Designing the Procedure Logic › Advanced Action Diagram Features › Action Diagram Functions › Action Diagram Functions

Action Diagram Functions

The following list describes the action diagram functions:

• String manipulation-Manipulates and inspects text attributes and portions of text attributes.

  For example, string manipulation functions can extract an employee's last name from the attribute EMPLOYEE Name.

• Domain conversion-Converts a value from one primitive domain to another.

  For example, a domain conversion function can convert a date value to a numeric value.

• Date format conversion-Converts date values from one form to another.
  For example, date format conversion can convert a Julian date (YYYYDDD) to a Gregorian date.
• Date/Time extraction-Extracts a portion of a date or time value.
  For example, a function of this type can extract the DAY portion of CURRENT_DATE.

Diagram functions always take the form:

FUNCTION_NAME(parameter_list)
When the action diagram function executes, the value it returns is substituted for it in the expression.

A different set of functions is available, depending on the primitive domain of the expression in which it is included. There are text functions, numeric functions, date functions, and time functions.

Some functions are not available in READ actions. The CA Gen Toolsets clearly identify which functions are not available in READ actions.

Functions can themselves be parameters of functions.