Hidden Gems
Walter F. Blood
Technical Director
Information Builders, Inc
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 1
Hidden Gems
Where We Will Look
… in Settings
 Coping with PDF and unix
 Simplifying and controlling echo
 DBA and connections
… in Connections
 Combining tables based on ranges
 Connecting tables with nothing in common
… in Expressions
 Working with more than one record instance at a time
 Writing to multiple files simultaneously
 Creating your own business related functions
… in Sorting
 Automatic summary column creation
Hidden Gems
…In Settings
Coping with PDF and unix
Simplifying ECHO
DBA and connections
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 3
Hidden Gems
…In Settings
PDFLINETERM
DEFECHO
DBASOURCE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 4
Hidden Gems
SET Parameters
 Switches that affect behavior – scope varies
 You can set at multiple levels
 EDASPROF
 Group/User Profile
 Focexec
 Request
 Look at the difference in behavior to see when to apply them
Hidden Gems
SET Parameters – PDFLINETERM
PDF
U
N
I
X
Corrupt
PDF
PDF
SET PDFLINETERM=OFF | ON
 Truly hidden – not available currently in SET tool
 To eliminate corrupt PDF files that pass through UNIX

systems in distribution.
Adds additional space to account for the difference in
new line indicator.
Hidden Gems
SET Parameters – DEFECHO
 &ECHO allows tracing of WebFOCUS execution
 -SET &ECHO – local variable requires setting in each script
SET DEFECHO=OFF | ON | ALL | NONE
 Provides setting for default value of &ECHO
 Default value is used in all INCLUDEd and EXECuted fexes
unless –SET issued
 Trace appears in View Source window
Hidden Gems
SET Parameters – DEFECHO
SET DEFECHO=OFF | ON | ALL | NONE
One setting controls all –
NONE – Prevents unauthorized use of ECHO. Cannot be
reset
OFF – No tracing of WebFOCUS stack
ON – Tracing of WebFOCUS stack only
ALL – Tracing of WebFOCUS stack and Dialogue
Manager (including &variable substitution)
Hidden Gems
SET Parameters – DBASOURCE
 Controls which DBA is applied to in JOIN structure
HOST
DBA1
JOIN
XREF
DBA2
 Default value – HOST - Applies DBA from HOST file only
 Value – ALL – Applies DBA from both files if present
 Access control – FILE, SEGMENT, FIELD, VALUE
 DBA converted to selection criteria and optimized
Hidden Gems
…In Connections
Connect files based on a
range of values
Connect files with NO
apparent connection
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 10
Hidden Gems
Connection
Employee
Tax Rate
EMPLOYEE ID
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
HIRE DATE
CURRENT SALARY
…
TAX YEAR
TAX RATE
MINIMUM SALARY
MAXIMUM SALARY
• Standard JOIN based upon equality selection
JOIN field IN file TO ALL field IN file AS name
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 11
Hidden Gems
Connect Based on Equality
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 12
Hidden Gems
Connect Based on Equality
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 13
Hidden Gems
Connect Based on Equality
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 14
Hidden Gems
Connect Based on Range of Values
EMPLOYEE
TAX RATE
EMPLOYEE ID
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
HIRE DATE
CURRENT SALARY
…
TAX YEAR
TAX RATE
MINIMUM SALARY
MAXIMUM SALARY
•Connection can also be based upon range • LE, LT, GE, GT, NE or FROM /TO
JOIN FILE file AT field TO ALL FILE file AT field AS name
WHERE condition
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 15
Hidden Gems
Connect Based on Range
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 16
Hidden Gems
Insurance Rates – Listing
Problem: Selecting the correct insurance rate based
upon age from a table with ranges--Minimum Maximum
Age
Age
Insurance Rate
21
27
$ 8.00
28
34
$ 9.00
35
40
$10.00
41
44
$11.00
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 17
Hidden Gems
In Connections - Insurance Rates
Greater than
Minimum Age
JOIN FILE EMPDATA1 AT BIRTHDATE
TO ALL FILE RATES AT AGE AS J1
WHERE EMPDATA1.BAGE GE RATES.AGE;
WHERE EMPDATA1.BAGE LE RATES.EAGE;
END
TABLE FILE EMPDATA1
Less than
HEADING
Maximum Age
"To: <FIRSTNAME <LASTNAME "
"</1 Thank you for choosing our company for your <0X
insurance needs."
