GENTRA Process

To access this process:…

  • Data ribbon >> Data Tools >> Set Value >> Alpha to Numeric.

  • Enter "GENTRA" into the Command Line and press <ENTER>.

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

General field transformation. Fields are transformed using one or more standard GENTRA transformation functions, field (data column) names and constants.

Note: See the process EXTRA and the Datamine Table Editor for an alternative, more modern means of manipulating Datamine files.

Notes about GENTRA

  • Most of the GENTRA functions require that the results of a function are saved to a new field.

  • OLDFIELD indicates the name of an existing field

  • NEWFIELD indicates the name of a new field

  • After END the prompt is:-
    >CONFIRM ? > OK, ok, YES, yes, Y or y to carry out transformations.

  • If the ERA (Erase) command is used, the field which has been erased cannot be re-created in the same pass through GENTRA. Removal of multiple fields can be typed as a single line response as follows:
    ERA FIELD1;ERA FIELD2; .......

  • Help information is available by typing HELP as the response to a prompt for a transformation:
    TRAN >HELP
    >>> TRANSFORMATION SUB-COMMANDS <<<
    <listing of all transformations>
    >>> CONDITIONAL SUB-COMMANDS <<<
    <listing of all conditional operators>

  • The DECA command converts an alpha field to a numeric (similar to the ALFNUM process). All characters are removed except + - 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 . and if possible it will interpret a real number. Otherwise NEWFIELD is set to missing value. Blank also becomes missing value ("-"). In some cases an alpha field may contain a number of occurrences of embedded numbers. The "nth" occurrence may be selected.

  • The ENCA command encodes part or all of an alpha field into selected positions of another alpha field. Character positions START_TO to END_TO in NEWFIELD are updated using characters from START to END in OLDFIELD. END is automatically calculated as the minimum of the length of OLDFIELD and START + (END_TO - START_TO).

  • The ENCN command encodes a numeric field into selected positions of an alpha field. Character positions START_TO to END_TO are updated using a formatted real number taken from a numeric field (OLDFIELD). The format is controlled by the available character positions (START_TO to END_TO) and a specified number of decimal places (NDP). If NDP is zero then the decimal point is omitted. Numbers are not converted to E format. If a number overflows the available character positions it is encoded as "*". Missing values become blanks. Character positions in NEWFIELD are automatically padded with leading zeros.

  • The ENCS command encodes part or all of a literal string into selected positions of an alpha field. This is the same as ENCA except that NEWFIELD is updated from a literal string (STRING) instead of another alpha field. STRING must be enclosed in single quotes if it contains blanks or colons. The quotes will be stripped off. Any characters within START_TO to END_TO not set from OLDFIELD or STRING will be padded to blanks.

  • For ENCA, ENCN, ENCS the following rules apply:

    • If NEWFIELD does not exist it will be created with length = int ((END_TO-1)/4)+

    • If END_TO is greater than the current field length of NEWFIELD and the GENTRA is not "in-place", then the length of NEWFIELD is automatically increased to length = int ((END_TO-1)/4+1.

    • If the GENTRA is "in-place", then the length of NEWFIELD will not be increased and END_TO will be set to length = min (END_TO,length) and the following warning given: "END_TO greater than field length

  • Two or more commands can be entered on the same line, separated by a semi-colan. This is particularly useful in macros where tests are being applied, as it will make the commands more readable. For example:

    LTC OLDFIELD CONSTANT; ADD NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

    However, it should be noted that there is a maximum of 40 characters on a line.

