SORT-LABEL

Arranges data in label format. Each 'element' of each data item, to subvalue level, is put on a new line. After you type a sentence, you are prompted for format information such as number of columns and rows, indentation, and spacing.

The SORT-LABEL command generates labels sorted by item-id unless sort criteria specify otherwise. Use LIST-LABEL if you do not need the items sorted.

Syntax

SORT-LABEL file-specifier{item-list}{selection-criteria}{USING file-specifier}{sort-criteria}{output-specification}{format-specification}{macro-call}{(options}

Refer to Sentence Structure for descriptions of these parameters.

Prompts

After the sentence is entered, the processor prompts for the desired format as follows:

COL,ROW,SKIP,INDENT,SIZE,SPACE(,C):

COL Number of columns required to list the data across the page.

ROW Number of lines for each item.

SKIP Number of blank lines between each item.

INDENT Number of spaces for left margin.

SIZE Number of spaces required for the data under each column.

SPACE Number of horizontal spaces to skip between columns.

C Optional. Suppress null or missing data. If absent, null or missing values are output as blanks.

Rules

The total number of horizontal specifications must not exceed the current page width. That is:

COL * (SIZE + SPACE) + INDENT <= page width

The ROW count specification must be a minimum of one for each attribute, plus one for the item-id if the ID-SUPP modifier or the 'I' output option is not used.

If INDENT is nonzero, the processor prompts for HEADER:  corresponding to the number of attributes included in each label. (If item-ids are not suppressed, the first row of each label will have the item-id, that is, attribute 0.) The information entered at this prompt produces a heading in the left margin. If a heading is not required for a particular line, press RETURN.

Multivalues within attributes are listed on separate lines.

If the SORT-LABEL command is executed from a Proc and the parameters are stacked within that Proc, the prompt asking for column, row, and so forth is not displayed.

If the COL-HDR-SUPP or HDR-SUPP modifier or the C or H option is specified, the page number, date, and time are not printed and the report is generated without page breaks in a continuous format.

If the ID-SUPP modifier or the 'I' output option is not specified, the item-ids are output as the first line of the label.

Conversions codes in the dictionary are applied.

Example

:SORT-LABEL GUESTS BY LAST-NAME NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE (HP

COL,ROW,SKIP,INDENT,SIZE,SPACE,(.C): 2,5,2,10,25,8,C
HEADER:ACCT NO:
HEADER:NAME
HEADER:ADDRESS:
HEADER:CITY 
HEADER:STATE: 
ACCT NO: 122                    144
NAME:    Richard T. Anderson    Gale Curtis
ADDRESS: 153 Windsor Dr.        35 Valley Dr.
CITY:    Concord                Morristown
STATE:   NH                     CA
ACCT NO: 535                    289
NAME:    Linda P. Evans         Mr. & Mrs. S. Fennelly
ADDRESS: 35 Sutton Pl.          20 High St.
CITY:    New York               Houston
STATE:   NY                     TX
ACCT NO: 365                    411
NAME:    Marilyn T. Ferguson    Alyson Gallagher
 . . .        . . .             . . .