#FORMAT Mapping Type Components

The #FORMAT mapping type consists of the following components:

Table 22. #Format Mapping Type Components

ComponentDescription
#FORMAT Indicates that a mapping type of FORMAT is specified in the target member.
<format mask>User defined format mask with the following characters used to define the format:

  • “?”—Include a character from a specific position in the source member or segment within a member.

  • “#”—Skip or drop a character from the source when creating the target member.

  • “character”—Include the user defined character on the target “as- is”. Used for prefixing, suffixing or any fixed string or required character. This can be used in conjunction with the special format mask characters.

  • “*”—Include all characters from the source segment or source. When “*” is used as the only format mask character in a segment, then the entire segment value is copied from the source.

    When “*” is used in conjunction with “#” or the “?” character, then all remaining and unused characters are brought over.

    “*” is a wildcard character that takes the remaining characters not specified by “?” or “#”. For example, when the source is “abcd” and “*” is used, then the target is “abcd”. When the target is “?#*,” then the result is “acd.”

    If FDMEE encounters a “*” within a segment, then anything specified after the “*” is ignored other than the “character” specified on the format.

<segment delimiter>The optional segment delimiter defines the character that is used to delimit the segments in the source and target member. For this rule type, the source and target delimiter must be the same. When the segment delimiter is not specified, then the format mask is applied to the entire member independent of any segment specification or delimiter.

#FORMAT Mapping Example

The following is an example that uses all options provided by #FORMAT:

Table 23. #Format Mapping Type Example

SourceTargetResult
12345-6789-012-3456ABC-001#FORMAT(“???-*-GROUP-AA##?#*X-GROUP”,”-“)

Explanation: Take the first three characters of the first segment, take the entire second segment, replace the third segment with the text “GROUP”, prefix the fourth segment with AA, drop the third and fourth characters, keep the fifth character, drop the sixth character, keep ABC and add suffix “X, replace the fifth segment with the text “GROUP”.

123-6789-GROUP-AA5ABCX-GROUP