GENTRA Functions and Syntax

GENTRA Function

Description

Function Syntax

ADD

Add two fields together

ADD NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

ADDC

Add a constant to OLDFIELD

ADDC NEWFIELD OLDFIELD CONSTANT

SUB

Subtract OLDFIELD2 from OLDFIELD

SUB NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

SUBC

Subtract CONSTANT from OLDFIELD

SUBC NEWFIELD OLDFIELD CONSTANT

MUL

Multiply two fields together

MUL NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

MULC

Multiply an existing field by a CONSTANT

MULC NEWFIELD OLDFIELD CONSTANT

DIV

Divide OLDFIELD by OLDFIELD2

DIV NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

DIVC

Divide OLDFIELD by CONSTANT

DIVC NEWFIELD OLDFIELD CONSTANT

MOD

The modulus of OLDFIELD and OLDFIELD2

MOD NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

MODC

The modulus of OLDFIELD and CONSTANT

MODC NEWFIELD OLDFIELD CONSTANT

SQRT

Square root of OLDFIELD

SQRT NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

EXP

Exponent of OLDFIELD of OLDFIELD

EXP NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

LOG

Logarithm to the base 10 of OLDFIELD

LOG NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

LOGE

Logarithm to the base e of OLDFIELD

LOGE NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

LOGN

Logarithm to the base e of OLDFIELD

LOGN NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

RAIS

Raise OLDFIELD to the power CONSTANT

RAIS NEWFIELD OLDFIELD CONSTANT

INT

Truncate  OLDFIELD to the nearest integer

INT NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

MAX

Maximum of OLDFIELD and OLDFIELD2

MAX NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

MIN

Minimum of OLDFIELD and OLDFIELD2

MIN NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

END

End of function/transformation definition

END

SIN

Sine of OLDFIELD (degrees)

SIN NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

COS

Cosine of OLDFIELD (degrees)

COS NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

TAN

Tangent of OLDFIELD (degrees)

TAN NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

CANC

Cancel all transformations

CANC

QUIT

Exit without transforming

QUIT

PREV

Copy value from OLDFIELD's previous record

PREV NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

THIS

Copy value from OLDFIELD's current record

THIS NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

NEXT

Copy value from OLDFIELD's next record

NEXT NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

SETC

Seta new field to a constant value

SETC NEWFIELD CONSTANT

ERA

Erase an OLDFIELD

ERA OLDFIELD

ASIN

Arcsine of OLDFIELD

ASIN NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

ACOS

Arccosine of OLDFIELD

ACOS NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

ATAN

Arctangent of OLDFIELD

ATAN NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

ABS

Absolute (positive) value of OLDFIELD

ABS NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

PHI

Inverse normal distribution function of OLDFIELD

PHI NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

LT

Test if OLDFIELD less than OLDFIELD2 and execute next command if true

LT OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

LE

Test if OLDFIELD less than or equal to OLDFIELD2 and execute next command if true

LE OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

EQ

Test if OLDFIELD equal to OLDFIELD2 and execute next command if true

EQ OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

GE

Test if OLDFIELD greater than or equal to OLDFIELD2 and execute next command if true

GE OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

GT

Test if OLDFIELD greater than OLDFIELD2 and execute next command if true

GT OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

NE

Test if OLDFIELD not equal to OLDFIELD2 and execute next command if true

NE OLDFIELD OLDFIELD2

LTC

Test if OLDFIELD less than CONSTANT and execute next command if true

LTC OLDFIELD CONSTANT

LEC

Test if OLDFIELD less than or equal to CONSTANT and execute next command if true

LEC OLDFIELD CONSTANT

EQC

Test if OLDFIELD equal to CONSTANT and execute next command if true

EQC OLDFIELD CONSTANT

GEC

Test if OLDFIELD greater than or equal to CONSTANT and execute next command if true

GEC OLDFIELD CONSTANT

GTC

Test if OLDFIELD greater than CONSTANT and execute next command if true

GTC OLDFIELD CONSTANT

NEC

Test if OLDFIELD not equal to CONSTANT and execute next command if true

NEC OLDFIELD CONSTANT

DECA

Convert the OCCURRENC embedded number in alpha OLDFIELD to numeric NEWFIELD

DECA NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OCCURRENC

ENCA

Encode alpha OLDFIELD beginning at position START to alpha NEWFIELD from position START_TO to position END_TO

ENCA NEWFIELD START_TO END_TO OLDFIELD START

ENCN

Encode numeric OLDFIELD using NDP decimal places to alpha NEWFIELD from position START_TO to position END_TO

ENCN NEWFIELD START_TO END_TO OLDFIELD NDP

ENCF

Encode numeric OLDFIELD using internal Datamine floating point conversion into alpha NEWFIELD

ENCF NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

ENCS

Encode literal string STRING beginning at position START to alpha NEWFIELD from position START_TO to position END_TO

