Format Control error messages

There are several error messages you receive if you enter an incorrect expression into a Format Control record. These errors take several forms:

• If any syntax errors are present when the system attempts to parse (evaluate) an expression field (for example, Calculation, Initialization) in a Format Control record, the following message opens in the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen when you click on the Back button or attempt to select another function from the More Actions menu:
  Field contains an invalid expression.
  In the case of incorrect syntax in a Calculation expression, the system does not let you exit the Format Control record until the error is resolved. If you cannot resolve it, delete the line and re-enter the desired input when the correct syntax is determined.
  In the case of incorrect syntax in an Initialization Expression, the system does not let you access additional Format Control functions (Subroutines, Additional Options, etc.) from the More Actions menu.
• The system will accept a properly constructed Initialization Expression in a Format Control record that may not be accepted by the called application at run time. When an application cannot recognize an Initialization Expression, the Format Control function fails, and Service Manager displays this message: Cannot evaluate initialization expression #:1
• Format Control accepts properly constructed but conflicting expressions within a record.
  For example:
  Initialization expression: $x=“ibm”
  Calculation expression: $x+=1
  When Format Control attempts to perform this calculation on a non-numeric field at run time, the system displays the following error message:
  Wrong or mismatched type in increment or decrement

Related concepts

Format Control