Functions
Functions are used in formulas that you create on the Formula Editor Dialog Box, which you can invoke from the Import Scenarios (SM206025) and Export Scenarios (SM207025) forms.
To add functions to a formula, you can type them in the Formula Text pane of the dialog box or select them from the list of formula components available within the dialog box. (Select a function type to view the list of functions of the type, and then select a function.)
This topic describes and provides examples of the functions you can use in formulas, broken down by type.
Conversion Functions
The available conversion functions, which are used to convert data from one data type to another, are listed below.
Function | Description and Example |
---|---|
CBool(x) |
Converts the expression used as the function argument into a Boolean expression. Returns False if the Boolean value is zero; otherwise, returns True. Example: Here |
CDate(x) |
Converts the expression used as the function argument into a value of the Date type. The argument should be a valid date expression according to the locale selected for the import or export scenario. Example: Here a string is used as the function argument. |
CStr(x) |
Converts the expression used as the function argument into a string. If the argument is Null, the function returns a run-time error; otherwise, it returns a string. Example: Here |
CDbl(x) |
Converts the expression defined in the function argument into a
value of the Example: Here |
CSng(x) |
Converts the expression used as the function argument into a
value of the Example: Here |
CDec(x) |
Converts the expression used as the function argument into a
value of the Example: Here |
CInt(x) |
Converts the expression used as the function argument into a
value of the Example: Here |
CShort(x) |
Converts a numeric value to a value of the Example: Here |
CLong(x) |
Converts a numeric value to a value of the Example: Here |
Text Functions
Text functions are used to perform operations on text strings. The group of text functions includes the functions described below.
Function | Description and Example |
---|---|
LTrim(string) |
Removes all leading spaces or parsing characters from the specified string, or all leading zero bytes (0) from the specified binary expression. Example: Here |
RTrim(string) |
Removes all trailing spaces or parsing characters from the specified character expression, or all trailing zero (0) bytes from the specified binary expression. Example: Here |
Trim(string) |
Removes all leading and trailing spaces or parsing characters from the specified character expression, or all leading and trailing zero (0) bytes from the specified binary expression. Example: Here |
Format(format, argument(s)) |
Replaces the format item in a specified formatting string (format) with the text equivalent of the arguments (arguments). Example: Here |
UCase(string) |
Returns a string that has been converted to uppercase. The string argument can be any valid string expression. If string contains Null, Null is returned. Example: Here |
LCase(string) |
Returns a string that has been converted to lowercase. The string argument can be any valid string expression. If string contains Null, Null is returned. Example: Here |
InStr(string, findString) |
Returns the position of the first occurrence of one string (findString) within another (string). Example:
Here |
Substring(string, startIndex, length) |
Returns a string containing the specified number of characters (length) starting from the specified position (startIndex). The first character has the 0 index. Example: Here |
InStrRev(string, findString) |
Returns the position of the last occurrence of one string (findString) within another (string). Example: Here |
Len(string) |
Returns an integer containing either the number of characters in the string or the nominal number of bytes required to store a variable. Example: Here |
Left(string, length) |
Returns a string containing the specified number of characters from the left side of a string. If string contains Null, Null is returned. Example: Here |
Right(string, length) |
Returns a string containing a specified number of characters from the right side of a string. If string contains Null, Null is returned. Example: Here |
Replace(string, oldValue, newValue) |
Returns a string in which the specified substring (oldValue) has been replaced with another substring (newValue). Example: Here |
PadLeft(string, width, paddingChar) |
Right-aligns the characters in a specified string (string), padding with the specified character (paddingChar) on the left up to the specified total width (width). If the actual length of the string is less than the specified width, returns the original string. Example: Here |
PadRight(string, width, paddingChar) |
Left-aligns the characters in a specified string (string), padding with the specified character (paddingChar) on the right up to the specified total width (width). Example: Here |
Math Functions
Mathematical functions, which are listed and described below, perform calculations, usually based on input values provided as arguments, and return numeric values.
