A couple of extra things are added now. We want the output to be be sorted alphabetically by name for one. The other thing we want to do is add a check onto the extension number - if it starts with a 4 its a private extension so we don't want it shown on the output. Included below is the definition file to do all this. Copy it into a file in the same directory as the data source file and call it phones3.grg or download phones3.grg.
%%database "phonedir.txt"
%%define DELIM |
%%define NAMCOL
%%define TEXEXT .lst
%%sorton %LASTNAME %FIRSTNAME
%%header
PHONE DIRECTORY
%%record
NAME: %FIRSTNAME %LASTNAME
JOB: %JOB
CONTACT: %ROOM, x#isprivate(%EXTENSION)
%%end
%%equate isprivate(extn)
/* if the first character of the extension is the number 4 (in ascii)
then return "PRIVATE" else return the extension */
if extn'0 = 52 then outputs("PRIVATE")
else outputs(extn)
endif
|
The SORTON directive sorts by the first field and then by the second field within each sorted first field group etc. Any # in a text body is expanded by the result of calling the given function (with arguments in this case). The equate function definition itself should be fairly self explanatory. This tutorial doesn't go into any real detail about the internal processing language itself, see the user manual for more on this.
Now we need to gurgle the definition file and produce the output.
gurgle phones3.grg |
If everything worked this will create phones3.lst which is the output file and should look like below.
PHONE DIRECTORY NAME: Rosanne Barr JOB: Receptionist CONTACT: A01, x1111 NAME: Joe Bloggs JOB: Manager CONTACT: C99, xPRIVATE NAME: Bill Clinton JOB: Legal Services CONTACT: C55, xPRIVATE NAME: Frasier Crane JOB: Counsellor CONTACT: B78, x6542 NAME: John Doe JOB: Coroner CONTACT: B56, x3888 NAME: Jack Frost JOB: Air Conditioning Technician CONTACT: A23, xPRIVATE NAME: Jerry Springer JOB: Public Relations CONTACT: B44, x8844 NAME: Mike Tyson JOB: Security CONTACT: A23, x7911 |
As you can see the output is now sorted and private numbers have been hidden.
Try different sorts and change the equate to disguise different numbers or to disguise all office locations on C floor for example.
Next we'll turn our report into a more user friendly command.