What this document contains:
A layout definition is used to dynamically build the applicable description(s)/code based on characteristics and other available values declared within the layout. The automatic generation of item code and/or description(s) takes place when you apply the Item classification definition to create an item. All descriptions automatically generated will be updated in the applicable panels for the item in the Item file.
Note: A layout can be refreshed (re-applied) at any time if needed (for example a description used within the layout has changed) through the Rebuild item description routine.
You can construct a layout definition for any or all supported layout codes for the applicable Item classification definition. Supported layout codes are:
- 01 (Item description)
- 02 (Extended item description)
Note: If any definition element within the layout (e.g., the description of a characteristic value) has been translated, the translated value will be used when generating the Extended item description in the applicable language. - 03 (Internal item description)
- 04 (Item foreign description)
Note: If any definition element within the layout (e.g., the description of a characteristic value) has been translated, the translated value will be used when generating the Item foreign description in the applicable language. - 05 (Item code)
Note: The AUTITEMC (Automatic item code) function can be activated if you want to automatically assign an item code to applicable items. Although this is optional, this function is recommended to activate and use when the layout definition for the item code is defined by variables and/or constants in order to ensure item code uniqueness.
Per layout code you select/combine predefined definition elements to build your layout definition string. (See the Definition elements sub-section below for the list). These definition elements are based on information (values, codes and descriptions) from the characteristics that have been attached to the grouping structure for the Item classification definition you are working with. You can use a mixture of the following:
- Characteristic attributes (characteristic’s long and standard description or value code or value’s long and standard description)
- Text constants
- Any other keywords that would retrieve one or more codes (or their descriptions) of the grouping structure into the applicable item description or item code
Note Characteristic’s code and value descriptions are retrieved from the Work with characteristic file. The value of a characteristic is retrieved from the item itself. The item descriptions are not connected to any specific characteristic attribute. They allow free entry of whatever you want and what you enter is what you get. See Example of a Layout Definition below for an example of how you can construct a layout definition and how the system interprets each definition element, ultimately turning it into something readable.
Simulation mode is available (by clicking the Preview function key) where you can test the layout definition and check what the end result would be when the layout definition is applied during item creation.
Definition elements
The valid elements that can be used to construct a layout definition are:
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| -‘text’ | Put only if preceding a value |
| ‘#’ | Put a space |
| ‘text’ | Put always |
| %01 | Put characteristic description |
| %02 | Put characteristic long description |
| %03 | Put (characteristic) value description |
| %04 | Put (characteristic) value long description |
| %05 | Put (characteristic) value |
| %AUTIC | Put automatic item code. Note: Only valid for layout code 05 (Item code) and only displayed if the AUTITEMC (Automatic item code) function is activated in the Function control file. |
| %G1C | Put classification profile 1 code |
| %G1D | Put classification profile 1 description |
| %G2C | Put classification profile 2 code |
| %G2D | Put classification profile 2 description |
| %IGRC | Put group code |
| %IGRD | Put group description |
| %IMGC | Put main group code |
| %IMGD | Put main group description |
| +’text’ | Put only if following a value |
Layout definition example
This example illustrates a layout definition for Layout code 01, which is the item’s description. The item description will be constructed as the result of mixing different characteristic attributes + constants. See Definition elements for a list of those available.
If you access simulation mode (click the Preview function key), all definition elements that are involved in the layout definition are shown (screenshot below). You can run a simulation, by entering/selecting values and clicking OK, to check the result in the Preview panel. In the preview panel only those characteristics used by the layout definition are shown. However, when you create your item (i.e. when you apply the Item classification definition) all characteristics attached to your grouping structure will be listed along with the ones used by the layout definition.
If you were to enter those values during item creation (i.e. when applying the Item classification definition to create the item), your item description would be:
FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB RW250XWH
Layout definition breakdown of the example
To understand how this was achieved, the layout definition is outlined segment by segment, below, illustrating how the program interpreted each segment and turned it into something readable.
