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How do I check a field to see if it contains anything?

Shazam

We have a template that someone else created, and I need to make a change. The page contains a list of monthly meetings. If the meeting happens, there will be one or two files associated with the meeting. The href code is such that if there is no meeting, the text entered "such as No Meeting This Month, etc.", automatically becomes a link. This is because the href code surrounds the dcr "field" contents.

I don't know PERL and am very new to the Interwoven product. I know what I want to do, but don't know the syntax that I should use.

I want to check the file path field to see if anything has been entered. If so, a link for that file should be created. If the field is blank, then just the text should be displayed, no link.

I have included the code and the error message below. You will see the new code I have tried to add, and the original code before I started, both inside comment statements.

If anyone has links that you feel will help me, I would really appreciate it. I already have the link listing all of the iw tags, but I just cannot seem to get this to work. I have tried multiple things, but the code below is my latest attempt.

Thank you, SO much, for your time! ;-)

Suzanne

Here is the code:

BEGIN CODE my $count = 0; if ( $count == 0 ){$count = 1;}else{ } -

END CODE

And here is the error message. Line 80 is the tag.

Preview And Generate Error:

XML parse error:
mismatched tag at line 80, column 2, byte 3474 at d:\iw-home\iw-perl\vendor\lib/XML/Parser.pm line 187
:\default\main\ITS\WORKAREA\workarea\templatedata\development\its_board_meeting\presentation\its_board_meeting.tpl

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Comments

nipper

fixing post

-
We have a template that someone else created, and I need to make a change. The page contains a list of monthly meetings. If the meeting happens, there will be one or two files associated with the meeting. The href code is such that if there is no meeting, the text entered "such as No Meeting This Month, etc.", automatically becomes a link. This is because the href code surrounds the dcr "field" contents.

I don't know PERL and am very new to the Interwoven product. I know what I want to do, but don't know the syntax that I should use.

I want to check the file path field to see if anything has been entered. If so, a link for that file should be created. If the field is blank, then just the text should be displayed, no link.

I have included the code and the error message below. You will see the new code I have tried to add, and the original code before I started, both inside comment statements.

If anyone has links that you feel will help me, I would really appreciate it. I already have the link listing all of the iw tags, but I just cannot seem to get this to work. I have tried multiple things, but the code below is my latest attempt.

Thank you, SO much, for your time! ;-)

Suzanne

Here is the code:

BEGIN CODE

[html] my $count = 0; if ( $count == 0 ){$count = 1;}else{ }
[/html]
END CODE

And here is the error message. Line 80 is the tag.

Preview And Generate Error:

XML parse error:
mismatched tag at line 80, column 2, byte 3474 at d:\iw-home\iw-perl\vendor\lib/XML/Parser.pm line 187
:\default\main\ITS\WORKAREA\workarea\templatedata\development\its_board_meeting\presentation\its_board_meeting.tpl

nipper

Here is a problem

[html]

[/html]

you have a iw_if, /iw_else and /iw_if

it should be something like
[html]

something

something else

[/html]

nipper

duplicate post deleted

Shazam

Thanks, Nipper, for fixing my post. And thanks for the info below.

I tried that, but still got an error everytime on the tag.

Also, I don't want it to do anything else. If there is no data in the path field, I want it to display the title field information and go on to the next one.

Am I asking too much!? ;-)

Suzanne

[/html]you have a iw_if, /iw_else and /iw_ifit should be something like[html] somethingsomething else[/html]
Here is a problem

[html]

nipper

A few issues, your TPL is a mess. If there is anyone who knows TS on site, then you can make it much more simple.

you have 2 more issues that I noticed (without looking very closely)

iw_if expr="{iw_value name="agenda_iteration.path"/}"

You embed double quotes inside double quotes. That is wrong, use 1 set of single and one of double (or you can escape them).

You also need an expression, not just a value

iw_if expr='{iw_value name="agenda_iteration.path"/}eq "" '

Shazam

Hi Nipper,

We had someone from interwoven come in and create our templates.

