DISPLAY

Syntax

DISPLAY {any_lit|_var|_col} [[:$]edit_mask|NUMBER|MONEY|DATE][NOLINE]

Description

Displays the specified column, variable, or literal.

The DISPLAY command can display data to a terminal. The data is displayed to the current location on the screen. If you want to display more than one field on the same line, use NOLINE on each display except the last.

Dates can be contained in a date variable or column, or a string literal, column, or variable. When a date variable or column is displayed without an edit mask, the date appears in the following manner:

  • For DATETIME columns and SQR DATE variables, SQR uses the format specified by the SQR_DB_DATE_FORMAT setting.

    If this has not been set, SQR uses the first database-dependent format as listed in the Default Database Formats table.

  • For DATE columns, SQR uses the format specified by the SQR_DB_DATE_ONLY_FORMAT setting.

    If this has not been set, SQR uses the format listed in the DATE Column Formats table.

  • For TIME columns, SQR uses the format specified by the SQR_DB_TIME_ONLY_FORMAT setting.

    If this has not been set, SQR uses the format listed in the TIME Column Formats table.

When the program displays a date in a string literal, column, or variable using EDIT or DATE, the string uses the format specified by the SQR_DB_DATE_FORMAT setting, one of the database-dependent formats as listed in the Default Database Formats table, or the database-independent format SYYYYMMDD[HH24[MI[SS[NNNNNN]]]].

If you require more control over the display, use the SHOW command.

Parameters

Parameter Description

any_lit|_var|_col

The text, number, or date to be displayed.

edit_mask

Causes the field to be edited before being displayed. For additional information regarding edit masks, see the PRINT command.

NUMBER

Indicates that any_lit|_var|_col is to be formatted using the NUMBER-EDIT-MASK of the current locale. This option is not valid with date variables.

MONEY

Indicates that any_lit|_var|_col is to be formatted using the MONEY-EDIT-MASK of the current locale. This option is not valid with date variables.

DATE

Indicates that any_lit|_var|_col is to be formatted using the DATE-EDIT-MASK of the current locale. This option is not valid with numeric variables. If DATE-EDIT-MASK has not been specified, the date is displayed by the default format for that database (see the Default Database Formats table).

NOLINE

Suppresses the carriage return after the field is displayed.

Example

The following segments illustrate the various features of the DISPLAY command: 

 !
 ! Display a string using an edit mask
 !
 display '123456789' xxx-xx-xxxx

Produces the following output:

123-45-6789
!
 ! Display a number using an edit mask
 !
 display 1234567.89 999,999,999.99

Produces the following output:

1,234,567.89

!
 ! Display a number using the default edit mask (specified in PSPSPSSQR.INI)
 !
 display 123.78

Produces the following output:

123.780000

!
 ! Display a number using the locale default numeric edit mask
 !
 alter-locale  number-edit-mask = '99,999,999.99'
 display 123456.78 number

Produces the following output:

123,456.78

!
 ! Display a number using the locale default money edit mask
 !
 alter-locale  money-edit-mask = '$$,$$$,$$9.99'
 display 123456.78 money

Produces the following output:

$123,456.78

!
 ! Display a date column using the locale default date edit mask
 !
 begin-select
 dcol
  from tables
 end-select
 alter-locale  date-edit-mask = 'DD-Mon-YYYY'
 display &dcol date

Produces the following output:

01-Jan-2004

!
 ! Display two values on the same line
 !
 display 'Hello' noline
 display ' World'

Produces the following output:

Hello World

!
 ! Display two values on the same line with editing of the values
 !
 alter-locale  money-edit-mask = '$$,$$$,$$9.99'
 let #taxes = 123456.78
 display 'You owe ' noline
 display #taxes money noline
 display ' in back taxes.'

Produces the following output:

You owe $123,456.78 in back taxes.

See The SHOW command for information about screen control

See The LET command for information about copying, editing, or converting fields

See The EDIT parameter of the PRINT command for a description of the edit masks

See The ALTER-LOCALE command for a description of the arguments NUMBER-EDIT-MASK, MONEY-EDIT-MASK, and DATE-EDIT-MASK