"Thank you for choosing our company for your insurance needs.”
"Since your birth date is <BIRTHDTATE ,your current rate is<0X
<RATE_PER_THOUSAND per"
"unit of coverage. This is your rate through age <EAGE . “
ON TABLE SET PAGE OFF
BY PIN NOPRINT PAGE-BREAK
END
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 18
Hidden Gems
In Connections

Connect files that have NO apparent connection
Employee
Salary
History
JOIN?
New Car
Finance
Packages
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 19
Hidden Gems
In Connections
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 20
Hidden Gems
In Connections
Employee
Salary
History
JOIN?
New Car
Finance
Packages
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 21
Hidden Gems
In Connections
Conditional Join Considerations:
Cartesian product
WHERE condition controls selection
Complex WHEREs supported
Multiple WHERE conditions
WHERE must contain fields from both files
Remove WHERE – true cartesian product
Range-based JOIN in the tool
Join with no common fields in text mode
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 22
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Working with more than one record
instance at a time
Writing to multiple files
simultaneously
Creating your own
business related
functions
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 23
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Working with more than one record instance at a time
THE FUNCTION
 Available in COMPUTE, DEFINE, WHERE
 References the field value in the previous record
 Works with real and virtual fields
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 24
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 25
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
1. Select LAST
2. Get Fieldname
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 26
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
In DEFINE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 27
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
In DEFINE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 28
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
In COMPUTE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 29
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Same as DEFINE
Operates on matrix
Processes same or
fewer records than
DEFINE
In COMPUTE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 30
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
CAR.ORIGIN.COUNTRY NE LAST CAR.ORIGIN.COUNTRY
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 31
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Failed?
Multiple Country’s
Why?
Order is important
DEFINE order is
the order of READ
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 32
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Data in matrix sorted
WHERE TOTAL on COMPUTE
Results?
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 33
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
 Ta Da!
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 34
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Using LAST:
 Detecting value changes of data in ordered sets
Nested IF…THEN…ELSE
Create new sort-able select-able groups
Creating identifiers based on ordered fields
DEFINE - BY / WHERE
COMPUTE - BY TOTAL / WHERE TOTAL
Creating running values on any fields
Totals, Averages, Margins, Any calculation
Holding preceding data values for calculation
In DEFINE
In COMPUTE
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 35
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
LAST Considerations:
 The order the data is processed is critical
 You may need to presort data to a hold file
 Not optimizable to relational databases
 DEFINES work with WHERE
 COMPUTES work with WHERE TOTAL
In DEFINE
In COMPUTE
In WHERE
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 36
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Writing to multiple files simultaneously
To create a log of specific data values read
Which customers placed orders?
To create of record of calculated values
Will I go out of stock on any these orders?
 To create additional output
What page number will this item be on?