I got that code straight from an interwoven help document, I will address the quote issue. Thanks!

I thought I needed an expression, but was not sure of the syntax for this, will try, thanks!

Thank you for trying to help. I really do appreciate that. Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Suzanne

A few issues, your TPL is a mess. If there is anyone who knows TS on site, then you can make it much more simple.

you have 2 more issues that I noticed (without looking very closely)

iw_if expr="{iw_value name="agenda_iteration.path"/}"

You embed double quotes inside double quotes. That is wrong, use 1 set of single and one of double (or you can escape them).

You also need an expression, not just a value

iw_if expr='{iw_value name="agenda_iteration.path"/}eq "" '

nipper

Thank you for trying to help. I really do appreciate that. Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Suzanne

You do not need the CDATA blocks around the perl, the are unnecessary (though were needed years ago, so that may be why you still have them).

Here is a point on a clearer way to do things:
[html]
you have:

if ( $count == 0 ){$count = 1;}else{ }

This will also work:

if ( $count == 0 ){
$count = 1;
iwpt_output('instance.title');
}

[/html]

Now I do not expect you to rewrite the TPL but it is an example of how it should be done.

Shazam

Ok, here is what I have now, and I am getting the same error on the closing tag . I hope that I have fixed the code so that it displays correctly. And thanks for your patience with me.

Suzanne

[html] list='dcr.its_board_meeting.Fiscal_Year_Meetings.Current_Month_Meetings' iteration="itcount">my $count = 0;iteration="itcount"> if ( $count == 0 ){$count = <br><br>1;name='instance.title'/>}else{ _perl>} - iw_if expr='{iw_value name="agenda_iteration.path"/}eq "" 'name='agenda_iteration.title'/>

[/html]

You do not need the CDATA blocks around the perl, the are unnecessary (though were needed years ago, so that may be why you still have them).

Here is a point on a clearer way to do things:
[html]
you have:

if ( $count == 0 ){$count = 1;}else{ }

This will also work:

if ( $count == 0 ){
$count = 1;
iwpt_output('instance.title');
}

[/html]

Now I do not expect you to rewrite the TPL but it is an example of how it should be done.

nipper

- iw_if expr='{iw_value name="agenda_iteration.path"/}eq "" 'name='agenda_iteration.title'/>[/html]
Ok, here is what I have now, and I am getting the same error on the closing tag </iw_else>. I hope that I have fixed the code so that it displays correctly. And thanks for your patience with me.

Suzanne

[html]

You have a mangled IF, close ELSE and close IF

You need IF, THEN, close THEN, ELSE (optional), close ELSE (if req) and close IF

It should be

[html]

[/html]

Shazam

I posted the latest code Friday, but noticed that the message was not placed at the bottom of the posts, but up a couple of posts. I wasn't sure if anyone had other suggestions for me at this time.

Any help is MOST appreciated! ;-)

Thanks,

Suzanne

nipper

report your latest code and what you are seeing.

Shazam

Hi Nipper,

Somehow I missed this response, thanks!!

I do have a question....it looks to me that your code is checking to see if the field is empty.....is there a way to check to see if the field has data in it? I need a link if the field is NOT empty.....is there syntax for not equal to null?

Your code did get rid of the error message, but the data is no longer being displayed correctly. I am not sure that else is doing what I need it to...basically, if there is NO data in that field, I don't want it to do anything, but continue with the next line of code. Is that possible?

I have attached an image to show what I saw. That image is called nippers_results.jpg. Well, scratch the images, I cannot get the browse button to work. ;-( I can send them via email if you need to see them. There are no links, and some of the info from the fields is appearing above where the month names begin displaying.

This is the code I used, straight from your post, except that I moved the closing tag before the iw_then statement, because I only want a link if there is something in the agenda_iteration.path field:

[html]

[/html]

So, then I thought that the agenda_iteration.title contents needed to also be in front of the ending tag, in order to display the contents correctly. This is the code:

[html]

[/html]

And you can see what I got in the image called nipper_suzanne.jpg, and again, I cannot get the browse button to work. Things are still displaying as they did above, but this time all of the fields with NOTHING are displaying as links.

