Purpose
This control enables users to specify whether one line of dash characters, which spans all report columns, is to be printed whenever the value of the indicated column changes.
Syntax
| Command | Shorthand |
|---|---|
| UNDERLINE | UL |
where the following is true:
- n
- The column numbers, ordered from left to right, and separated by a comma or one space.
The value of n can range from 1 to 2048.
Usage Notes
Use the UNDERLINE command to improve report appearance by separating the data into logical sections. When the value of a specified column changes, BTEQ inserts a dashed line across the width of the report, not just across the width of the column specified.
If specifying more than one column, BTEQ inserts a dashed line when the value of any of the specified column changes, or if the value of more than one column changes at the same time.
The initial configuration of the UNDERLINE command options are OFF and ALL. If ON or OFF is not specified, or column numbers are not included, BTEQ sets UNDERLINE to ON ALL.
The DEFAULTS command resets UNDERLINE setting to OFF ALL.
On workstation-attached systems, the terminal is not treated as an intelligent terminal, so the underline is implemented by drawing a line on the next line after the line of text.
The UNDERLINE setting only affects the output for Field Mode, not Record Mode, Indicator Mode, or Multipart Indicator Mode.
The UNDERLINE command can be used in an SQL macro.
Example 1 – UNDERLINE
The following example returns the selected information first with the UNDERLINE command option set to OFF, then set to ON for all columns:
database workforce; .defaults .format on .heading 'Underline Off' select Proj_id ,description ,comdate from project order by proj_id ; .defaults .format on .heading 'Underline - Default' .underline = 1 .defaults .format off .logoff .exit
BTEQ Response
*** Query completed. 24 rows found. 3 columns returned Underline Off Project Compl Id Project Description Date -------- ------------------------- -------- AP1-0001 A/P Payable DB Design 83/04/10 AP1-0002 A/P Payable Online System 83/04/21 AP1-0003 A/P Payable Batch System 83/04/21 AP2-0001 A/P Payable DB Design 83/04/10 AP2-0002 A/P Payable Online System 83/04/10 AP2-0003 A/P Payable Batch System 83/04/10 AR1-0001 A/R RECV database Design 83/04/21 AR1-0002 A/R RECV Online System 83/04/10 . . (etc) *** Query completed. 24 rows found. 3 columns returned. Underline - Default Project Compl Id Project Description Date -------- ------------------------- -------- AP1-0001 A/P Payable DB Design 83/04/10 --------------------------------------------- AP1-0002 A/P Payable Online System 83/04/21 --------------------------------------------- AP1-0003 A/P Payable Batch System 83/04/21 --------------------------------------------- AP2-0001 A/P Payable DB Design 83/04/10 --------------------------------------------- AP2-0002 A/P Payable Online System 83/04/10 -------------------------------------------- AP2-0003 A/P Payable Batch System 83/04/10 --------------------------------------------- AR1-0001 A/R RECV database Design 83/04/21 --------------------------------------------- AR1-0002 A/R RECV Online System 83/04/10 . . . (etc)
Example 2 – UNDERLINE
To insert a dashed line across the page whenever columns 3 and 7 change value, type the following:
.SET UNDERLINE ON 3,7
Example 3 – UNDERLINE Instigated By a Macro
The Example 2 UNDERLINE command in an SQL macro appears as follows:
ECHO '.SET UNDERLINE ON 3,7';