PUTDDREC
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
PUTDDREC syntax:
PUTDDREC(ddname, dd_len, record_string, record_len,
outfield)
ddname
- ddname assigned by filedef to output file
dd_len
- length of the ddname
record_string - string of characters to write to file or field
containing that string
record_len
- length of the string to be included
outfield
- return code
Output file must be filedef’d
DEFINE/COMPUTE field format always I1
Handles open, write and close
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
PUTDDREC in Action
FILEDEF PUTDD1 DISK putdd1.dat
TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE
PRINT EMP_ID CURR_JOBCODE AS 'JOB' CURR_SAL
COMPUTE SALA/A12 = EDIT(CURR_SAL); NOPRINT
COMPUTE EMP1/A50=
LAST_NAME|FIRST_NAME|EMP_ID|CURR_JOBCODE|SALA;
NOPRINT
COMPUTE OUT1/I1 = PUTDDREC('PUTDD1',6, EMP1, 50, OUT1);
BY LAST_NAME BY FIRST_NAME
END
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
LAST_NAME
--------BANNING
BLACKWOOD
CROSS
GREENSPAN
IRVING
JONES
MCCOY
MCKNIGHT
ROMANS
SMITH
STEVENS
FIRST_NAME
---------JOHN
ROSEMARIE
BARBARA
MARY
JOAN
DIANE
JOHN
ROGER
ANTHONY
MARY
RICHARD
ALFRED
EMP_ID
--------119329144
326179357
818692173
543729165
123764317
117593129
219984371
451123478
126724188
112847612
119265415
071382660
JOB
--A17
B04
A17
A07
A15
B03
B02
B02
B04
B14
A01
A07
Report Created
CURR_SAL
-------$29,700.00
$21,780.00
$27,062.00
$9,000.00
$26,862.00
$18,480.00
$18,480.00
$16,100.00
$21,120.00
$13,200.00
$9,500.00
$11,000.00
OUT1
---0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Sequential File Created
BANNING
BLACKWOOD
CROSS
GREENSPAN
IRVING
JONES
MCCOY
MCKNIGHT
ROMANS
SMITH
SMITH
STEVENS
JOHN
ROSEMARIE
BARBARA
MARY
JOAN
DIANE
JOHN
ROGER
ANTHONY
MARY
RICHARD
ALFRED
119329144A17000000029700
326179357B04000000021780
818692173A17000000027062
543729165A07000000009000
123764317A15000000026862
117593129B03000000018480
219984371B02000000018480
451123478B02000000016100
126724188B04000000021120
112847612B14000000013200
119265415A01000000009500
071382660A07000000011000
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
PUTDDREC Considerations:
Create fixed data file to fit a specific Master file
Create comma-delimited data file for loading
System and User &variables are available
&MDYY, &FOCCPU, &FOCUSER, etc
Write control at any point or multiple points
Write to multiple PUTDDREC files in a request
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Creating an Index in PDF with PUTDDREC
1. Create a filedef for the index output file.
2. Create request that you want to index.
1. Including HOLD to PDF
2. Including all styling required
3. Add NOPRINTED COMPUTE that –
1. Tests for a change of sort break
2. Uses PUTDDREC to put values in file
 &TABPAGENO
 Sort Break Value
4. Create pdf index request using index output
5. Run original request as compound pdf, followed by
index request , creating single pdf.
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Creating your own business related functions
Standardization
Corporate business logic
FOCUS/WebFOCUS coding standards
Simplification
Complicated groups of expressions
Repeated groups of expressions
Creation
New subroutines currently unavailable
Customization of existing functions
Based on the FOCUS/WebFOCUS language
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
The Syntax of FUNCTIONS - 1
DEFINE FUNCTION name (arg1/format,…argn/formatn)
[tempvariablea/formata = expressiona;]
.
.
[tempvariablen/formatn = expressionn;]
name/format = [result_expression];
END
Arguments and formats that are
used when the function is called.
Name of function = Last field
calculated in function.
Returns value to calling procedure.
Fields actually used in call must
match the type indicated – alpha or
numeric.
 Alpha Too short – space padded
Too long – truncated
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
The Syntax of FUNCTIONS - 2
DEFINE FUNCTION name (argument1/format,…argumentn/formatn)
[tempvariablea/formata = expressiona;]
.
.
[tempvariablen/formatn = expressionn;]
name/format = [result_expression];
END
Intermediate fields use in calculation of final result.
Unlimited number
Use arguments, constants and other temporary
fields declared in the function.
Use all operators and most functions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
The Syntax of FUNCTIONS - 3
DEFINE FUNCTION name (argument1/format,…argumentn/formatn)
[tempvariablea/formata = expressiona;]
.
.
[tempvariablen/formatn = expressionn;]
name/format = [result_expression];
END
Final field defines the value returned.