That is why I asked the questions about defining null or checking to see if there is anything in the field.

Thanks for your patience....you are so very kind to help me.

Suzanne

[/html]
You have a mangled IF, close ELSE and close IF

You need IF, THEN, close THEN, ELSE (optional), close ELSE (if req) and close IF

It should be

[html]

nipper

1st, check what is really in the field. Is it truly empty or maybe there is a space in there ?

if you want not equal - use ne instead of eq

you may want to do something like this:

[html]

[/html]

That will skip on null or a blank.

This is not a great solution since someone might type 2 spaces. If this becomes an issue, you can change it to a Perl TPL (or at least the part) and then you can regex the data to see if it has characters/numbers/etc.

Shazam

NIPPER!!! I am SO close!!! *big smile*

Ok, I wish I could send you a screen shot, but I'll try to describe what I am seeing......the data for the fields that have something in the agenda_iteration.path field are all working correctly, and are links as they should be.

The weird thing is that all of the data for the agenda_iteration.title fields where the agenda_iteration.path field is EMPTY are all appearing above where the table starts. The good news is that they are NOT links. The information is just out of place...

Here is the exact code for the entire table:

[html] list='dcr.its_board_meeting.Fiscal_Year_Meetings.Current_Month_Meetings' iteration="itcount">my $count = 0;iteration="itcount"> if ( $count == 0 ){$count = <br><br>1;name='instance.title'/>}else{ _perl>} - name='agenda_iteration.title'/>

[/html]

1st, check what is really in the field. Is it truly empty or maybe there is a space in there ?

if you want not equal - use ne instead of eq

you may want to do something like this:

[html]

[/html]

That will skip on null or a blank.

This is not a great solution since someone might type 2 spaces. If this becomes an issue, you can change it to a Perl TPL (or at least the part) and then you can regex the data to see if it has characters/numbers/etc.

nipper

It then sounds like an HTML issue. Do a view source and start matching tags (open/close TD, TR, Table, Div, etc). That is the first start.

You can post inside of html tags the HTML you get if you want. Please use HTML tags and only include the data generated by the TPL not the complete page.

Shazam

NIPPER!!! You are a gem!!!!! I knew I had to have the opening and closing table cells in both places, but had only moved the closing tag to the else piece!!

It is working!! I am SO excited!!!

Now on to creating a template for another division.....

Do you have any books or sites you recommend so that I can learn the correct way to code, since it appears that what we had done last year is not coded in the best manner?

Thanks, Nipper! If I may ever be of help to you, please let me know! ;-)

Suzanne

It then sounds like an HTML issue. Do a view source and start matching tags (open/close TD, TR, Table, Div, etc). That is the first start.

You can post inside of html tags the HTML you get if you want. Please use HTML tags and only include the data generated by the TPL not the complete page.

ISCBorisB

NIPPER!!! You are a gem!!!!!

2nd Life - diamond, actually Smiley Happy

nipper

Now on to creating a template for another division.....

Do you have any books or sites you recommend so that I can learn the correct way to code, since it appears that what we had done last year is not coded in the best manner?

I think we need another FAQ for TPLs. Of course as soon as you feel comfortable with TPLs, IWOV will want everyone to use XSLTs. :-)

These forums are the best resource to learn TPLs, along with the help on your system. The examples on the system were written with the old TST compiler, which required a lot of CDATA. FYI, I *almost* never use CDATA in a TPL, you should need it in only very special circumstances.

Familarize yourself with the TPL help, it should be http://your-server/iw/help/tst/pt/

Also learn Perl well. A number of things you can do in a TPL can be done in Perl and output the data using iwpt_output. In fact, I (as well as many others on this list) have written completely Perl TPLs. Basically in a iwperl block build up everything you want in the output in a variable (sayu $output) and then the last line is iwpt_output($output).

