ALPHCODE Process

To access this process:

Enter "ALPHCODE" into the Command Line and press <ENTER>.
Display the Find Command screen, locate ALPHCODE and click Run.

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

Converts and back-converts an alpha numeric code to a numeric code.

IN must contain either:

an alphanumeric field to code with numeric values (optionally based on a dictionary), or;
a numeric code to be back-converted to an alpha equivalent based on a dictionary.

The conversion method is determined by the @INVERSE parameter.

When INVERSE=0

You can code from alpha to numeric without an input dictionary (INDICT), and output dictionary (OUTDICT) is optional.
You can code from alpha to numeric using an input dictionary.

WHEN INVERSE=1

You can code from numeric to alpha with an input dictionary.
If no input dictionary is provided, the process will fail.

Dictionary Files

Dictionary file data can be specified (optionally) to decode either input (INDICT) and output (OUTDICT) data, or both.

The input dictionary file contains equivalent alphanumeric and numeric value-pairs and should have the same format as an OUTDICT file, which is created when converting alpha to numeric values. *FIELD and *NFIELD must be present. This file may be used when @INVERSE=0 or @INVERSE=1. If this file is not present when @INVERSE=0, numeric coding is created and written to OUTDICT (if provided). This file is required when @INVERSE=1. If INDICT and OUTDICT are both specified, OUTDICT is a copy of INDICT.

The output dictionary file is created when generating alpha values from numeric values (INVERSE=0). OUTDICT provides a record of the numeric values created that correspond to the input alpha values. It also contains a count of the number of records with each alpha value. If INDICT and OUTDICT are specified, OUTDICT is a copy of INDICT. The output dictionary is always optional.

Input Files

Name	Description	I/O Status	Required	Type
IN	File containing alpha field to code with numeric values (optionally based on a dictionary); or a numeric code to be back-converted to an alpha equivilent based on a dictionary.	Input	Yes	Table
INDICT	Input dictionary file. See "Dictionary Files".	Input	Yes, if INVERSE=1, otherwise no.	Table

Output Files

Name	Description	I/O Status	Required	Type
OUT	Output file containing fields in the input file plus a numeric field containing the alpha coded values. If file is back-converted, this contains the alpha equivilent for the numeric field.	Output	Yes	Table
OUTDICT	Output dictionary file. See "Dictionary Files"	Output	No	Table

Fields

Name	Description	Source	Required	Type	Default
FIELD	The alpha field to use to create corresponding numeric values. This field should either exist in IN or INDICT	IN	Yes	Any	Undefined
NFIELD	The numeric field containing the numeric values corresponding the alpha values in *FIELD. This should be a new field name or exist in INDICT	IN	Yes	Any	Undefined

Parameters

Name

Description

Required

Default

Range

Values

INVERSE

A flag to determine the type of conversion to perform:

=0 : Convert input FIELD in IN file from Alpha to Numeric, using INDICT if supplied.

=1 : Back-convert input FIELD in IN file from Numeric to Alpha using INDICT.

Yes

0,1

Examples

!START test1

!echo 1 Adds field NCODE to test1 (without output dictionary )

!echo --------------------------------

!ALPHCODE &IN(_vb_holes),

&OUT(test1),*FIELD(LITH),*NFIELD(NCODE),@INVERSE=0.0

!END

!START test2

!echo 2 Adds field NCODE to test1 (with output dictionary)

!echo --------------------------------

!ALPHCODE &IN(_vb_holes),

&OUT(test2),&OUTDICT(dict1),

*FIELD(LITH),*NFIELD(NCODE),@INVERSE=0.0

!END

!START test3

!echo 3 Attempts to code LITH from NCODE (without input dictionary )

!echo This should fail

!echo --------------------------------

!ALPHCODE &IN(test2),

&OUT(test3),*FIELD(LITH),*NFIELD(NCODE),@INVERSE=1.0

!END

!START test4

!echo 4 Attempts to code LITH from NCODE (with input dictionary)

!echo --------------------------------

!ALPHCODE &IN(test2),

&INDICT(dict1),

&OUT(test4),*FIELD(LITH),*NFIELD(NCODE),@INVERSE=1.0

!END

!START test5

!echo 5 Add field NCODE (with input & outout dictionary)

!echo --------------------------------

!ALPHCODE &IN(_vb_holes),

&INDICT(dictionary),

&OUT(test5),

&OUTDICT(dict5),*FIELD(LITH),*NFIELD(NCODE),@INVERSE=0.0

!END

!START test6

!echo 6 Add field NCODE (with input dictionary)

!echo --------------------------------

!ALPHCODE &IN(_vb_holes),

&INDICT(dictionary),

&OUT(test6),*FIELD(LITH),*NFIELD(NCODE),@INVERSE=0.0

!END