MV

Copies data between the input buffer, output buffers, file buffers and select registers.

Syntax

MV destination source{,source}...{,*{n}}{,_}

or

MV destination source{*source}...

Syntax Elements

destination is a direct or indirect reference to a buffer or select register that you want the data copied to. If the destination is a select register, the source can only be a direct or indirect reference to a file buffer.

source is the data you want to copy. The source can be:

  • A direct or indirect reference to a buffer or select register that contains the data you want to copy.
  • A direct or indirect reference to a buffer followed by ;inputConversion; or :outputConversion:. See English Conversions for details.
  • A string of zero or more characters enclosed in single or double quotes. An uneven number of quotes gives a syntax error.
  • A SYSTEM function that returns system/database information.

  • A single character expressed in one of two ways:

    Xxwhere x is a hexadecimal number in the range 00 to FF. Thus, XFD is a value mark.

    Inwhere n is a decimal number in the range 0 to 255. Thus, I253 is a value mark.

,* copies all source parameters starting with the specified parameter. If * is the last operand in the source field, the destination buffer or select register is truncated after the last parameter is copied.

,*ncopies n further source parameters following (and in addition to) the specified parameter.

,_ specifies that the destination is truncated after the source is copied.

*sourceconcatenates the source values into one attribute in the destination.

Select Register Destination

If you use a select register as the destination, then the only valid source is a direct or indirect reference to a file buffer. For example:

MV !1 &5.9

or

MV !3 &3.%1

Creating Null Attributes or Parameters

If the attribute or parameter number in destination is larger than the current number of attributes or parameters, the Proc processor automatically creates null values to space out to the requested location.

If the source is a literal string containing just two double quotes, then the destination is nulled.

Input Buffer Pointer

If you reference the primary input buffer as the destination, that buffer is selected as active and the buffer pointer is positioned at the beginning of the moved string.

Copying a Series of Values

If you give a series of values as the source, the first value is copied into the destination, and each subsequent source value is copied to a successive location in the destination buffer. For example:

MV %2 &2.7,"ABC",!2

copies attribute 7 of file buffer 2, the string "ABC", and the next value from select register 2 into the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th parameters of the primary input buffer.

Preserving Parameters/Attributes

If you want to change more than one attribute or parameter without changing the attributes or parameters in between, you must use commas in the source field to preserve those attributes or parameters.

For example, if the primary input buffer contains ABC^DEF^GHI^JKL, and you issue the following command,

MV %1 "XX",,,"9999"

the result is XX^DEF^GHI^9999. The command replaces the 1st and 4th parameters with new values, leaving the 2nd and 3rd parameters unaltered.

Concatenation

If you separate a series of source values with asterisks (*) instead of commas, the source values are concatenated into one attribute in the destination. For example:

MV %2 &1.7*"TEXT"*%4

concatenates the 4th attribute of the primary input buffer to the string "TEXT", then concatenates that result to attribute 7 of file buffer 1, then copies the result as a single parameter into the 2nd parameter of the primary input buffer.

Truncation

If you specify an underline (_) as the last item in the source field, the specified destination is truncated after the last source is copied.

Copying the Entire Contents of a Buffer

If you specify an asterisk (*) as the last item in a source field, all attributes or parameters starting with the specified attribute or parameter are copied. For example:

MV &2.1 %10,*

copies the 10th parameter of the primary input buffer to attribute 1 of file buffer 2. It also copies parameter 11 of the primary input buffer to attribute 2 of file buffer 2, and so on. The remainder of file buffer 2 is truncated after the last parameter of the primary input buffer is copied.

Copying a Series of Attributes

If you specify an asterisk followed by an integer (*n) as a source field element, the number of attributes or parameters specified by n are copied in addition to the specified attribute or parameter. For example:

MV &2.3 %4,*3

copies the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th parameters of the primary input buffer to attributes 3, 4, 5 and 6 of file buffer 2. The remainder of file buffer 2 is not truncated.

English Conversions

The MV syntax supports English conversion of direct or indirect references in source operands, provided that the destination is not a select register. The format is similar to that used with IBH or IH:

reference;inputConversion;

reference:outputConversion:

For example, MV %3 %3;T1,3;  extracts the first three characters of %3 from %3 and replaces the original %3 with just these three characters. An advantage of using MV to perform conversions (rather than IH or IBH) is that MV uses an extensible buffer that is only limited by your OS workspace area.

Note that not all conversions are supported by Proc.

Example 1

Command

PIB Before

PIB After

MV %4 %2

TEST^ABC^12^

TEST^ABC^12^ABC
                 

Example 2

Command

PIB Before

PIB After

MV %1 "X",,"9"

AB^CD^EF^GH

X^CD^9^GH

Example 3

Command

PIB Before

PIB After

MV %5 "X"

ABC

ABC^^^^X
     

Example 4

Command

File Buffer 4 Before

File Buffer 4 After

MV &4.1 &2.1,*

000 1494
001 39100
002 AAA
003 555
004 999

000 1494
001 XXX
002 7800
003 123

Command

File Buffer 2 Before

File Buffer 2 After

MV &4.1 &2.1,*

000 1342
001 XXX
002 7800
003 123

000 1342
001 XXX
002 7800
003 123

This example moves attributes from file buffer 2 to file buffer 4 using the (*) to move the entire contents of file buffer two. Note the truncation of the fourth attribute of file buffer 4.

Example 5

MV %1 "ONE","TWO","THREE"
MV %1 %2,%3

The first MV command copies "ONE" into the 1st parameter, "TWO" into the 2nd parameter, and "THREE" into the third parameter of the primary input buffer.

The second MV command copies the contents of the 2nd parameter (TWO) into the 1st parameter, and the contents of the 3rd parameter (THREE) into the 2nd parameter of the primary input buffer.

Example 6

Command

PIB Before and After

MV #3 %2

DSPLY^DESC^QTY

 

POB Before

POB After

 

LIST^INV^
        

LIST^INV^DESC^
             

Example 7

Command

PIB Before and After

MV &4.2 %5

UPDATE^CUST^1423^L.NAME^SMITH

 

File Buffer 4 Before

File Buffer 4 After

 

000 1423
001 24000
002 CLARK
003 ROGER
.
.
.

000 1423
001 24000
002 SMITH
003 ROGER
.
.
.

Example 8

Command

PIB Before and After

MV &3.1 %3,_

FIX^AB-3211^XYZ

Command

File Buffer 3 Before

File Buffer 3 After

 

000 AB-3211
001 2353
002 2460

000 AB-3211
001 XYZ