NE macro

The NE macro is available in Unica Campaign and Unica Interact.

Syntax

data1 NE data2 data1 != data2 data1 <> data2

Parameters

data1

The cell range to compare. This can be a constant value, a column, a cell range, or an expression evaluating to any of the above. For the format definition of data, see the "Macro Function Parameters" section in the chapter in this guide for your product.

data2

The number(s) to compare all values in the specified column against. This can be a constant value, a column, a cell range, or an expression evaluating to any of the above. The number of columns in data2 must equal the number of columns in data1, unless data 2 is a constant. For the format definition of data, see the "Macro Function Parameters" section in the chapter in this guide for your product.

Description

NE compares the two specified data ranges, returning a one if the values are not equal or a zero if they are equal. It returns a new column for each input column, each containing the corresponding column in data1 compared to the corresponding column of data2 (that is, the first column of data1 is compared to the first column of data, the second column with the second column, and so on).

If data2 is a constant, each value in data1 is compared to that value. If data2 is a column, the calculations are performed on a row-by-row basis. The values in the first row of data1 are compared to the first row value of data2, the second row with the second row, and so on. This row-by-row calculation produces a result for each row up to the last value of the shortest column.

Note: Using a column containing the same number x in each row as data2 is the same as using the constant x as data2.
Note: The NE operator can be abbreviated with an exclamation point followed by an equal sign (!=) or by a less-than sign followed by a greater-than sign (<>).

Examples

TEMP = 3 NE 4 or TEMP = 3 != 4 TEMP = 3 <> 4

Creates a new column named TEMP containing the value one (since three is not equal to four).

TEMP = V1 != 8

Creates a new column named TEMP, where each value is one if the corresponding row value of the column V1 is not equal to the number eight, otherwise zero.

TEMP = V1:V3 != 2

Creates three new columns named TEMP, VX, and VY. The values in the TEMP column are the contents of column V1 compared to the value two, the values of the VX column are the contents of column V2 compared to the value two, and the values of the VY column are the contents of column V3 compared to the value two.

TEMP = V1 != V1

Creates a new column named TEMP containing all zeros (since every number is equal to itself).

TEMP = V1 != V2

Creates a new column named TEMP, where each value is the row value of column V1 compared to the corresponding row value of column V2.

TEMP = V1:V3 != V4:V6

Creates three new columns named TEMP, VX, and VY. The column TEMP contains the values in V1 compared to the corresponding row values of column V4. The column VX compares columns V2 and V5. The column VY compares columns V3 and V6.

TEMP = V1[10:20] != V2 or TEMP = V1[10:20] != V2[1:11]

Creates a new column named TEMP, where the first 11 cells contain the results of comparing the values in rows 10-20 of column V1 and rows 1-11 of column V2. The other cells in TEMP are empty.

Related functions

Function Description
EQ Returns TRUE if one data range is equal to another
GE Returns TRUE if one data range is greater than or equal to another
GT Returns TRUE if one data range is greater than another
LE Returns TRUE if one data range is less than or equal to another
LT Returns TRUE if one data range is less than another