Logic: WHEN, macros, formatting

The most common error source up front

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Three bracket types, three meanings

Before you write a single condition, internalize this table. It is the cause of most misunderstandings.

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WHEN, conditional visibility

For every command a WHEN condition can be specified. The line is executed only when the condition is met.

<CMD="TEXT"><WHEN="[ISNOTEMPTY~PREIS]"><Y="0"><X="0"><WIDTH="50"><HEIGHT="25"><TEXT="{PREIS}"><COLOR="BLACK"><FONT="Calibri"><FONTSIZE="22">

This text object appears only when the data field PREIS is filled.

The format

[Befehl~Parameter1~Parameter2]

The number of parameters differs per command. Macros and data fields can be used in the parameters.

Combining conditions

Multiple conditions are simply listed one after another:

<WHEN="[ISEMPTY~PREIS][ISTAG~SONDERPREIS]">

→ Object appears only when PREIS is empty and SONDERPREIS is present.

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The WHEN commands at a glance

Check existence and content

Comparisons, watch the data type

For every comparison there are three variants: String, Int and Float. That is no accident, "9" is greater than "10" as a string, but smaller as an integer.

Text checks

Lists

Date comparisons

Both parameters must be valid dates. Macros can be used here, that makes these commands powerful.

Files

Useful for item images: ISFILE checks whether a product image exists, and otherwise shows a placeholder.

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IF / ELSE / ENDIF, switch entire sections

WHEN switches one line. IF switches entire sections.

IF is always used together with WHEN. There is an ELSE section for the alternative case; it is closed with ENDIF. Nested IF conditions are possible.

<CMD="IF"><WHEN="[ISTAG~NAME]">
    <CMD="TEXT">…
    <CMD="TEXT">…
<CMD="ELSE">
    <CMD="TEXT">…
    <CMD="TEXT">…
<CMD="ENDIF">

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Variables

Variables define values in the template that can be queried in WHEN conditions.

<CMD="SETVARIABLE"><NAME="FILIALE"><VALUE="0815">
<CMD="CLEARVARIABLE"><NAME="FILIALE">
<CMD="CLEARALLVARIABLE">

Query with round brackets:

<CMD="TEXT"><WHEN="[ISEQUAL~(FILIALE)~0815]"><X="334"><WIDTH="153"><HEIGHT="62"><TEXT="FILIALE stimmt mit 0815 überein"><COLOR="BLACK"><FONT="Calibri"><FONTSIZE="22"><Y="519">

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Macros

Macros are replaced in the command line by the corresponding value. For output, the operating-system formatting applies by default, a custom format overrides it:

<DATEFORMAT="dd.MM.yyyy">   → 31.12.2020
<TIMEFORMAT="HH:mm:ss">     → 12:09:23

Date

Weekdays

Time and system

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Macro fields, calculate and transform

In certain fields, additional macro evaluations are possible, specified with square brackets.

Where macro fields work:

DATAVALUE

[DATAVALUE~Datenfeld] accesses a data field, the alternative notation to {Datenfeld}.

CALC, calculations in the template

New in version 2.6. [CALC~Rechenformel~Formatierung] calculates values from fixed numbers or data fields. Complex expressions with nested brackets are possible.

<TEXT="Grundpreis [CALC~{PRICE}/{QUANTITY}~0.00]€ / {UNIT}">

Output e.g.: Grundpreis 59.60 € / kg

[CALC~…~0.00|0|.]   →  59.60

In the second example: two decimal places, the decimal separator is replaced by a period (if it is e.g. a comma).

SPLITREPEAT

[SPLITREPEAT~Text~Trennzeichen~Teilstring~Ersatzzeichen] splits a text at the separator and rebuilds it reformatted. __SPLITVALUE__ accesses the original substring; free text is repeated for each part.

<TEXT="[SPLITREPEAT~[DATAVALUE~LIST]~,~__SPLITVALUE__~-]">
Datenfeld: <LIST="Jan,Feb,Mar,Apr">
Ergebnis:  Jan-Feb-Mar-Apr

<TEXT="[SPLITREPEAT~1,2,1~,~X~---]">
Ausgabe: X---X---X

REGEX

[REGEX~Text~Pattern~] evaluates a regular expression; the result is inserted as text.

<TEXT="[REGEX~Eins Zwei Drei~\b[A-Z]~]">
Ausgabe: EZD

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Formatting data fields

Raw data from the ERP is rarely display-ready. Prices arrive without a decimal separator, numbers without decimal places. There is a dedicated formatting syntax for that.

Format: {@@Datenfeld|Formatangabe|Teilungsfaktor}

Number formats

The division factor

The third parameter solves a very concrete problem: prices stored in the ERP without a decimal separator.

<INHALT="16789">  +  {@@INHALT|0.00|100}  →  167,89

The value is divided by 100 and then formatted. No data export needs to be adjusted.

Text formats

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PAGE, multiple views per label

ESL labels can store multiple views. The currently active one is always shown. For each view you define your own source-code section.

<CMD="PAGE"><PAGENO="1">
<CMD="TEXT">…
<CMD="TEXT">…

<CMD="PAGE"><PAGENO="2">
<CMD="TEXT">…
<CMD="ELLIPSE">…

From the PAGE line onward, all following lines are assigned to that page. Without a PAGE command everything lands on the first page.

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Label parameters: __HS_*

To close: the feature that connects logic, data and hardware.

Labels deliver data themselves. Depending on the manufacturer these are battery level, radio quality, serial number, size, resolution and further parameters. You access the data of the currently linked label in the template like normal data fields.

The use case: “Low battery” symbol

Combine __HS_BATTERY with a WHEN condition, and the label reports its own weak battery:

<CMD="IMAGE"><WHEN="[ISINTLESSTHAN~{__HS_BATTERY}~5]"><FILE="lowbattery.png">…

The symbol appears only when the battery level is below 5%. No monitoring tool, no report, the label says it itself.

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Further data sources in the template

These topics belong to data linking and complement the logic features:

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Further reading

• Previous guide: Objects & commands
• Series start: Your first template in 15 minutes
• Full reference: Original PDF ESLEasy_TemplateEditor 2.7_EN, p. 61–74