Syntax of a functional map expression

Map rules on executable map output cards specify the functional map name. The syntax of a functional map expression is similar to the syntax of a function.

Similar to a function, a functional map has one or more inputs, and one output.

The inputs and the output are data objects.

The syntax of a functional map expression is the following:

FunctionalMapName (argument1, argument2,...argumentn)

Where n is the argument number. The input arguments of a functional map appear between the parentheses in the functional map expression separated by commas.

An input argument of a functional map is any valid expression that evaluates to data, including data objects, functions, and literals. For example, an input argument may be any of the following:

Input argument

Example

data objects

FixedRecord:Input

functions that evaluate to data

EXTRACT (StoreInfo:Inventory, StoreName:Inventory = "Lee 
Furniture")
INDEX (Record:File)

literals

"payroll"

Each of these expressions evaluates to data. For example, the following expression evaluates to the data object FixedRecord:

FixedRecord:Input

The following expression evaluates to StoreInfo data objects:

EXTRACT (StoreInfo:Inventory, StoreName:Inventory = "Lee Furniture")

The INDEX (Record:File) expression evaluates to an integer; the "payroll" expression evaluates to text.

For a detailed discussion of functions and expressions, see the Functions and Expressions documentation.