Validating Data: ACCEPT

ACCEPT is an optional attribute that you can use to validate data as it is entered into a field from a MODIFY procedure. The ACCEPT test is applied immediately after a FIXFORM is processed after which subsequent COMPUTE statements can manipulate the value. By including ACCEPT in a field declaration, you can define a list or range of acceptable field values. In relational terms, you are defining the domain.

Syntax: How to Validate Data

ACCEPT = list 
ACCEPT = value1 TO value2 
ACCEPT = FIND (field [AS name] IN file)

where:

list

Is a string of acceptable values. The syntax is:

value1 OR value2 OR value3...

For example, ACCEPT = RED OR WHITE OR BLUE. You can also use a blank as an item separator. If the list of acceptable values runs longer than one line, continue it on the next. The list is terminated by a comma.

value1 TO value2

Gives the range of acceptable values. For example, ACCEPT = 150 TO 1000.

FIND

Verifies the incoming data against the values in another indexed field. This option is available only for FOCUS data sources. For more information, see Describing a FOCUS Data Source.

Any value in the ACCEPT that contains an embedded blank (for example, Great Britain) must be enclosed within single quotation marks.

If the ACCEPT attribute is included in a field declaration and the SET command parameter ACCBLN has a value of OFF, blank ( ) and zero (0) values are accepted only if they are explicitly coded into the ACCEPT. SET ACCBLN is described in the Developing Reporting Applications manual.

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Example: Specifying a List With an Embedded Blank

ACCEPT = SPAIN OR ITALY OR FRANCE OR 'GREAT BRITAIN'

Reference: Usage Notes for ACCEPT

Note the following rules when using ACCEPT:

Alias. ACCEPT does not have an alias.
Changes. You can change the information in an ACCEPT attribute at any time.
Virtual fields. You cannot use the ACCEPT attribute to validate virtual fields created with the DEFINE attribute.
HOLD files. If you wish to propagate the ACCEPT attribute into the Master File of a HOLD file, use the SET HOLDATTR command. HOLD files are discussed in the Creating Reports With WebFOCUS Language manual.
ACCEPT is used only in MODIFY procedures. It is useful for providing one central validation list to be used by several procedures. The FIND function is useful when the list of values is large or undergoes frequent change.