The example I mentioned before

[html]

if ( $count == 0 ){$count = 1;

}else{
}

This will also work:

if ( $count == 0 ){
$count = 1;
iwpt_output('instance.title');
}

You could also have done:

$count = 1;

[/html]

Which do you think is more readable ? Several years ago, (2000-02 or so) the compiler was more restrictive, with some requirements. Not now and the TPL can be *much* more readable.

Andy

Shazam

Too, too funny, ISCBorisB!! I see that you are also a gem! ;-)

Suzanne

2nd Life - diamond, actually

Shazam

Hi Andy!

Where can I find the first TPL FAQ?

I appreciate your comments about CDATA.....my problem is that I am a web and graphic designer, and am very comfortable with HTML/XHTML/CSS as well as graphic design, but I was given this cold....no IW training, no PERL training. Heck, I have learned everything else on my own, so here goes another adventure, right!? *grin*

Yep, I had already found the help on the server, and there are also some tutorials, but I have not looked at those as yet. What do you think about the tutorials? I read somewhere that they were not that great.

Your first example of how to code is the most clear and readable, at least to me. The second is more familiar to what I have been seeing in the code, but both of your examples are much more clear than what we were given originally. I am going to play with that, but CDATA was used throughout each of our templates.

We brought IW in last year and they designed all of the templates based on my html and css. We were supposed to have some type of instruction, but here I am with very little to go by! ;-)

Anyway, thanks, so very much, for all of your help. I appreciate your sticking with me and my inexperience with both IW and PERL. I am much further along, thanks to you, Andy.

Suzanne

I think we need another FAQ for TPLs. Of course as soon as you feel comfortable with TPLs, IWOV will want everyone to use XSLTs. :-)

These forums are the best resource to learn TPLs, along with the help on your system. The examples on the system were written with the old TST compiler, which required a lot of CDATA. FYI, I *almost* never use CDATA in a TPL, you should need it in only very special circumstances.

Familarize yourself with the TPL help, it should be http://your-server/iw/help/tst/pt/

Also learn Perl well. A number of things you can do in a TPL can be done in Perl and output the data using iwpt_output. In fact, I (as well as many others on this list) have written completely Perl TPLs. Basically in a iwperl block build up everything you want in the output in a variable (sayu $output) and then the last line is iwpt_output($output).

The example I mentioned before

[html]

if ( $count == 0 ){$count = 1;

}else{
}

This will also work:

if ( $count == 0 ){
$count = 1;
iwpt_output('instance.title');
}

You could also have done:

$count = 1;

[/html]

Which do you think is more readable ? Several years ago, (2000-02 or so) the compiler was more restrictive, with some requirements. Not now and the TPL can be *much* more readable.

Andy

Shazam

I wasn't sure how to set this thread as solved.....so I gave it an excellent rating.

Suzanne

Adam Stoller

I wasn't sure how to set this thread as solved.....so I gave it an excellent rating.

Suzanne

When you respond to the post - you should see several checkboxes below the textarea where you type your response. One of those checkboxes is for closing/locking the thread - select it before submitting your response.

Also - I'd recommend looking through the tutorials that come with templating - I believe they are reasonable (they were provided by one of the engineers who was responsible for most of the templating engine) and they'll at least provide you with more information.

Shazam

Hi there, and thanks!

I will close the thread with this post then. I just wasn't sure if *I* should close it or if a moderator was to close them....;-)

Are you talking about the tutorials that are located on our server here locally? I have access to them, but had read they weren't very good. I will look through them, thanks!

I just need syntax help.....the logic is there.

Thanks again!

Suzanne

When you respond to the post - you should see several checkboxes below the textarea where you type your response. One of those checkboxes is for closing/locking the thread - select it before submitting your response.

Also - I'd recommend looking through the tutorials that come with templating - I believe they are reasonable (they were provided by one of the engineers who was responsible for most of the templating engine) and they'll at least provide you with more information.