INCLUDE attribute

The INCLUDE attribute defines a list of possible values for a field.

Syntax

INCLUDE = ( { NULL | literal [ TO literal] } [,...] )

literal can be any literal expression supported by the form compiler.

Usage

The INCLUDE attribute specifies acceptable values for a field and causes the runtime system to check the data before accepting an input value.

Important:

For maximum security, when the data is stored in a database, define a CHECK constraint on the SQL column corresponding to the field, in order to deny values that are not in the INCLUDE list, when an INSERT or UPDATE statement is executed.

If the field is FORMONLY, you must also specify a data type when you assign the INCLUDE attribute to a field.

Include the NULL keyword in the value list to specify that it is acceptable for the user to leave the field without entering any value.

Tip:

When initializing variables before an new record input with an INPUT or INPUT ARRAY dialog, if a field must have no default value, set the corresponding variable to NULL. If the value contains only space characters (ASCII 32), or any other non-visible whitespace characters such as TAB (ASCII 9), this will be considered as a non-null value, when the field defines an INCLUDE attribute with NULL in the possible values:

EDIT f02 = order.ord_valid TYPE CHAR, INCLUDE=("Y","N",NULL)

With a space or TAB character, the field will appear empty to the user, but the current value will not match the INCLUDE constraint. Note that fields with a boolean value such as "Y"/"N" should be initialized with one of these values and deny nulls with NOT NULL, except in some rare cases where the status is undefined.

Use the TO keyword to specify an inclusive range of acceptable values. When specifying a range of values, the lower value must appear first. The field value is accepted if it is greater or equal to the first literal, and lower or equal to the second literal: INCLUDE = (1 TO 999) is equivalent to (value>=1 AND value<=999). Special consideration must be taken for character string fields when using a TO range: INCLUDE = ("AAA" TO "ZZZ") is (value = "AAA" AND value<="ZZZ"). The value "ABC" is accepted, but values such as "A!!" or "Zaa" are denied. When combining several ranges and single values, the value entered by the user is verified for each element of the INCLUDE attribute: INCLUDE = (1 TO 999, -1, NULL) is equivalent to (value>=1 AND value<=999) OR (value==-1) OR (value IS NULL).

Example

EDIT f001 = compute.rate, INCLUDE = ( 1 TO 100, 200, NULL);
EDIT f002 = customer.state, INCLUDE = ( "AL" TO "GA", "IA" TO "WY" );
EDIT f003 = FORMONLY.valid TYPE CHAR, INCLUDE = ("Y","N");