How to Use This Manual

Using Functions

This manual describes the functions supplied with your Information Builders product. It is intended for application developers who call these functions from their programs to perform calculations or manipulate data. Other users who access corporate data to produce reports can call these functions.

This manual also explains how to create functions tailored to individual needs (called subroutines) for use with your Information Builders product.

How This Manual Is Organized

This manual includes the following chapters:

Chapter/Appendix	Contents
1	Introducing Functions	Introduces functions and explains the different types of available functions.
2	Accessing and Calling a Function	Describes the considerations for supplying arguments in a function, and explains how to use a function in a command and access functions stored externally.
3	Simplified Analytic Functions	Describes analytic functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.
4	Simplified Character Functions	Describes character functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.
5	Character Functions	Describes character functions that manipulate alphanumeric fields and character strings.
6	Variable Length Character Functions	Describes variable-length character functions which manipulate alphanumeric fields and character strings.
7	Character Functions for DBCS Code Pages	Describes functions that manipulate strings of DBCS and SBCS characters when the configuration uses a DBCS code page.
8	Data Source and Decoding Functions	Describes data source and decoding functions that search for data source records, retrieve data source records or values, and assign values based on the value of an input field.
9	Simplified Date and Date-Time Functions	Describes date and date-time functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.
10	Date Functions	Describes date functions that manipulate date values.
11	Date-Time Functions	Describes date-time functions that manipulate date-time values.
12	Simplified Conversion Functions	Describes conversion functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.
13	Format Conversion Functions	Describes format conversion functions that convert fields from one format to another.
14	Simplified Numeric Functions	Describes numeric functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.
15	Numeric Functions	Describes numeric functions that perform calculations on numeric constants and fields.
16	Simplified Statistical Functions	Describes functions that perform statistical calculations.
17	Simplified System Functions	Describes system functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.
18	System Functions	Describes system functions that call the operating system to obtain information about the operating environment or to use a system service.
19	Creating a Subroutine	Describes how to create custom subroutines in addition to the functions provided by Information Builders.
20	ASCII and EBCDIC Codes

Chapter/Appendix

Contents

Introducing Functions

Introduces functions and explains the different types of available functions.

Accessing and Calling a Function

Describes the considerations for supplying arguments in a function, and explains how to use a function in a command and access functions stored externally.

Simplified Analytic Functions

Describes analytic functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.

Simplified Character Functions

Describes character functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.

Character Functions

Describes character functions that manipulate alphanumeric fields and character strings.

Variable Length Character Functions

Describes variable-length character functions which manipulate alphanumeric fields and character strings.

Character Functions for DBCS Code Pages

Describes functions that manipulate strings of DBCS and SBCS characters when the configuration uses a DBCS code page.

Data Source and Decoding Functions

Describes data source and decoding functions that search for data source records, retrieve data source records or values, and assign values based on the value of an input field.

Simplified Date and Date-Time Functions

Describes date and date-time functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.

Date Functions

Describes date functions that manipulate date values.

Date-Time Functions

Describes date-time functions that manipulate date-time values.

Simplified Conversion Functions

Describes conversion functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.

Format Conversion Functions

Describes format conversion functions that convert fields from one format to another.

Simplified Numeric Functions

Describes numeric functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.

Numeric Functions

Describes numeric functions that perform calculations on numeric constants and fields.

Simplified Statistical Functions

Describes functions that perform statistical calculations.

Simplified System Functions

Describes system functions that have streamlined parameter lists, similar to those used by SQL functions.

System Functions

Describes system functions that call the operating system to obtain information about the operating environment or to use a system service.

Creating a Subroutine

Describes how to create custom subroutines in addition to the functions provided by Information Builders.

ASCII and EBCDIC Codes