II. DATAformTags
Developer handbook DATAformXTension © 1992-2004 www.gassenhuber.de
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II. DATAformTags
Creating text with DATAformTags
A text with DATAformTags can be created by any database that is capable of producing a
complex ASCII text.
DATAform 4D interface
Special export and import routines for DATAformTags exist for the database 4D from 4D.inc.
The procedures can be implemented in existing 4D databases and make it possible, for exam-
ple, to extend an article database with database publishing functions. Installation and function-
ality of the interface are described in the appendix under “DATAform 4D interface”, page:
121.
The DATAform 4D interface includes a translator for DATAformTags into the text array
DX_Array and can likewise generate from the DX_Array a text with DATAformTags. The
DATAform 4D interface user only has to write to and read from the DX_Array; he has no
direct contact to the text with DATAformTags and only works with the DX_Array.
All routines of the DATAform 4D interface are available on the DATAform CD as text files in
a Pascal-like language and can, starting from there, be translated into any other computer lan-
guage.
Syntax rules
1) Tag characters *
A DATAformTag begins with the character * (ASCII-42), followed by the Tag marker and the
value which is assigned to the Tag. Tag markers are case sensitive.
Example 1: *p7
The Tag *p stands for the page number, on which a box will be placed. The value of the Tag is
7, i.e. the box will be placed on page 7.
Example 2: *T3
The Tag *T describes the type of box to be created. The value of the Tag is 3. A box of type
*T3 is a text box, *T0 is a line for example.
2) Object delimiter ¶
Objects are text boxes, picture boxes or lines.
An object description begins and ends with the ¶ character. On both platforms, this character
has the ASCII value 166. Under MacOS it is created by option-key-3, under Windows with the
key combination alt+0166. Under MacOS the character appears as ¶, under windows mostly as
|. (See under “Special characters” and “Character set tables” in the appendix.)
As an alternative to character 166 you can use character 182 as object delimiter on both plat-
forms. Character 182 appears under Windows as ¶. (On export DATAformXTension uses char-
acter 166 always). See also point 4) and 11).
Example: ¶*#1*T3*x100*X200*y100*Y150*$My first box¶
Several descriptions are directly joined together as follows:
¶Object 1¶Object 2¶Object n¶
A text with DATAformTags can contain as many objects as desired.
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