Name must match name of function.
Format indicates the format returned.
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
MARGIN Function
DEFINE FUNCTION MARGIN CLEAR
DEFINE FUNCTION MARGIN (RC/D7, DC/D7)
NETPROFIT/D7=RC-DC;
MARGIN/D5.2=(NETPROFIT*100)/DC;
END
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT COUNTRY CAR MODEL SALES
AND COMPUTE MARGIN/D5.2 =
MARGIN(RETAIL_COST,DEALER_COST);
WHERE MARGIN(RETAIL_COST, DEALER_COST) GT 20
END
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Functions in Master Files?
Easily accessed throughout WebFOCUS
Connected to Master File?
DF. Operator
Dynamic load and run of function
Function location indicated
Additional characteristics available
Description
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Contents of dmfns.fex
DEFINE FUNCTION DMDATFMT
DESCRIPTION 'Convert date to 2008-JUL-04 format‘
(INDATE/YYMD)
CONVDATE/A8YYMD=DATECVT(INDATE, 'YYMD', 'A8YYMD');
DMDATFMT/A11=CHGDAT( 'YYMD', 'YYMTD', CONVDATE, 'A11' );
END
DEFINE FUNCTION DMPROPER
DESCRIPTION 'Convert name to proper case and last, first format‘
(LASTNAME/A17, FIRSTNAME/A14)
DMPROPER/A34V=LCWORD(17, LASTNAME, 'A17')
|| (', ' | LCWORD(14, FIRSTNAME, 'A14'));
END
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
PROBLEM:
We Need A Report That Reads Times In Seconds,
AGENT1 AGENT_TALK AGENT_TALK1
TTIME
TTIME1
ALLEN
200
300 00:03:20 00:05:00
BILL
300
400 00:05:00 00:06:40
CARL
620
520 00:10:20 00:08:40
DAN
400
901 00:06:40 00:15:01
--------------------------------------------------------TOTAL
1520
2121 00:25:20 00:35:21
Adds Them And Converts To Hours : Minutes : Seconds
Hidden Gems
In Expressions
SOLUTION:
DEFINE FUNCTION HRMISC (SEC/I10)
-* CALCULATE HOURS
HR/I2 = SEC/3600;
HR_R/I2 = SEC -(HR* 3600) ;
-* CALCULATE MIN
MI/I2 = (HR_R / 60);
-* CALCULATE SECONDS
SC_D/I2 = SEC -((MI * 60) + HR);
HRMISC/A8 = EDIT(HR) || ':' || EDIT(MI) || ':' || EDIT(SC_D) ;
END
Hidden Gems
In Sorting
Automatic
summary column
creation
Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 61
Hidden Gems
In Sorting
You know the effect of SUB-TOTAL on a BY field…
TABLE FILE GGSALES
SUM UNITS AS 'UNITS'
DOLLARS AS 'DOLLARS'
BY PRODUCT BY REGION
BY DATE
WHERE DATE FROM 19970801 TO 19971231;
WHERE PRODUCT EQ 'Capuccino' OR 'Espresso';
ON DATE SUB-TOTAL AS 'REGION TOTAL'
ON TABLE SUB-TOTAL
Product
Region
END
------Capuccino
-----Northeast
REGION TOTAL 1997/08/01
.
.
REGION TOTAL 1997/12/01
*TOTAL REGION Northeast
.
Date
---1997/08/01
UNITS
----1473
DOLLARS
------19486
1473
19486
1188
11551
13668
144742
Hidden Gems
In Sorting
Now see the effect of SUB-TOTAL on an ACROSS field…
TABLE FILE GGSALES
SUM UNITS AS 'UNITS' OVER
DOLLARS AS 'DOLLARS' OVER
BY PRODUCT
ACROSS REGION ACROSS DATE
ON DATE SUB-TOTAL AS 'REGION'
ON TABLE SUB-TOTAL
WHERE DATE FROM 19970801 TO 19971231;
WHERE PRODUCT EQ 'Capuccino' OR 'Espresso';
END
Region
Product
------Capuccino
Espresso
TOTAL
UNITS
DOLLARS
UNITS
DOLLARS
UNITS
DOLLARS
Midwest
MNTH
NOV
DEC
----.
