IP

Prompts for and accepts input from the terminal.

Syntax

IP{char{bufferRef}}

Syntax Elements

char An optional prompt character. If included, it remains in effect until reset with an IBN, IBP, IN, IP or PROMPT command.

If char is not included, it defaults to the last prompt character used or to a colon (:) if no other character has been specified.

bufferRef A direct or indirect reference to a buffer or select register where the input data is to be placed.

Operation

IP{char} places data in the active input buffer, replacing the existing parameter pointed to by the buffer pointer.

IPchar bufferRef places input in the buffer or select register specified by bufferRef. The prompt character is required in this case.

Leading and trailing blanks are removed and embedded blanks are replaced with a single attribute mark, thereby replacing the current parameter in the input buffer with multiple parameters. If the input is to a file buffer attribute (as specified by bufferRef) and contains embedded blanks, the embedded blanks are replaced with a single attribute mark as above. The attributes then replace consecutive attributes in the item. For example:

If you enter "ABC DEF GHI" when the command, IP?&3.2 is executed, the values "ABC", "DEF", and "GHI" would replace attributes two, three, and four, respectively, in file buffer 3.

If you want to retain blanks input at the terminal and treat the input text as a single attribute, use the IBP command.

Pressing RETURN only in response to an input prompt nulls the current parameter as pointed to by the buffer pointer.

The input buffer pointer does not change position after an IP command.

Note: The IP command does not read stacked input the way an INPUT statement in DataBasic does. All input commands in Proc ignore stacked data.

Example 1

Command Input	PIB Before	PIB After
`IP? 3-93`	`UPDATE^INV`	`UPDATE^INV^3-9393`

Example 2

Command Input	PIB Before	PIB After
`IP: XXX YY`	`3^234^56^78^`	`3^XXX^YY^56^78`

Example 3

Command Input	PIB Before	PIB After
`IP?RETURN`	`ABC^DEF^GHI`	`ABC^^GHI`

Example 4

Command Input	File Buffer 1 Before	File Buffer 1 After
`IP:&1.1 JONES`	`000 AB-221 001 SMITH` `002 2500`	`000 AB-221 001 JONES` `002 2500`

Example 5

Command Input	File Buffer 4 Before	File Buffer 4 After
`IP?&4.1 22 RED PEN`	`000 2831 001 15 002 BROWN 003 PENCIL`	`000 2831 001 22 002 RED 003 PEN`