Sheerpower®
A Guide to the Sheerpower Language
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< character

The less than sign left-justifies text within a field. The less than sign must appear at the beginning of a field. The less than sign counts as a character position. In this example, justification occurs only in the second field.

Example 7-23 < character in PRINT USING 

  print using "#### <###": 'Test', 'Hi' 
  print '123456789' 
  end
 
        
Test Hi 
123456789

In the above example, there are two fields. When the first string is printed, the word "Test" occupies all four character positions. The less than sign (<) causes Sheerpower to left-justify the second expression.

> character

The greater than sign is used to right-justify text within a field. The greater than sign must appear at the beginning of a field. The greater than sign counts as a character position.

Example 7-24 > character in PRINT USING 

  print using "#### >###": 'Test', 'Hi' 
  print '123456789' 
  end
 
        
Test   Hi 
123456789

In the above example, there are two fields. The greater than sign (>) causes Sheerpower to right-justify the second expression.

@ character

The @ indicates one character position with no translation.

Example 7-25 @ character in PRINT USING 

  print using '####': 0001 
  print using '@@@@': 0001 
  end
 
        
   1 
0001

. character

You can include a decimal point in a number by putting a period or decimal point in the format.

Example 7-26 . character in PRINT USING 

  print using "###.##": 19.3 
  end
 
        
19.30

, character

Include commas in your numbers by putting commas in the format.

Example 7-27 , character in PRINT USING 

  a$ = "##,###.##"
  print using a$: 28290.06 
  print using a$: 8290.06 
  print using a$: 290.06 
  end
 
        
28,290.06 
 8,290.06 
   290.06

Commas cannot be used in exponential format.

% character

The % character pads on the left with zeros.

Example 7-28 % character in PRINT USING 

  print '-1- -2- -3-' 
  print using "%%% %%% %%%": 193, 19, 1 
  end
 
        
-1- -2- -3- 
193 019 001

* character

The * character pads on the left with asterisks. This symbol can be used to set up check amounts.

Example 7-29 * character in PRINT USING 

  print using '***,***.**': 19.42 
  end
 
        
*****19.42

If the expression is smaller than the format, Sheerpower will right justify the expression and pad it with asterisks.

Example 7-30 * character in PRINT USING 

  print '-1- -2- -3-' 
  print using "*** *** ***": 193, 19, 1 
  end
 
        
-1- -2- -3- 
193 *19 **1

+ character

A plus sign causes Sheerpower to print a leading plus or minus sign. Sheerpower will print a plus sign in front of positive numbers and a minus sign in front of negative numbers.

The "+" sign adds a character position to the format. The character position is used for the sign of the number.

Example 7-31 + character in PRINT USING 

  print ' -1-  -2-  -3-' 
  print using "+### +### +###": 193, 19, -1 
  end
 
        
 -1-  -2-  -3- 
+193  +19   -1

- character

The - character prints a leading or trailing minus sign for negative numbers, and a leading space for positive numbers. The "-" adds a character position to the format. The character position is used to print the minus sign or space.

Example 7-32 - character in PRINT USING 

  print ' -1-  -2-  -3-' 
  print using "-### -### -###": 193, 19, -1 
  end
 
        
-1-  -2-  -3- 
193   19   -1

~ character

The ~ (tilde) character marks the character following it as literal data.

Example 7-33 ~ character in PRINT USING 

  print using '###~-###~-####': '5556667777' 
  end
 
        
555-666-7777

$ character

The $ character prints a floating dollar sign. The dollar sign appears before the number. $ causes Sheerpower to print '$-' for negative numbers and '$' for positive numbers. The minus sign appears immediately after the dollar sign and before the number.

Example 7-34 $ character in PRINT USING 

  print "1st col 2nd col" 
  print using "$###.## $###.##": 11.93, -1.93 
  end
 
        
1st col 2nd col 
 $11.93  $-1.93

$+ characters

$+ characters print a floating dollar sign. The dollar sign appears before the numeric expression. $+ causes Sheerpower to print a minus sign before negative numbers, and a plus sign before positive numbers. The sign appears after the dollar sign and before the number.

Example 7-35 $+ characters in PRINT USING 

  print "1st  col 2nd  col" 
  print using "$+###.## $+###.##": 11.93, -1.93 
  end
 
        
1st  col 2nd  col 
 $+11.93   $-1.93

-$ characters

-$ characters print a floating dollar sign. The dollar sign appears immediately before the numeric expression. -$ causes Sheerpower to print a minus sign before negative numbers and a space before positive numbers. The minus sign or space appears immediately before the dollar sign.

Example 7-36 -$ characters in PRINT USING 

  print "1st  col 2nd  col" 
  print using "-$###.## -$###.##": 11.93, -1.93 
  end
 
        
1st  col 2nd  col 
  $11.93   -$1.93

+$ characters

+$ causes Sheerpower to print a floating dollar sign. The dollar sign appears immediately before the number. +$ causes Sheerpower to print a plus sign before positive numbers and a minus sign before negative numbers. The plus or minus sign appears immediately before the dollar sign.

Example 7-37 +$ characters in PRINT USING 

  print "1st  col 2nd  col" 
  print using "+$###.## +$###.##": 11.93, -1.93 
  end
 
        
1st  col 2nd  col 
 +$11.93   -$1.93

Notice that +$ adds two character positions to the format. One position contains the dollar sign, the other contains the plus or minus sign.

$- characters

$- characters prints a floating dollar sign. The dollar sign appears before the number. $- causes Sheerpower to print a minus sign before negative numbers and a space before positive numbers. The minus sign or space appears after the dollar sign and before the number.

Example 7-38 $- characters in PRINT USING 

  print "1st  col 2nd  col" 
  print using "$-###.## $-###.##": 11.93, -1.93 
  end
 
        
1st  col 2nd  col 
 $ 11.93   $-1.93

If your expression is too large to fit in a field, Sheerpower gives an exception.

7.1.10 Directives

The directives used with the USING option of the PRINT statement tell Sheerpower what to do with the text.

FORMAT:


        PRINT USING 'directive' : str_expr

7.1.10.1 {UCASE}?

The UCASE directive converts the str_expr to uppercase characters.

Example 7-39 UCASE Directive Used with PRINT USING 

  print using '{ucase}?' : 'march' 
  end
 
        
MARCH

7.1.10.2 {LCASE}?

The LCASE directive converts the str_expr to lowercase characters.

Example 7-40 LCASE Directive Used with PRINT USING 

  print using '{lcase}?' : 'MARCH' 
  end
 
        
march

7.1.10.3 {HYPHEN}

The HYPHEN directive causes Sheerpower to suppress the hyphen character if it is the last non-blank character after the format is applied.

Example 7-41 HYPHEN Directive Used with PRINT USING 

  print using '<#####~-####' : '92123' 
  print using '{hyphen}<#####~-####' : '92123' 
  end 
 
        
92123 - 
92123

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