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How To: Establish a Property as a Pascal Expression (Difficulty Level: Basic)

Introduction

Before being able to create an if/then formula, a property must be established as a Pascal expression. This article will outline that process.


Basic Explanation of the Return Value Expression in PlanSwift

  • In the formula column entering in [Property] brings the return the value of that property.
  • In the formula column entering in '[Property]': by including the ' ' the return value of that property will be recognized as a text or string.


The image below shows an error because [a] is a number, [d] is a number  but '[a]' returns as a text/string value which conflicts with the property d (which is a number type


To fix the error above: simply change from '[a]' to [a] instead



Establishing a Property as a Pascal Expression


  1. In the properties window of any PlanSwift item, hit Advanced to pull up the Advanced Properties window. 
  2. Right-click on a property you want to establish as an expression, then choose properties to bring up the Edit Property window.
  3. Check the box labeled Expression, then select Pascal.
  4. While in Edit Property, you can also edit the Name, Type, and Group if needed. 

Caution: After editing a specific property to be a Pascal expression, other properties can no longer be dragged/dropped into that specific property. In order to accomplish the inheritance of another property into the now established Pascal expression property Result:= must be entered in.





Inherit Result from Other Property Cells Using a Pascal Expression (1)



  1. In the Formula cell, type in Result:=
  2. Any calculations between different properties can happen after Result:= is entered in.

(A normal drag-drop of other properties into the cell after the Result:=  will now inherit value.)






 Inherit Result from Other Property Cells Using a Pascal Expression (2)



  • When a property is set to use Pascal Expression, the type of that property no longer matters--whether it is a text or a number; however, the return value expression needs to match with the type of the property it inherits the value from.


Example: b is a text type property. d is a Pascal expression with a text type property. An error is the result. The reason is that there is not single quotation marks entered around the result [b].



Example: b is a text type property. d is a number type but is set as a Pascal expression. By having '[b]' entered into the formula, the value now displays because quotation marks signify that the property is a text. 



Example: a is a number 10 . b is a text . c is a Pascal expression property. d is a Pascal expressionproperty               result:='[a]' return value 10 as a text (Number can return value as a text)               result:=[b]return value b as a number.  Text cannot return value as a number and will give an error result. Numbers can return as a text or number type, but text cannot return as a number, only as text type.

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