Interstage Shunsaku Data Manager Application Development Guide - Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000/ Microsoft(R) Windows Server(TM) 2003 - - UNIX -

B.4.1 Format Used when not Aggregating

To return the entire record, specify '/' in the return expression.

The entire record will also be returned if an empty string '' is specified in the return expression.

[Figure B-19 Format Used when not Aggregating]

To return only certain element nodes or element values, specify either a path expression or a text expression. To return certain attribute values, specify an attribute expression. Single-line functions can also be specified to convert element values or attribute values. As shown in the following definition, multiple return items can be specified, separated by commas ','.

The return items are shown below.

• Path Expressions
• Text Expressions
• Attribute Expressions
• Single-line Function Specification

Path Expressions

The path expression specifies which element nodes to return. The values of element nodes specified by the path expression are returned in XML format.

• The '*' path element cannot be specified as the final path element.
• The "//" path operator cannot be specified at the end of path expressions.

Refer to B.2.1 Path Expressions for more information on the format of path expressions.

Example

/root/company/name

Text Expressions

The text expression is used to specify which text nodes to return. The (string) values of the text nodes specified by text expressions are returned in text format.

• The '*' path element cannot be specified at the end of path expressions.
• The "//" path operator cannot be specified at the end of path expressions.

Refer to B.2.2 Text Expressions for more information on the format of text expressions.

Example

/root/company/name/text()

Attribute Expressions

The attribute expression is used to specify which attribute nodes to return. The values of the attribute nodes specified by attribute expressions are returned in attribute format.

• The '*' path element cannot be specified at the end of path expressions.
• The "//" path operator cannot be specified at the end of path expressions.
• The '*' cannot be specified at the attribute name specified by the attribute expression.

Refer to B.2.3 Attribute Expressions for more information on the format of attribute expressions.

Example

/root/company/employee/@position

Single-line Function Specification

The single-line function specification uses a function to convert the value indicated by the text expression or attribute expression passed as an argument. The results of single-line function specifications are returned in text format.

Refer to B.2.4 Single-line Function Specification for more information on single-line function specifications.

Example 1

rlen(/root/company/name/text(),10)

Example 2

rlen(/root/company/employee/@position,10)