Specifying Constant Values

You can use constant values in certain ILF statements where a field name is allowed. You leave the application ID blank when specifying a constant value. Because there are different types of fields included within an APPX application, you need to understand exactly how to specify each data type as a constant value.

APPX stores or communicates data in any of three formats, and automatically translates between these formats as appropriate. The three data representations are:

·    The external or display format communicates data to an application user. This format includes characters such as $, -, and #, which often provide a more meaningful presentation to a user.

·    The internal or stored format allows APPX to store and manage data in a specified (and usually optimum) manner. For example, you may choose to store a numeric money field in packed decimal format.

·    The universal format allows you to reference a field within the context of ILF statements, regardless of how the data is stored or displayed.

Use the universal format to specify constants as fields within statements.