Data Transformation Engine Functions and Expressions Reference Guide

Chapter 1 - Expressions and Evaluations Map Names in Expressions

Functions and Expressions Reference Guide

Some functions use an entire series of objects as the value of an argument for one

evaluation. For example, the

COUNT function uses an entire series of data objects

as the value of its argument for one evaluation.

COUNT ( LineItem:PO )

When a series of data objects is used for one evaluation, the function evaluates

just once when there is more than one data object that fits the argument

definition. For example, if there are ten LineItem:PO data objects, the

COUNT

function would evaluate only once.

Some functions use an entire series as input and produce a series as output. For

example, the evaluation set for the

EXTRACT function produces a series from an

input series. When a function produces a series, each output can be selected for

different evaluation sets of the expression that contains that function.

Consider the following expression:

Line Item(s) = EXTRACT ( Line Item:Order, Qty:Line Item:Order >

1000 )

Each Line Item that fits the specified criteria produces a Line Item of Order. In

this example, the map rule is evaluated many times, once for each Line Item

produced by the

EXTRACT function.

When functions are part of other expressions, the number of evaluation sets for

that function depends on the object names used in the entire expression. For

example:

Debit ( s ) = ABS ( Debit:Account:Input )

There may be many evaluation sets for the above expression. The ABS function

may be evaluated many times, once for each Debit of each Account of Input.

However, if the

ABS function is part of a more complex expression, common

objects of the expression may determine the number of

ABS evaluations.

Map Names in Expressions

A map may be used like a function and may be referenced in a map rule. This kind

of map is called a functional map. The syntax of a functional map in an expression

is the same as the syntax of a function:

FunctionalMapName ( argument1 , argument2 , ... argumentn )