Formatting masks

There is implemented formatting of displayed values in the form of a format mask in the D2000 System. The basic syntax is usable for the Transformation palette. Extended syntax, which replenishes the basic syntax, is used to display the object in pictures.

Basic syntax

The mask defines the format of displayed numeric values. To create your own formats, you can use the following characters: ##, 0, $, E+, E-, e+, e-.

To format the exponent, it is possible to use the characters 0 and #. The system will execute automatically the conversion of the format mask according to the following rules:

• after the first character $ from the left, the characters 0 and # are substituted by the character $,
• between character 0 and the decimal point, the character # is substituted by the character 0.

After executing the aforementioned conversion, there are valid the following rules:

• before the character #, placed before the decimal point, there is no occurrence of the character 0,
• before the character #, there is no occurrence of the character $,
• between the character 0 and the decimal point, there is no occurrence of the character #
• before the character 0, there is no occurrence of the character $.

The overflow occurs if the displayed number (or number sign) is longer than the defined mask. After overflow, there is displayed the string of characters "<".

The examples of format masks are shown in the following table.

The following format marks are used to display the objects, the value of which is time type, and the time of object value occurrence.

For example, if the object SysTime (System tag) is connected (to view) to the text string:

{hh:mi:ss dd-mm-yyyy},

the text string will display time information in the format:

15:18:36 27-10-1998

If there is used the mask with the shortened format of year "yy", it will be modified to "yyyy". For example, if there is used the mask hh:mi:ss dd-mm-yy, when changing the value, it is modified on hh:mi:ss dd-mm-yyyy by the reason of the uniqueness of entering the year (19/20).

Date entry:

1. If a mask contains both hh and hb marks, only hh mark will be used.
2. In the text entry field, the hh mark is highlighted in white and hb mark in light yellow.

Note to days in aweek:
The names are displayed when using the transformation palette (I/O tags, user tags, structured variable items) in pictures, in Browser and in the functions %TimeToStr and %TimeToStrEx.
For displaying names of days, you can use the Dictionary - it will generate a text in particular language instead of the name of day according to the table:

In the Dictionary, you must define keys (e.g. Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su if you use the mask tt) and set the language for individual users.
When using the functions %TimeToStr and %TimeToStrEx, you must apply the function %HI_LNG_Translate to the result.

Extended syntax

In pictures, there is possible to display individual parts of the complex value of D2000 System object - flags. The special text strings (graphic object Text), enclosed between combined brackets "{ }! - format masks, are used to display the values of attributes of linked objects. The mask defines the format of the displayed value.

Combined format masks

The aforementioned text of this topic describes the simple format mask, by means of which it is possible to display the value of one particular attribute of complex object value (e.g. object value, value occurrence time, ...). There can be also used as the so-called combined format masks, besides simple format masks. These masks, unlike simple ones, display values of several attributes of complex object value.

The combined format mask is defined within the frame of one text string inserted into the picture as graphic object Text.

The examples of combined format masks are shown in the following table.

Note 

• In case there are defined both the mask for the given attribute (e.g. {V}, {T} ...) and the mask, defining own value format (e.g. {##.#}, {# ### K} ...) within the frame of one combined format mask, there is valid the mask with the value format.

The decimal point in the real numbers

Real numbers display in the D2000 HI

The decimal point in the real numbers is represented by a separator (in the D2000 HI only) as it is set in the Regional Settings. Both "full stop" and "comma" are supported.

Warning:

• Do not set any other marks than "full stop" or "comma" as a decimal point in the Regional Settings.
• In the definition of display mask, there is always used "full stop" to separate the integer part from the fractional one. It is, then, replaced by the mark from the Regional Settings. Therefore, we recommend you to use neither "comma" nor "full stop" for the thousands separator in the masks. For example, if you use the mask: "###,###.###,###", and in the regional settings is "comma" as a decimal point, you will get a strange value, for example "121,652,791,654".

Date and time display

As regards the unformatted outputs of times (e.g. value time), there is mostly used the setting as per the regional settings.