Syntax Rules for Constructing Pictures (Magic xpa 3.x)
Functional and positional directives must always be specified in upper case letters. Lower case letters are interpreted as mask characters only.
For example:
The picture XXXXX defines a 5-character Alpha variable.
the picture XXxXX defines a 4-character Alpha variable with the intermixed mask character x.
The escape character \ explicitly specifies that the character immediately following is a mask character. This allows you to override the implied meaning of the directive character and to use a mask character instead.
For example:
The picture XX\XXX defines a 4-character Alpha parameter with the mask character X in the middle. The example shows the character \ telling Magic xpa to interpret the X that follows as a mask character.
Suppose you have a four-digit numeric field containing a weight expressed in pounds. You want to display it with a P in front of the value. If you simply specify the picture P####, Magic xpa interprets the P as the Pad-fill directive, which is not what you want. The correct picture for your needs is \P####.
Note: To use the \ character as a mask character by itself, specify it twice, as in \\.
The count value is a quick method of repeating the same character consecutively in a picture. The count value is a number you put after a character that indicates how many times the character must be repeated.
For example:
$#4 means $####
X6 means XXXXXX
X3U2 means XXXUU
The count value can be used for positional directives or for mask characters.