Layout definition for layout code 01 is:
%04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’%05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’ %05COLFRNTPAP ‘#’ %05PACKDESC%05SHTPERPACK ‘X’%05COLBACKPAP
1. %04PRODCTNAME
This segment means, include the characteristic value’s long description which is indicated by keyword %04 Put value long desc. The characteristic from which it should be retrieved is indicated by entering the characteristic code itself, in this case PRODCTNAME. In the DMR16201 panel of preview mode, a value was entered for characteristic PRODCTNAME (product name). The value entered for this example was FMID. The program goes to the Work with characteristics file (Details of that characteristic) and retrieves the long description for that value.
At this point the description for layout ’01’ which will be updated as Item description in the Item file looks like this:
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY’
2. ‘#’
This key word tells the translator program to insert a blank space. Thus, the description looks the same plus a blank at the end.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY ‘
3. %05SHTWIDTH
This works similar to the one in step 1 but %05 means insert the characteristic value which is indicated by keyword %05 – Put value. The characteristic from which the value should be retrieved is SHTWIDTH (Sheet Width MM in DMR16201). Since we entered 250 as the value in ‘preview panel DMR16201’ that’s what is included in the description.
Note: Remember that the DMR16201 panel is a simulation of the DIR995 ‘apply classif. definition’ panel, displayed when creating an item, but in this case only relevant characteristics are displayed.
At this point the description for layout ’01’ will look as follows:
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250’
4. ‘X’
This is just a text constant that says put ‘X’. The description will look as follows:
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X’
5. %05SHTLENGTH
This works exactly the same as the instruction in step 3 but with characteristic SHTLENGTH instead. The value entered in DMR16201 (for ‘Sheet Length MM….’) in this case was 640 and that is what is included in the layout.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640
6. ‘#’
Insert another blank space.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 ‘
7. ‘MM’
MM is a text constant (stands for millimeters). To be inserted after the blank space specified above.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM’
8. ‘#’
Insert another blank space.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM ‘
9. %05GRAINPAP
Same as step 3. %05 means insert the characteristic value entered, in this case, for characteristic GRAINPAP, which in our case was ‘Grain Direction…’ = SG
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG’
10. ‘#’
Insert another blank space.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG ‘
11. %05GSM
Include the value entered for characteristic GSM’ which in this case is 150, so:
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150’
12. ‘G’
A text constant that within the paper vertical stands for “Grammage”. It adds a G to our resulting description as shown below.
Note Notice that in this case no blank space (‘#’) was desired to be included before text constant ‘G’ so it ends up right next to 150 as 150G
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G’
13. ‘#’
Insert another blank space.
Section of the layout definition processed so far: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G ‘
14. %05COLFRNTPAP
Insert entered value for characteristic COLFRNTPAP, CB in this case.
Section of the layout definition processed so far:%04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’ %05COLFRNTPAP
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB’
15. ‘#’
Insert another blank space.
Section of the layout definition processed so far:%04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’ %05COLFRNTPAP ‘#’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB ‘
16. %05PACKDESC
Insert entered value for characteristic PACKDESC, RW in this case.
Section of the layout definition processed so far:%04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’ %05COLFRNTPAP ‘#’ %05PACKDESC
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB RW’
17. %05SHTPERPACK
Insert entered value for characteristic SHTPERPACK, 250 in this case.
Section of the layout definition processed so far:%04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’ %05COLFRNTPAP ‘#’ %05PACKDESC %05SHTPERPACK
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB RW250’
18. ‘X’
Insert text constant ‘X’
Section of the layout definition processed so far:%04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’ %05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’ %05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’ %05COLFRNTPAP ‘#’ %05PACKDESC %05SHTPERPACK ‘X’
Resulting description so far: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB RW250X’
19. %05COLBACKPAP
The last part of the layout definition: Insert entered value for characteristic COLBACKPAP, WH in this case, which stands for white.
Complete layout definition processed: %04PRODCTNAME ‘#’ %05SHTWIDTH ‘X’%05SHTLENGTH ‘#”MM’ ‘#’ %05GRAINPAP ‘#’%05GSM ‘G’ ‘#’%05COLFRNTPAP ‘#’ %05PACKDESC %05SHTPERPACK ‘X’%05COLBACKPAP
Complete resulting description: ‘FUJI PHOTO DISPLAY 250X640 MM SG 150G CB RW250XWH’