VisualValue Function

Format

d = visualvalue(field_name);

Description

The visualvalue function is used to access the contents of a numeric data item before the data item has been entered, what is known as the "visual value." When an item is on a form as a field, CSPro will give its value in logic as notappl until the item has been entered. If you know that the field has been previously filled, perhaps because the operator is in modify mode or is resuming from a partial save, you can use this function to get the value stored in the item that is on the form and represented as field_name.

If you exclusively need to refer to a field using its visual value, you can also use the Always Visual Value field property to indicate that CSPro should always return the field's visual value (without the need for the visualvalue function).

This function is for use only with numeric fields. Refering to alphanumeric fields will always result in the evaluation of the field's visual value.

Return Value

The function returns the numeric value of the field.

Example

PROC INTERVIEW_START_DATE

preproc

// do not overwrite the start date if modifying the case
if visualvalue(INTERVIEW_START_DATE) = notappl then
INTERVIEW_START_DATE = sysdate("YYYYMMDD");
endif;