View source for $Code

<p>
The <var>[[$Code]]</var> function, along with <var>[[$Decode]]</var>, provides an encoding/decoding facility in SOUL. <var>$Code</var> and <var>$Decode</var> operate on [Customizing_functions_and_translation_tables#CDTB_module|code tables]] that are defined, created, and controlled by the system manager. These tables can be searched but not changed by SOUL functions. </p>
<p>
<var>$Code</var> and <var>$Decode</var> search tables that are external to a <var class="product">Model&nbsp;204</var> file. These tables are independent of a field's CODED/NON-CODED attribute, which affects how the field is stored internally in the <var class="product">Model&nbsp;204</var> file. </p>
<p>
The <var>$Code</var> function takes two arguments: </p>
<ul>
<li>The first argument contains the name of the table to be searched. </li>
</li>

<li><var>$Code</var> returns the code for the character string value contained in the second argument. A null value is returned if the string is not contained within the table or if the table does not exist. A nonexistent table also causes the nonfatal message:
<p class="code"><var>INVALID CODE TABLE IDENTIFIER=X</var>.
</p></li>
</ul>

<b>Example</b>
<p>
This request prompts for the full name of a state, but it performs the record search on the coded value for that state.</p>
<p class="code">BEGIN
       %STCD = $code ('STATE', $READ ('ENTER STATE NAME'))
GET.RECS: FIND ALL RECORDS FOR WHICH
             STATE = %STCD
          END FIND
          FOR EACH RECORD IN GET.RECS
             .
             .
             . 
</p>

[[Category:SOUL $functions]]