.
.
.
2186
1752
27526 22281
2186
1752
27526 22281
West
REGION
-----.
.
3938
49807
3938
49807
TOTAL
NOV
DEC
REGION
---------- ----2535
4051
6586
6586
31153 57421 88574 88574
3088
3732
6820 10758
36123 51400 87523 137330
5623
7783 13406 17344
67276 108821 176097 225904
Hidden Gems
In Sorting
You know the effect of SUMMARIZE on a BY field…
TABLE FILE GGSALES
SUM UNITS AS 'UNITS'
DOLLARS AS 'DOLLARS'
COMPUTE DOLLPER/I6 = DOLLARS/UNITS; AS 'UNIT PRICE'
BY PRODUCT BY REGION
BY DATE
WHERE DATE FROM 19970801 TO 19971231;
WHERE PRODUCT EQ 'Capuccino' OR 'Espresso';
ON DATE SUMMARIZE AS 'REGION TOTAL'
ON TABLE SUMMARIZE
END Product
Region
Date
UNITS
DOLLARS
------Capuccino
-----Northeast
REGION TOTAL 1997/08/01
.
.
.
REGION TOTAL 1997/12/01
*TOTAL REGION Northeast
---1997/08/01
----1473
------19486
UNIT PRICE
---------13
1473
19486
13
1188
11551
13668
144742
11
12
Hidden Gems
In Sorting
Now see the effect of SUMMARIZE on an ACROSS field…
TABLE FILE GGSALES
SUM UNITS AS 'UNITS' OVER
DOLLARS AS 'DOLLARS' OVER
COMPUTE DOLLPER/I6 = DOLLARS/UNITS; AS 'UNIT PRICE'
BY PRODUCT
ACROSS REGION ACROSS DATE
ON DATE SUMMARIZE AS 'REGION'
ON TABLE SUMMARIZE
Region
Midwest
West
WHERE DATE FROM 19970801
TO 19971231;
MNTH
WHERE
PRODUCT
EQ
'Capuccino'
OR
'Espresso';
Product
NOV
DEC
REGION NOV
DEC
END ---------------- ----Capuccino
Espresso
TOTAL
UNITS
DOLLARS
UNIT PRICE
UNITS
DOLLARS
UNIT PRICE
UNITS
DOLLARS
UNIT PRICE
.
.
.
2186
27526
12
2186
27526
12
.
.
.
1752
22281
12
1752
22281
12
.
.
.
3938
49807
12
3938
49807
12
2535
4051
31153 57421
12
14
3088
3732
36123 51400
11
13
5623
7783
67276 108821
11
13
TOTAL
REGION
------ ----6586
6586
88574 88574
13
13
6820 10758
87523 137330
12
12
13406 17344
176097 225904
13
13
Hidden Gems
In Sorting
TABLE FILE GGSALES
SUM UNITS AS 'UNITS' OVER
DOLLARS AS 'DOLLARS' OVER
COMPUTE DOLLPER/I6 = DOLLARS/UNITS; AS 'UNIT PRICE'
BY PRODUCT
ACROSS REGION ACROSS DATE
ON DATE SUMMARIZE AS 'REGION'
ON TABLE SUMMARIZE
WHERE DATE FROM 19970801 TO 19971231;
WHERE PRODUCT EQ 'Capuccino' OR 'Espresso';
END
Currently requires text mode
Triggered with ON <field> SUMMARIZE AS ‘title’
Style as DATA, OBJECT, or COLUMN
Hidden Gems
Where We Looked
Coping with PDF and unix
Simplifying and controlling echo
DBA and connections
Combining tables based on ranges
Connecting tables with
nothing in common
Working with more than one
record instance at a time
Writing to multiple files simultaneously
Creating your own business related functions
Automatic summary column creation
Questions?