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Functions and Expressions
Use HCL Link functions and expressions to create component rules and map rules.
Date/time functions
You can use this function to perform various operations on date and time.
CURRENTDATE
You can use CURRENTDATE when you need the current date as a transaction processing date, an order received date, or other date that reflects when the data was mapped.

Functions and Expressions
Use HCL Link functions and expressions to create component rules and map rules.
- Expressions and evaluations
  The documentation provided here describes HCL Link functions and expressions. Functions and expressions are used to create component rules and map rules.
- Using functions
  A function is an expression that generates an output by performing a certain operation on one or more inputs.
- Syntax of a function
  The following is an example of a function:
- Function argument syntax
  Arguments typically have some restrictions on the expression used for that argument.
- Character-set encoding functions
  Functions that use the HCL Link EXIT architecture convert data to the native character set of the platform as part of the function call.
- General functions
  There are several general functions you can call from map rule to process input.
- Bidirectional functions
  Bidirectional languages such as Arabic and Hebrew are languages in which the text is presented to the user ordered from right to left, but numbers and Latin alphabetic strings within the text are presented left to right.
- Bit manipulation and testing functions
  You can use this function to manipulate and to test a bit in a binary number.
- Cache functions
  Use cache functions to specify a value for each of the cache variables defined for a flow, and additionally, to alter an already specified value for a cache variable.
- Conversion functions
  You can use this function to convert an expression from one datatype to another datatype.
- Date/time functions
  You can use this function to perform various operations on date and time.
  - ADDDAYS
    The ADDDAYS function adds a specified number of days to a given date.
  - ADDHOURS
    The ADDHOURS function returns a time value that is the result of adding a specified number of hours to a given time.
  - ADDMINUTES
    The ADDMINUTES function returns a time value that is the result of adding a specified number of minutes to a given time.
  - ADJUSTTIMEZONE
    The ADJUSTTIMEZONE converts the input date/time/zone to the target time zone.
  - CURRENTDATE
    You can use CURRENTDATE when you need the current date as a transaction processing date, an order received date, or other date that reflects when the data was mapped.
  - CURRENTDATETIME
    The CURRENTDATETIME returns the current system date and time.
  - CURRENTDATETIMEZONE
    The CURRENTDATETIMEZONE returns the current time in the specified time zone; if a format string is provided, the resulting time is formatted as specified.
  - CURRENTTIME
    The CURRENTTIME function returns the current system time.
  - DATETONUMBER
    Use DATETONUMBER to perform arithmetic on dates.
  - DATETOTEXT
    The DATETOTEXT function converts a date object or expression to a text item.
  - FROMDATETIME
    The FROMDATETIME function converts a date/time item to a text string of a specified format.
  - MAX
    The MAX function returns the maximum value from a series of number, date, time, or text values.
  - MIN
    Use MIN when you need the minimum value from a series of number, date, time, or text values.
  - NUMBERTODATE
    You can use the NUMBERTODATE function to perform a calculation on a date.
  - TEXTTODATE
    The TEXTTODATE function converts text item from CCYYMMDD or YYMMDD format to a date.
  - TEXTTOTIME
    Use TEXTTOTIME when you want to convert an object defined as text that is in HHMM or HHMMSS presentation, to an item defined as time.
  - TIMETOTEXT
    You can use the TIMETOTEXT function to perform text concatenation.
  - TODATETIME
    The TODATETIME function converts a text string of a specified format to a date-time item.
- Error handling functions
  You can use this function in evaluating the type of error during map execution.
- External interface functions
  You can use this function to retrieve data from a database from within in a map rule.
- Flow functions
  Use Flow functions to specify a value for each of the flow variables defined for a flow, and additionally, to alter an already specified value for a flow variable.
- Inspection functions
  You can use this function to test and inspect the object.
- Logical functions
  Logical functions provide a way to use logical conditions to display one of several values.
- Lookup and reference functions
  These function search operates by scanning the appropriate set of items in sequence, attempting to match the logical condition.
- Math and statistics functions
  Precede all MATHLIB functions with mathlib->
- Text functions
  These functions are used to convert the text item in a map rule.
- XML functions
  There are several XML functions that you can call from component rules and map rules to process input XML data.
- Custom functions
  From the Type Designer or Map Designer, you can create custom functions to call external libraries.
- Date and time format strings
  You can use the listed format strings for numbers, dates and times in functions such as the CURRENTDATETIME, FROMNUMBER, TONUMBER, FROMDATETIME, and TODATETIME.
- Number format strings
  You can create custom number formats by using the given format strings.
- RUN function return codes
  The RUN function return codes and messages might result when using the RUN function.
- Character set codes for CPACKAGE, CSERIESTOTEXT, and CTEXT
  The second argument of the CPACKAGE, CSERIESTOTEXT, and CTEXT functions specifies the character set of the output of the function. The value of the second argument (the character set of the object content), must be a valid character set code.

CURRENTDATE

You can use CURRENTDATE when you need the current date as a transaction processing date, an order received date, or other date that reflects when the data was mapped.

When you need to parse the system date, use CURRENTDATE with the TEXT or FROMDATETIME functions. The function returns the current system date.

Syntax:: CURRENTDATE ( )
Meaning:: CURRENTDATE ( )
Returns:: A single date

CURRENTDATE has no arguments but it does require parentheses.

If being assigned to a date/time output item, the current date is returned in the format specified by that output item. Otherwise, the system date is returned in an MM/DD/YY presentation.

Examples

StartDate = CURRENTDATE ( )
In this example, StartDate is assigned the value of the current date. In this example, because CURRENTDATE is assigned to an output, it is automatically converted to the presentation of StartDate.

If CURRENTDATE evaluates to 06/24/37 and StartDate has a YYMMDD presentation, the result is 370624.
FROMDATETIME ( CURRENTDATE ( ) , "DD.MON.CCYY" )
In this example, the current date is returned in DD.MON.CCYY format. If today's date is January 5, 1999, the date returned would be 05.JAN.1999.

Related functions

CURRENTDATETIME
CURRENTTIME
FROMDATETIME
DATETOTEXT