System variables - an overview

In the same way that Fip header fields are accessible by certain parameter files, there are a number of Fip system variables that can be accessed at the time a parameter file is called; these are particularly useful for things like date stamping files as they move through the system, or as they are delivered to another system.

Field	Remarks	Example
\$S	3 figure sequence number	123
\$Z	4 figure sequence number	0037
\$Y	Year (99)	97
\$E	Century (19 or 20)	19
\$I	Month (mm)	11
\$M	Month (Mmm)	Mar
\$D	Day (1-31)	23
\$H	Hour (1-24)	10
\$N	Minute (0-60)	54
\$B	Second (0-60)	45
\$J	Julian day of the year	111
\$R	Random alpha numeric character between a-z, 0-9	a
\$X	Strip trailing spaces from this point to the last non-space
\$A	J11 style NAME;dd/mm	JAMES;03/12
\$O	If Optional field failed, strip to this point (see below)

Plus for certain programs :

\$T	First 80 characters of text - ipedsys, ip2wtr
\$1	First line of text - ipedsys, ip2wtr
\$9	Ninth line of text - ipedsys, ip2wtr
\$L	Number of lines for file - ipedsys, vwire
\$W	Number of words for file - ipedsys, vwire
\$C	Number of characters for file - ipedsys, vwire
\$Q	Time taken - vwire

These can be used in conjunction with Fip header fields in output programs, such as ipedsys and ipftp. For instance to make ipftp generate a log file with todays date on the end of the name, (so you get a new log started automatically by the first transmission after midnight)

logfile:/fip/log/ftp/log_my_transmissions.\$E\$Y\$I\$D

would give /fip/log/ftp/log_my_transmissions.20050317 on March 17th 2005.

System variables - an overview

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