User-Written Edit Modules › Input Modules for Mapin Operations › Format of Data

Format of Data

A user-written edit module can be performed before, instead of, or after automatic editing. The point at which a user-written edit module is performed affects the format of data that the module receives and outputs.

Input Data

The user-written edit module must be prepared to receive data in the format that is appropriate to the point at which the module executes:

• When executed before or instead of automatic editing, a user-written edit module for mapin operations receives data in external format for the field.
• When executed after automatic editing, a user-written edit module for mapin operations receives data in internal format for the field.

Output Data

The user-written edit module must output data in the format that is appropriate to the point at which the module executes:

• When executed before automatic editing, a user-written edit module for mapin operations must output data in external format for the field. Runtime mapping repoints the address of the map field to the first byte, permitting automatic editing to edit the map field into internal format.
• When executed instead of or after automatic editing, a user-written edit module for mapin operations must output data in internal format for the field.