Defining Functions › Messages › Specifying Parameters for Messages

Specifying Parameters for Messages

A parameter is used within the text portion of a message. During generation, the parameter’s value displays. Parameters can be specified for a message function using the following instructions:

1. Use the previous instructions to get to the Edit Message Functions panel.
2. Type P next to the selected message function.

   The Edit Function Parameters panel appears.

3. Define the parameter.

Note: When the data type of a parameter allows value mapping, such as all date and time fields, the parameter is generally converted to its external format before the message is sent. However, due to limitations within i OS, the parameter data for the TS# data type is passed in its internal format, namely, YYYY-MM-DD-HH.MM.SS.NNNNNN.

A parameter can be defined for a message function to allow substitution of the parameter’s value into the text portion of the message identifier.

For example, to insert a field’s value in an error message when the credit limit is exceeded for a customer, enter the following:

Credit limit exceeded for &1.

The parameter value &1 is inserted into the message text at execution time. You must then define &1 as an input parameter value to the message function. If this is an error message, it also causes the field associated with the parameter &1 to display using the error condition display attribute for the field. By default, this is reverse image.