Element <parm>

The <parm> element sets specific configuration values (parameters) required by the parent block (usually a <do> task, but also <section>, <IsisScript> setup, or functions).

It is the primary way to pass arguments and configuration settings to the WXIS engine.

Usage

• Allowed content: <pft> (The value of the parameter).
• Parent elements: <do>, <function>, <hl>, <loop>, <section>, <update>

Syntax

<parm name="..." [tag="..."] [type="..."]>
    </parm>

Attributes

Attribute	Description
name	Required. The name of the parameter being set (e.g., db, expression).
tag	Specifies a target field number (used specifically with type="check").
type	Specifies the parameter type (mainly used for validation, e.g., type="check").

---

Parameter Names (name="...")

Below is the complete list of available parameters sorted alphabetically.

actab

Changes the Alphabetic Characters Table for the current section. This table defines which characters are considered alphabetic for indexing and sorting. Characters not in this table are treated as delimiters.

• Default: ANSI alphabetic table.

<parm name="actab"><pft>cat('ISISAC.TAB')</pft></parm>

buffersize

Changes the internal WXIS buffer size (in bytes) used to store formatting results.

<parm name="buffersize">90000</parm>

cipar

Activates a CIPAR (Command Interpreted PARameter) table. This maps logical names to physical file paths.

• Syntax: LOGICAL_NAME=PHYSICAL_PATH
• * acts as a wildcard for file extensions.

<parm name="cipar">
    <pft>
       'CDS.*=/bases/cds/cds.*'/,
       'ACTAB=/isis/menu/isisac.tab'/
    </pft>
</parm>

count

Limits the number of times the <loop> will execute (or the number of records/keys to process).

<parm name="count">10</parm>

db

Specifies the database name (or path, depending on CIPAR). Required for almost all tasks (search, mfnrange, update, etc.).

<parm name="db">CDS</parm>

decod

Specifies an expansion database for decoded fields (used to join data from another database during retrieval).

<parm name="decod"><pft>v2101</pft></parm>

delimiter

Specifies the field separator character when importing records with type="RLine".

• Default: | (Pipe).

<parm name="delimiter">;</parm>

expire

Sets the time limit (in seconds) for a record lock. After this time, another user can overwrite the lock.

<parm name="expire">14400</parm> ```

### `expression`
Defines the search query expression (Boolean search).
```xml
<parm name="expression">plants * water</parm>

file

Specifies the filename for import or export tasks.

<parm name="file">CDS.ISO</parm>

freqsum

Used in Frequency Lists (<list type="freq">). Specifies a value/weight to be added to the sum, rather than just incrementing by 1.

<parm name="freqsum"><pft>v2</pft></parm>
<list action="load" type="freq"><pft>v1</pft></list>

from

Specifies the starting point for a task:

• Search/MFN tasks: The initial MFN.
• Keyrange: The starting key (term).
• List: The starting index.

<parm name="from">1</parm>

fst

Specifies the Field Select Table (FST) to be used for:

• Full Inversion (task="fullinvertion").
• Extracting keys (<extract>).

<parm name="fst">1 0 v1</parm>

gizmo

Specifies a Gizmo database used for string substitution (search/replace) across data.

<parm name="gizmo">GIZMO_DIAC</parm>

indexlist

Defines a specific list of inverted file indices (and their paths) to be used during a search.

<parm name="indexlist">
    <pft>
       '^p*^ycds^m** '/,
       '^pAU ^ycdsaut^mAU '/
    </pft>
</parm>

key

Specifies the PFT format used as the sorting key for task="mastersort".

<parm name="key"><pft>v24</pft></parm>

keyfield

Specifies a field tag number to be used as the sorting key (alternative to key).

<parm name="keyfield">24</parm>

keylength

Specifies the maximum length of the sort key.

<parm name="keylength">100</parm>

keys

Specifies a list of terms/keys to be used for text highlighting (usually inside <hl>).

<parm name="keys"><pft>(v1022/)</pft></parm>

keysdb

Specifies the name of the temporary database used to store keys during extract or invertedload tasks.

<parm name="keysdb">temp_keys</parm>

lockid

Defines the identifier string for record locking (e.g., Session ID + Username).

<parm name="lockid"><pft>v9000</pft></parm>

maxlk

Specifies the maximum number of keys allowed per record during inversion/extraction.

• Default: 1024.

<parm name="maxlk">5000</parm>

mfn

Specifies the Master File Number for updates.

• Numeric: Updates that specific record.
• New: Creates a new record.
• GetNew: Creates a new record but allows importing fields from the previous scope.

<parm name="mfn">New</parm>

posting

Used in task="keyrange". Controls retrieval of the postings list.

• All: Retrieves all postings for the key.

<parm name="posting">All</parm>

posttag

Used in task="keyrange". Filters postings to only show those originating from a specific tag.

<parm name="posttag">70</parm>

prefix

Specifies text/HTML to insert before a highlighted term (in <hl>) or before content in <htmlpft>.

<parm name="prefix"><b></parm>

reset

Used in task="fullinvertion".

• Off: Keeps the "pending update" flag set in the master file. Useful for multi-inverted file databases.

<parm name="reset">Off</parm>

reverse

If set to On, the task processes items (records or keys) in reverse order.

<parm name="reverse">On</parm>

sort

Defines the sorting criteria (PFT) for the task="list".

<parm name="sort"><pft>v1</pft></parm>

stw

Specifies the Stop Word file (extension .stw) to be used during inversion or extraction.

<parm name="stw">EN.STW</parm>

suffix

Specifies text/HTML to insert after a highlighted term (in <hl>) or after content in <htmlpft>.

<parm name="suffix"></b></parm>

task

Dynamically sets the task type for a loop. Rarely used, as task is usually set in the <do> tag.

<parm name="task"><pft>v2081</pft></parm>

to

Specifies the end point for a task (Final MFN, Final Key, etc.).

<parm name="to">100</parm>

type

Specifies the file format for Import/Export tasks.

• ISO2709: Standard ISO format (Tag limit: 3 digits).
• HLine: Horizontal Line format (Uses <proc> H command logic).
• RLine: Raw Line (Import only). Each line of text becomes a record.
• VLine: Vertical Line. Recommended for data edited via text editors.

<parm name="type">ISO2709</parm>

uctab

Changes the Uppercase Conversion Table for the current section. Controls case conversion and accent removal for indexing and sorting.

• Default: ANSI table.

<parm name="uctab"><pft>cat('ISISUC.TAB')</pft></parm>

---

Attribute type

Syntax: type="..."

Currently, the only supported option for the attribute type (not to be confused with name="type") is check.

type="check"

Performs a syntax check on an FST (Field Select Table).

• Usage: You must also provide the tag attribute.
• Result: The field specified by tag will contain:
• 00000 (if no error).
• Error code + Space + Error pointer (if invalid).

Example: Validating FST Syntax

<field action="cgi" tag="2065">fst_input</field>

<parm name="fst" type="check" tag="1">
   <pft>cat(v2065)</pft>
</parm>

<display><pft>if v1 <> '00000' then 'Syntax Error: 'v1 fi</pft></display>