Syntax Rules for Constructing Pictures (Magic xpi 4.13)
Functional and positional directives must always be specified in upper case letters. lowercase 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 xpi 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 xpi interprets the P as the Pad-fill directive, which is not what you want. The correct picture for your needs is \P####.
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To use the \ character as a mask character by itself, specify it twice, as in \\.
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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.
