Index Values and Masks

An optional index mask can be defined for each page level index and subindex. An index mask must be defined for each record level index and subindex. If a relative column is specified, an index mask must be defined for each index and subindex.

If the index value for a report is not all contained in one range, or is not contained in the report at all, use a variable in defining the index.

When pages in a report have more than one format, a specified line or column range may contain values for a particular index on some report pages, but may not contain index values (or may contain values for a different index) on other report pages. Therefore, when defining indexes for reports with multiple page formats, it is necessary to ensure that the text strings in a specified line or column range are in fact appropriate index values. This can be done by defining an index mask.

An index mask definition specifies a mask value and a column range in a line range. If the content of the mask line or column range in the report matches the specified mask value, the content of the index line or column range of the report is validated as a genuine index value. The line or column ranges for the index value and its mask value may be identical, may overlap, or may have no overlap.

Example

A report contains pages in either of two formats: Branch Summary format or Account Summary format.

• In the Branch Summary format:
  • Line 2, columns 18 – 22 contain bank branch numbers. This line and column combination is used to define index 1_BRANCH_NUM.
  • Line 1, columns 47 – 60 contain the value BRANCH SUMMARY. This value does not appear in same location in other formats. It is used to define a mask for index 1_BRANCH_NUM.
• In the Account Summary format:
  • Line 2, columns 17 – 25 contain account numbers. This line and column combination is used to define index 2_ACCT-NUM.
  • Line 2, columns 2 – 15 contain the value ACCOUNT NUMBER. This value does not appear in the same location in other formats. It is used to define a mask for index 2_ACCT_NUM.

Because the line and column ranges for branch numbers and account numbers are almost identical, using masks ensures that only branch numbers are extracted for index 1_BRANCH-NUM and only account numbers are extracted for index 2_ACCT-NUM.

Usage of mask definitions is not limited to reports in which pages have various formats. Mask definitions can be useful in other situations. For example, each page may have the same format, but the report page may only be of interest when the contents of a specified location matches a mask. In this case, extraction of index values can be limited to those situations in which the mask criteria are satisfied.