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Functions and Expressions
Use HCL Link functions and expressions to create component rules and map rules.
Logical functions
Logical functions provide a way to use logical conditions to display one of several values.
BINDABS
Use this function in a component rule for the implementation of binding and iterative evaluation.

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.
- 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.
  - ALL
    The ALL function evaluates a series of conditions and returns "true" if they all evaluate to "true"; otherwise returns "false".
  - BINDABS
    Use this function in a component rule for the implementation of binding and iterative evaluation.
  - EITHER
    The EITHER function returns the result of the first argument that does not evaluate to "none".
  - IF
    You can use the IF function for conditional logic.
  - ISALPHA
    You can use ISALPHA when you need to know whether a text string is all alphabetic characters.
  - ISLOWER
    The ISLOWER function tests a text object to see if it contains all lowercase alphabetic characters.
  - ISNUMBER
    The ISNUMBER function tests a text object to determine whether it contains all numeric characters.
  - ISUPPER
    The ISUPPER function tests a text object to determine whether it contains all uppercase alphabetic characters.
  - NOT
    Use the NOT function to test a condition and have it return the inverse of its "true" or "false" result. For example, you want the function to return "true" if the condition results in "false".
  - OR
    Use the OR function to test whether one of a series of conditions is true.
  - WHEN
    You can use the WHEN function in a component rule to test for the validity of one object based on another object.
- 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.

BINDABS

Use this function in a component rule for the implementation of binding and iterative evaluation.

The implementation of binding ensures that when there are multiple references to a component in a rule, all references are to the same instance of that component. The implementation of iterative evaluation ensures that the rule is evaluated using all possible combinations of type references.

Do not use this function unless you have a clear understanding of the behavior.

Syntax:: BINDABS (Boolean_expression)
Meaning:: BINDABS (component rule)
Returns:: A Boolean "true" or "false"

Note: It is not necessary to use the BINDABS function for iterative behavior with the following functions because these functions already iterate: COUNT, COUNTABS, INDEX, MEMBER, MAX, MIN, SUM, and SERIESTOTEXT.

How it works

When the evaluation starts and the BINDABS function is encountered at the beginning of the component rule, binding is enforced and the rule is iterated across all valid combinations of objects specified in the rule.

BINDABS must be positioned first in the component rule and the entire component rule must be enclosed. Any other use of this function will have no effect.

When using BINDABS, the evaluation order is the same as mapping. Rules that contain both a normal instance and a last instance for the first instance of the type are not evaluated.

Example

BINDABS (Qty:LineItem:Order * Price:LineItem:Order = ExtendedPrice:LineItem:Order)

As a result of binding, the Qty, Price, and ExtendedPrice elements in this example are all in the same LineItem of the same Order. As a result of iteration, all line items of all orders are checked.