Key Function

Format

s = key(dictionary_name);

Description

The key function returns a string containing the key of the case currently loaded in the file referenced by dictionary_name. A dictionary key is a single string comprised of the IDs for a case. The key is created using the case's IDs as they existed when the case was last loaded or written..

Return Value

The function returns a string containing the key. If there has been no previous activity on the file and no key has been established, the key function returns a blank string.

Example

// do not output any cases with IDs starting with 04
if key(CENSUS_DICT)[1:2] = "04" then
skip case;
endif;

Differences Between key and currentkey

The key and currentkey functions will often return the same key string, but when modifications are made to ID values, the key will not change whereas currentkey will reflect the modifications. For example:

loadcase(DICT_NAME, "0102");

key(DICT_NAME); // 0102
currentkey(DICT_NAME); // 0102

ID1 = 99;
ID2 = 8;

key(DICT_NAME); // 0102
currentkey(DICT_NAME); // 9908