$Code

The $Code function, along with $DECODE, provides an encoding/decoding facility in User Language. $Code and $DECODE operate on code tables that are defined, created, and controlled by the system manager. These tables can be searched but not changed by User Language functions.

$Code and $DECODE search tables that are external to a Model 204 file. These tables are independent of a field's CODED/NON-CODED attribute, which affects how the field is stored internally in the Model 204 file.

The $Code function takes two arguments:

• The first argument contains the name of the table to be searched.
• $Code 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:

INVALID CODE TABLE IDENTIFIER=X.

Example

This request prompts the user for the full name of a state but performs the record search on the coded value for that state.

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 . . .