Runtime tools : Core components : Formatters : Concepts : Built-in FormatElements
  
Built-in FormatElements
The structure of formatter definition mirrors the structure of the corresponding data. In the structure of data, there are data field, and composite of data fields. Accordingly, there are field format element and composite format element in the structure of formatter definition.
Following is an example of the formatter definition:
<format.xml>
  <format id="PersonFormat">
    <record>
      <fString dataName="name" encoding="cp937"/>
      <selfLength/>
      <fInteger dataName="age" byteOrdering="host"/>
      <selfLength/>
    </record>
  </format>
</format.xml>
Where:
▪ <fString> and <fInteger> are field format elements
▪ <selfLength> is a kind of format decorator
▪ <record> is a kind of composite format element
In this example, each tag is instantiated as a formatter element that can format or unformat the corresponding data element.
Generally speaking, there are three kinds of format element: composite format element, field format element and format decorator.
Following are the component initializing parameters for all the built-in format elements:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<btt.xml>
  <kColl id="components">
    <kColl id="format">
      <field id="initializer"
             value="com.ibm.btt.format.FormatInitializer" />
      <field id="extFile" value="format.xml" />
      <kColl id="classTable">
        <field id="record" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.RecordFormat" />
        <field id="indexed" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.IndexedFormat" />
        <field id="fString" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.StringFormat" />
        <field id="fInteger" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.IntegerFormat" />
        <field id="fFloat" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.FloatFormat" />
        <field id="fPacked" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.PackedFormat" />
        <field id="fPackedDate" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.PackedDateFormat" />
        <field id="hexDelim" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.HexDelimiter" />
        <field id="fixedLength" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.FixedLength" />
        <field id="maxLength" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.MaximumLength" />
        <field id="nullCheck" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.NullCheckeDecorator" />
        <field id="selfLength" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.SelfLength" />
        <field id="format" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.FormatDefine" />
        <field id="refFmt" value="com.ibm.btt.format.impl.ReferenceFormat" />
      </kColl>
    </kColl>
  </kColl>
</btt.xml>
See
Composite format element
Field Format Element
Format Decorator
Special Format Element
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