Character-oriented Item
A character-oriented item is one that contains a string of ASCII characters of variable-length, separated into variable-length fields by system delimiter characters called attribute marks, value marks and subvalue marks.
Attributes
The item body of ASCII data is divided by attribute marks into any number of variable-length fields called attributes. An attribute mark is represented on the screen by a caret (^). It has the value 254 (X'FE') and is entered at the keyboard by pressing ctrl+^.
Attribute Numbering
Attributes are referenced by numbers. The item-id is defined as attribute 0.
Attributes are then numbered in sequence according to the attribute mark they
follow. Attribute 1 follows the first attribute mark (after the
Null Attributes
If there is no value for a particular attribute, Reality indicates a null
value by inserting an attribute mark, and nothing else, after the previous
attribute (^^).
Values
An attribute can be divided by value marks into any number of variable-length
subfields called values. A value mark is represented on the screen by a right-hand bracket (]).
It has the value 253 (X'FD') and is entered at the keyboard by pressing
The first value after the attribute mark is value
1, the next value after the first value mark is value 2, and so on. If there is
no data preceding a value mark, for example, ^] or ]], the
value is null.
Subvalues
A value can be divided by subvalue marks into any number of variable-length
subfields called subvalues. A subvalue mark is represented on the screen by a backslash (\).
It has the value 252 (X'FC') and is entered at the keyboard by pressing
The first subvalue after a value mark is subvalue 1, the next subvalue after
the first subvalue mark is subvalue 2, and so on. If there is no data preceding
a subvalue mark, for example, ]\ or \\, the subvalue is null.
Example of Character-oriented Item
119^7188^Scott^Barry R.^90 Alpine Drive^Harrison^CT^
66344^USA^^2]15]13 ^7188]7188]7188^56]23.98]17.95^
This example has the following attributes:
119 (item-id) 001 7188 002 Scott 003 Barry R. 004 90 Alpine St. 005 Harrison 006 CT 007 66344 008 USA 009 (null) 010 2]15]13 011 7188]7188]7188 012 56]23.98]17.95