MOVE

Syntax

MOVE {src_any_lit|_var|_col} TO dst_any_var [[:$]format_mask|NUMBER|MONEY|DATE]

Description

Moves the source field to the destination field. Optionally, you can reformat the field using the format_mask argument. Source and destination fields can be different types: numeric, text, or date. MOVE is also useful for converting from one type to another; however, date and numeric variables are incompatible.

When a date variable or column is moved to a string variable, the date is converted according to the following rules:

• 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 as listed in the TIME Column Formats table.

Finally, as the example shows, the edit mask can be contained in a string variable.

Parameters

Parameter	Description
src_any_lit | _var | _col	Specifies any source column, variable, or literal. Note that a date can be stored in a date variable or column, or a string literal, column, or variable. When you are using a date format_mask or the keyword DATE with the MOVE command, the source, if a string literal, column, or variable, must be in 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]]]]'.
dst_any_var	Specifies a destination variable.
format_mask	Specifies an optional format mask. For additional information regarding edit masks, see the PRINT command.
NUMBER	Indicates that src_any_lit|_var|_col is to be formatted using the NUMBER-EDIT-MASK from the current locale. This option is not allowed with date variables. (See the ALTER_LOCALE command.)
MONEY	Indicates that src_any_lit|_var|_col is to be formatted using the MONEY-EDIT-MASK from the current locale. This option is not allowed with date variables. (See the ALTER_LOCALE command.)
DATE	Indicates that src_any_lit|_var|_col is to be formatted using the DATE-EDIT-MASK from the current locale. This option is not allowed with numeric variables. (See the ALTER_LOCALE command.)

Example

The following example illustrates the various features of the MOVE command:

 !
 ! Convert a string in place
 !
 move '123456789' to $ssn
 move $ssn to $ssn xxx-xx-xxxx
 show '$SSN = ' $ssn

Produces the following output:

$SSN = 123-45-6789

 !
 ! Convert a number to a string using an edit mask
 !
 move 1234567.89 to #value
 move #value to $value 999,999,999.99
 show '$Value = ' $value

Produces the following output:

$Value =   1,234,567.89

 !
 ! Convert a number to a string using a variable edit mask
 !
 move 123 to #counter
 move '099999' to $mask
 move #counter to $counter :$mask
 show '$Counter = ' $counter

Produces the following output:

$Counter = 000123

 !
 ! Convert a number to a string using the default edit mask
 !
 ! SQR, by default, outputs six digits of precision.
 ! If you require more or less precision, specify an edit mask.
 !
 move 123.78 to #defvar
 move #defvar to $defvar
 show '$DefVar = ' $defvar

Produces the following output:

$DefVar = 123.780000

 !
 ! Convert the number to a string using the locale default
 ! numeric edit mask
 !
 alter-locale number-edit-mask = '99,999,999.99'
 move 123456.78 to #nvar
 move #nvar to $nvar number
 show '$NVar = ' $nvar

Produces the following output:

$NVar =    123,456.78

 !
 ! Convert the money value to a string using the locale default 
 ! money edit mask
 !
 alter-locale money-edit-mask = '$9,999,999.99'
 move 123456.78 to #mvar
 move #mvar to $mvar money
 show '$MVar = ' $mvar

Produces the following output:

$MVar = $  123,456.78

  !
 ! Convert the date column to a string using the locale default 
 ! date edit mask
 !
 begin-select
 dcol
  from tables
 end-select
 alter-locale date-edit-mask = 'Mon-DD-YYYY'
 move &dcol to $dvar date
 show '$DVar = ' $dvar

Produces the following output:

$DVar = Jan-01-2004

  !
 ! Reset date to first day of the month
 ! ($date1 and $date2 have been defined as date variables)
 ! 
 let $date1 = datenow()
 move $date1 to $date2 'MMYYYY'
 show '$Date2 = ' $date2 edit 'MM/DD/YY HH:MI'

Produces the following output if the report was run in October of 2004:

$Date2 = 10/01/04 00:00

  !
 ! Convert date to a string
 ! ($date1 has been defined as a date variable)
 ! 
 move $date1 to $str_date 'DD-MON-YYYY'
 show '$Str_Date = ' $str_date

Produces the following output:

$Str_Date = 01-DEC-2004

  !
 ! Convert string (in partial format of SYYYYMMDDHHMISSNNN) to a
 ! date
 ! 
 move '20041129' to $date1
 show '$Date1 = ' $date1 edit 'Mon DD YYYY HH:MI'

Produces the following output:

$Date1 = Nov 29 2004 00:00

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

See The PRINT command regarding the default date-time components as a result of moving an incomplete date to a date variable