("This", stringOut)

• Returns: stringOut = "this"

Example 2:

@DTW_rLOWERCASE(string1)

• Input: string1 = "Web Pages"
• Returns: "web pages"

Example 3:

@DTW_mLOWERCASE(string1, string2, string3)

• Input: string1 = "THIS", string2 = "IS", string3 = "LOWERCASE"
• Returns: string1 = "this", string2 = "is", string3 = "lowercase"

DTW_POS

Purpose

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Returns the position of the first occurrence of a string in another string.

Syntax

• @DTW_POS(stringIn1, stringIn2, n, nOut)
• @DTW_POS(stringIn1, stringIn2, nOut)
• @DTW_rPOS(stringIn1, stringIn2, n)
• @DTW_rPOS(stringIn1, stringIn2)

Parameters

Table 27. DTW_POS Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn1	IN	A variable or literal string to search for.
string	stringIn2	IN	A variable or literal string to search
integer	n	IN	The character position in stringIn2 to begin searching. The default value is to start searching at the first character of stringIn2.
integer	nOut	OUT	A variable that contains the position of the first occurrence of stringIn1 in stringIn2. If no occurrence is found, 0 is returned.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_POS("day", "Saturday", result)

• Returns: result = "6"

Example 2:

@DTW_POS("a", "Saturday", "3", result)

• Returns: result = "7"

Example 3:

@DTW_rPOS(" ", "abc def ghi", "5")

• Returns: "8"

DTW_REVERSE

Purpose

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Reverses the input string.

Syntax

• @DTW_REVERSE(stringIn, stringOut)
• @DTW_rREVERSE(stringIn)

Parameters

Table 28. DTW_REVERSE Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string to reverse.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains the reversed form of stringIn.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_REVERSE("This is it.", result)

• Returns: result = ".ti si sihT"

Example 2:

@DTW_rREVERSE(string1)

• Input: string1 = "reversed"
• Returns: "desrever"

DTW_STRIP

Purpose

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Removes leading blanks, trailing blanks, or both from the input string.

Syntax

• @DTW_STRIP(stringIn, option, stringOut)
• @DTW_STRIP(stringIn, stringOut)
• @DTW_rSTRIP(stringIn, option)
• @DTW_rSTRIP(stringIn)

Parameters

Table 29. DTW_STRIP Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string.
string	option	IN	Specifies which blanks to remove from stringIn. The default is B. B or b: remove both leading and trailing blanks L or l: remove leading blanks only T or t: remove trailing blanks only
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains stringIn with blanks removed as specified by option.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_STRIP("  day ", result)

• Returns: result = "day"

Example 2:

@DTW_STRIP("  day ", "T", result)

• Returns: result = " day"

Example 3:

@DTW_rSTRIP("  a day  ", "L")

• Returns: "a day "

DTW_SUBSTR

Purpose

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Returns a substring of the input string, with optional pad characters.

Syntax

• @DTW_SUBSTR(stringIn, n, length, pad, stringOut)
• @DTW_SUBSTR(stringIn, n, length, stringOut)
• @DTW_SUBSTR(stringIn, n, stringOut)
• @DTW_rSUBSTR(stringIn, n, length, pad)
• @DTW_rSUBSTR(stringIn, n, length)
• @DTW_rSUBSTR(stringIn, n)

Parameters

Table 30. DTW_SUBSTR Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string to be searched.
integer	n	IN	The character position where the substring begins. The default is to start at the begining of stringIn
integer	length	IN	The number of characters of the substring. The default is the rest of the string.
string	pad	IN	The padding character used if n is greater than the length of stringIn or if length goes beyond the end of stringIn. The default is a blank.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains a substring of stringIn.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_SUBSTR("abc", "2", result)

• Returns: result = "bc"

Example 2:

@DTW_SUBSTR("abc", "2", "4", result)

• Returns: result = "bc "

Example 3:

@DTW_SUBSTR("abc", "2", "4", ".", result )

• Returns: result = "bc.."

Example 4:

@DTW_rSUBSTR("abc", "2", "6", ".")

• Returns: "bc...."

DTW_TRANSLATE

Purpose

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Translates characters in the input string using input and output translation tables, tableI and tableO. If there is no tableI, tableO, and pad in the parameter list, the stringIn is translated to upper case. If tableI and tableo are in the list, but there is no pad, each character in the input string is searched for in tableI and translated to the corresponding character in tableO. If pad is in the parameter list, the length of the stringIn and stringOut are the same. The pad character is used if a character in the input string is not in tableI. The translation tables can be of any length. If neither translation table is provided, the input string is translated to upper case.

Syntax

• @DTW_TRANSLATE(stringIn, tableO, tableI, pad, stringOut)
• @DTW_TRANSLATE(stringIn, tableO, tableI, stringOut)
• @DTW_TRANSLATE(stringIn, tableO, stringOut)
• @DTW_TRANSLATE(stringIn, stringOut)
• @DTW_rTRANSLATE(stringIn, tableO, tableI, pad)
• @DTW_rTRANSLATE(stringIn, tableO, tableI)
• @DTW_rTRANSLATE(stringIn, tableO)
• @DTW_rTRANSLATE(stringIn)

Parameters

Table 31. DTW_TRANSLATE Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string.
string	tableO	IN	A variable or literal string used as a translation table. Use null ("") to specify tableI or pad; otherwise this parameter is optional.
string	tableI	IN	A variable or literal string searched for in stringIn. Use null ("") to specify pad; otherwise this parameter is optional.
string	pad	IN	The padding character to use. The default is a blank.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains a substring of stringIn.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_TRANSLATE("abbc", result)

• Returns: result = "ABBC"

Example 2:

@DTW_TRANSLATE("abbc", "R", "bc", result)

• Returns: result = "aRR "

Example 3:

@DTW_rTRANSLATE("abcdef", "12", "abcd", ".")

• Returns: "12..ef"

Example 4:

@DTW_rTRANSLATE("abbc", "", "", "")

• Returns: "abbc"

DTW_UPPERCASE

Purpose

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Returns a string in upper case.

Syntax

• @DTW_UPPERCASE(stringIn, stringOut)
• @DTW_rUPPERCASE(stringIn)
• @DTW_mUPPERCASE(stringMult1, stringMult2, ..., stringMultn)

Parameters

Table 32. DTW_UPPERCASE Parameters

Data Type	Parameter	Use	Description
string	stringIn	IN	A variable or literal string with characters of any case.
string	stringOut	OUT	A variable that contains stringIn with all characters in upper case.
string	stringMult	INOUT	On input: A variable that contains a string. On output: A variable containing the input string with each single quote (') character replaced by two single quote characters.

Examples

Example 1:

@DTW_UPPERCASE("Test", result)

• Returns: result = "TEST"

Example 2:

@DTW_rUPPERCASE(string1)

• Input: string1 = "Web pages"
• Returns: "WEB PAGES"

Example 3:

@DTW_mUPPERCASE(string1, string2, string3)

• Input: string1 = "This", string2 = "is", string3 = "upper case"
• Returns: string1 = "THIS", string2 = "IS", string3 = "UPPER CASE"