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Opalis Integration Server > Building Policies > Data Manipulation Functions

Data Manipulation Functions
Opalis Integration Server enables you to manipulate string data from text files, Published Data items, or other sources, and convert it into a usable form. You can also perform arithmetic operations, such as calculating sums and differences, and performing division and multiplication operations. For example, you can extract text from a text file using a text file management object, trim leading and trailing spaces from the text, and then retrieve specific parts of the text that you can pass to other objects as Published Data items.
For a complete list of the functions that you can perform, see the Functions table below.
To insert a data manipulation function:
You can insert a data manipulation function into any field that allows you to type text. Data manipulation functions must be enclosed within square brackets ('[' and ']'). For example:
When the object executes, the ‘this will be inserted in uppercase’ text in the example above will be replaced with 'THIS WILL BE INSERTED IN UPPERCASE'.
Nested Functions
If you want to use a data manipulation function within another function, you do not need to enclose the nest function within square brackets. For example, to nest the Field function you would write the following:
[Field(Field('username=jsmith@abcompany.com','=',2),'@',1)]
Functions
Note: Functions are case-sensitive. For example, Upper('Text') will be processed, but upper('Text') will not.
 
Function
Usage
Parameters
Example
Upper - converts text to upper case.
Upper('Text')
Text - the text that is being converted to upper case.
Upper('this will be converted to uppercase') returns 'THIS WILL BE CONVERTED TO UPPERCASE'
Lower - converts text to lower case
Lower('Text')
Text - the text that is being converted to lower case.
Lower('This Will Be Converted To Lowercase') returns 'this will be converted to lowercase'
Field - returns text in a specific position
Field('Text', 'Delimiter', Field Number)
Text - the text that is being searched
Delimiter - the character that separates each field
Field Number - the position of the field that is being returned (starting at 1)
Field('John;Smith;9055552211', ';', 2) returns 'Smith'.
Sum - returns the sum of a set of numbers
Sum(firstNumber, secondNumber, thirdNumber, ...)
Number - the number being added, you can put any set of numbers each separated by a comma (,).
Sum(2,3,4,5) returns '14'
Diff - returns the difference of two numbers
Diff(Number1, Number2, <Precision>)
Number1 - the number that will be subtracted from
Number2 - the number that will be subtracted from Number1
Precision <Optional> - the number of decimal places that the result will be rounded to  
Diff(9, 7) returns '2'
Diff(9.3, 2.1, 2) returns '7.20'
Mult - returns the product of a set of numbers
Mult(firstNumber, secondNumber, thirdNumber, ...)
Number - the number being multiplied, you can put any set of numbers each separated by a comma (,).
Mult(2, 3, 4) returns '24'
Div - returns the quotient of two numbers
Div(Number1, Number2, <Precision>)
Number1 - the number that will be divided
Number2 - the number that will divide Number1
Precision <Optional> - the number of decimal places that the result will be rounded to
Div(8, 4) returns '2'
Div(9, 2, 2) returns '4.50'
Instr - returns the position of first occurrence of text within another text
Instr ('SearchText', 'TextToFind')
SearchText - the text that is being searched
TextToFind - the text that you are searching for
Instr('This is a string that is searched', 'string') returns 11
Right - returns a subset of the text from the right side of the full text
Right('Text', Length)
Text - the full text
Length - the number of characters from the right side that will be returned
Right('Take from the right', 9) returns 'the right'
Left - returns a subset of the text from the left side of the full text
Left('Text', Length)
Text - the full text
Length - the number of characters from the left side that will be returned
Left('Take from the left', 4) returns 'Take'
Mid - returns a subset of the text from the middle of the full text
Mid('Text', Start, Length)
Text - the full text
Start - the starting position in the text where you want to begin returning characters
Length - the number of characters starting from the Start position that will be returned
Mid('Take from the middle', 5, 4) returns 'from'
LTrim - Trims leading spaces from text
LTrim('Text')
Text - the text being trimmed of leading spaces
LTrim('    Remove the leading spaces only.    ') returns 'Remove the leading spaces only.    '
RTrim - Trims the trailing spaces from text
RTrim('Text')
Text - the text being trimmed of trailing spaces
RTrim('    Remove the trailing spaces only.    ') returns '    Remove the trailing spaces only.'
Trim - Trims leading and trailing spaces from text
Trim('Text')
Text - the text being trimmed
Trim('   Remove leading and trailing spaces.   ') returns 'Remove leading and trailing spaces.'
Len - returns the length of text
Len('Text')
Text - the text that is being measured
Len('Measure this text') returns 17

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