ENCS NEWFIELD START_TO END_TO STRING START

IDXC

Return the starting location of the literal STRING within alpha OLDFIELD to numeric NEWFIELD. If not found, 0 is returned

IDXC NEWFIELD OLDFIELD STRING

INDX

Return the starting location of the alpha OLDFIELD 2 within alpha OLDFIELD to numeric NEWFIELD. If not found, 0 is returned

INDX NEWFIELD OLDFIELD OLDFIELD 2

LENG

Return the number of characters in alpha OLDFIELD up to the last non-blank, to numeric NEWFIELD

LENG NEWFIELD OLDFIELD

SUBS

Return the substring of alpha OLDFIELD that begins at position FROM and is at most LENGTH characters to the last non-blank. The substring is inserted into NEWFIELD, starting at position DESTINATION. FROM,LENGTH and DESTINATION are numeric fields

SUBS NEWFIELD OLDFIELD FROM LENGTH DESTINATION

Input Files

Name

Description

I/O Status

Required

Type

IN

Input file.

Input

Yes

Undefined

Output Files

Name

I/O Status

Required

Type

Description

OUT

Output

Yes

Undefined

Output file.

Example

!GENTRA &IN(OLDFILE),&OUT(NEWFILE)1. Add a two character prefix to a numeric sample number.

>ENCS SAMPLEID 1 2 JU 1

>ENCN SAMPLEID 3 8 SAMPLE 0

=====================

SAMPLEID       SAMPLE

=====================

JUJ002168     2168.0

JU000003         3.0

JU458221    458221.0

2. Split an alpha BHID into its alpha prefix and numeric portion.

>DECA BHIDN BHID 1

>ENCA BHIDA 1 2 BHID 1

==============================

BHID         BHIDN     BHIDA

==============================

SN082371   82371.0       SN

FP900734  900734.0       FP

JU000451     451.0       JU

3. 'THIS' operation for multi-word alpha field.

>ENCA FIELDB 1 8 FIELDA 1

4. 'SETC' operation for multi-word alpha field.

>ENCS TEXT 1 20 'DEFAULT VALUE' 1

5. Round numeric field to 3 decimal places.

>ENCN TEMP 1 12 VALUE 3

>DECA VALUE TEMP 1

6. Decode an alpha field of the form "yy/mm/dd" into 3 separate numbers.

>DECA YEAR DATE 1

>DECA MONTH DATE 2

>DECA DAY DATE 3

=========================================

DATE         YEAR     MONTH     DAY

=========================================

90/09/13     90.0      9.0     13.0

90/10/01     90.0     10.0      1.0

90/12/21     90.0     12.0     21.0

Error and Warning Messages

Message

Description

>>> ILLEGAL OPERATION CODE <<<

An illegal transformation has been specified. Warning; the next transformation is requested.

>>> FIELD aaaaaaaa DOES NOT EXIST

The specified field name is not in the file and has not been created. Warning; the next transformation is requested.

>>> BAD NUMBER, PLEASE RE-TYPE COMMAND

A number specified for a constant is invalid. Warning; the user must re-enter the transformation required.

>>> ILLEGAL ALPHANUMERIC FIELD <<<

>>> ERR 42 <<< ( n) IN READOP

An alphanumeric field was specified; GENTRA works on numeric fields. Warning; the next transformation is requested.

>>> CANNOT RE-USE AN ERASED FIELD <<<

Use a different field name. Warning; the next transformation is requested.

>>> WARNING - ONLY nn MORE TRAN COMMANDS ALLOWED <<<

Warning message displayed after 145 transformations have been entered.

OPERATION aaaa INVALID OPERAND nnnnnnnnn.nn ABSENT DATA SUBSTITUTED

 

Square root of a negative number or logarithm of a value less than 'TRACE' has been specified. Warning; the new field is given a value of absent data and the next transformation requested.

>>>   GENTRAN ABANDONED. NO FILES CHANGED. <<<

QUIT or ! has been entered in response to the request for a transformation, or the number of transformations entered has exceeded 300. The process is exited.

>>>  NO TRANSFORMATION(S) REQUESTED BEFORE END <<<

>>>   GENTRAN ABANDONED. NO FILES CHANGED. <<<

END has been entered as the first response to the request for a transformation. The process is exited.