HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Syntax Rules For Calculations
The following general rules apply when defining calculations for all
types of HP ALLBASE/BRW formulas and conditions. Note that all formulas
and conditions are examined by HP ALLBASE/BRW after you enter them, so
that misspellings, type conflicts, and other errors will be immediately
found.
Rules For Formulas and Conditions
* No item with the same name as an HP ALLBASE/BRW reserved word can
be used in a calculation. A list of HP ALLBASE/BRW reserved words
is supplied later in this chapter.
* An item, calculated item, and function can all have the same name,
but if so HP ALLBASE/BRW uses a priority to determine to which
item the name refers. (See "Arguments" section in this chapter.
However, no two items, or no two functions can have the same name.
* Items, calculated items, functions, and arrays must all follow the
HP ALLBASE/BRW rules for names. That is, they cannot exceed 20
characters; must start with a letter, $, # or @; they can then be
followed by up to 19 characters; and they cannot contain points,
parentheses, spaces or commas. (Letters, digits, and dashes are
allowed).
* A calculation, whether a formula or condition, can be up to two
screen pages long. You can have calculations that spread over
more than two pages by defining part of the calculation as a
function (or by putting part of the calculation in a separate
calculated item) and then calling it from within the calculation.
* You can break calculations over more than one line. You can
insert new lines or comments anywhere on a calculation screen
except in the middle of names and in strings.
* Argument names and reserved words can be written in any
combination of uppercase and lowercase characters. That is,
except in strings, HP ALLBASE/BRW will not differentiate between
and uppercase and lowercase characters.
* You must leave at least one blank space between operators and
their arguments. (HP ALLBASE/BRW lets you include characters such
as -, /, and & in the middle of names).
* You can add comments between double angle-brackets: for example:
<<comments>>.
* You can use all the terminal editing keys to edit a calculation.
* If you cannnot immediately correct an error in a formula, press
the function key Exit Save, which is displayed on all Formula and
Condition screens if the system detects an error in the formula.
HP ALLBASE/BRW saves the formula unchanged for later correction.