Easytrieve Basic Reporting

Overview

This section covers the fundamentals of coding an EASYTRIEVE PLUS program. It starts with a brief discussion of conventions (rules) for syntax. Next, there is an explanation of the structure of an EASYTRIEVE PLUS program that outlines the function and configuration of its segments. Finally, the Library and Job Activity segments of an EASYTRIEVE PLUS program are discussed in detail.

Upon completion of this section you will be able to write an entire EASYTRIEVE PLUS program consisting of:

• Coding the file definition statement.
• Coding the field definition statements for each requested field.
• Coding the JOB statement.
• Coding the logic portion using IF statements to select data for a report.
• Coding assignment, calculation, and PRINT statements to perform data movements for the report.
• Coding the report statement.
• Coding the report definition statements.

Syntax Conventions

Syntax refers to the relationships among the parts of a statement. Syntax refers to the way the parts must be structured, independent of what these parts say or mean.

Delimiters

B   A blank is the basic delimiter. Its purpose is to separate the parts of a statement.

( )   Parentheses indicate more than one sub-parameter. e.g., HEADING (‘EMP’ ‘NO’)

:     A colon is used to qualify non-unique field names. e.g., PERSNL:NAME

,     A comma is never needed, but is optionally used for readability.

 ‘ ‘    Single quotation marks enclose literals, e.g., ‘TEXAS’

.      A period indicates the end of a statement, e.g.,

                 IF DEPT = 910. * DEPT 910 IS ACCOUNTING

*      An asterisk indicates a comment if it is the first non-blank character on a statement.
       No comments are allowed between continuation lines.

Statement Continuation

 +   A plus sign indicates that the statement continues with the first non-blank character
      in the next Statement Area.

      TITLE ‘ABC + DEF’ Prints ABCDEF