Function | Description and Example |
---|---|
Abs(x) |
Returns the absolute value of the number. Example: Here |
Floor(x) |
Returns the largest integer that is not greater than the argument. Example: Here |
Ceiling(x) |
Returns the smallest integer that is not less than the argument. Example: Here |
Round(x, decimals) |
Returns a numeric expression, rounded to the specified precision (decimals). Example: Here |
Min(x, y) |
Returns the smaller of the two values. Example: Here |
Max(x, y) |
Returns the greater of the two values. Example: Here |
Pow(x, power) |
Computes the value of x raised to the specified power (power). Example: Here |
Date and Time Functions
The date and time functions, described below, perform operations on input values and return values of the following types: string, numeric, or date and time.
Function | Description and Example |
---|---|
DateAdd(date, interval, number) |
Returns a new date, which is calculated by adding the
specified number (number) of time intervals (interval) to the date
(date). The interval argument specifies the type of time interval and
can be one of the following options:
Consider the following examples:
In these examples, |
DateDiff(interval, date1, date2) |
Returns
the count (as a signed integer value) of the specified interval boundaries that
are crossed between the specified date1 and date2. The interval
argument, which specifies the type of time interval, can be one of the following
options:
Consider the following example: |
Day(date) |
Returns the day (as an integer) extracted from the specified date (date). Consider the following example: Here |
DayOfWeek(date) |
Returns the day of the week associated with the specified date (date) as an integer. Consider the following example: Here |
DayOfYear(date) |
Returns the day of the year calculated for the specified date (date). Consider the following example: Here |
DayOrdinal(day) |
Converts the specified integer value (day) to a string that contains the ordinal number in the current locale. For example, for the English locale, the string contains the short form of the ordinal number, such as 1st or 2nd. For numbers that are less than 1 or greater than 31, the function returns an empty string. Consider the following example: |
Hour(date) |
Returns the hours extracted from the specified date (date). Example: Here |
Minute(date) |
Returns the number of minutes extracted from the specified date (date). Example: Here |
Month(date) |
Returns the month, as an integer, extracted from the specified date (date). Example: Here |
MonthName(date) |
Returns a string that contains the name of the month extracted from the specified date (date) in the current locale. Consider the following example:
|
Now() |
Returns the current date and time according to the system date and time on the local computer. Example: |
NowUTC() |
Returns the
current date and time in the user's time zone. The system
extracts the user's time zone from one of the following sources, which are ordered by
priority from the highest to the lowest:
Consider the following example: |
Second(date) |
Returns the seconds extracted from the specified date (date) as an integer. Example: Here |
Today() |
Returns the current date according to the system date and time on the local computer. Example: |
TodayUTC() |
Returns the
current date in the user's time zone. The system extracts
the user's time zone from one of the following sources, which are ordered by priority
from the highest to the lowest:
Consider the following example: |
Year(date) |
Returns the year, as an integer, extracted from the specified date (date). Example: Here |
Other Functions
This miscellaneous group of functions includes the following functions.
Function | Description and Example |
---|---|
IIf(expression, truePart, falsePart) |
Returns one of two values, depending on the evaluation
of the expression: If the expression evaluates to Example: Here You can also use this function to set a field value to Null. Example: |
IsNull(value, nullValue) |
Returns nullValue if value is NULL; otherwise, returns value. Example: |
NullIf(value1, value2) |
Returns NULL if value1 is equal to value2. |
Provider.CalculateHash(string) |
Calculates the hash string for the specified string. Example: In this example, the hash string is calculated for the string
that contains concatenated values of the |
Provider.CalculateHashCode(string) |
Calculates the hash code (which is an Example: In this example, the hash code is calculated for the string that
contains concatenated values of the |
SubstituteAll(sourceField, substitutionList) |
Replaces all values of the Example: In this example, For details about how to create substitution lists, see To Substitute Values During Data Import or Data Export. |
SubstituteListed(sourceField, substitutionList) |
Replaces the values of the Example: In this example, For details about how to create substitution lists, see To Substitute Values During Data Import or Data Export. |
Switch( expression_1, value_1, expression_2, value_2, ...) |
Returns the value (value_n) that corresponds to
the first expression (expression_n) that evaluates to Example: Here |