Is_Missing

Syntax: Is_Missing(inputString)

Argument:

Return Type: Integer (1 or 0)

Description: Determines whether inputString consists entirely of “whitespace” characters, returning a 1 if the argument does. If the argument contains any characters, the function returns a 0. Whitespace characters may be blanks or characters such as new line, tab, carriage-return, or form-feed.

Example:

if Is_Missing(CRTRAN25.merchantCountryCode)= 0
then... ;

The if statement in this rule segment tests whether the CRTRAN25.merchantCountryCode field is populated; if so, the rule can process the then statement.

Although CRTRAN25.merchantCountryCode is a three-digit field, if it is populated with one, two, or three digits of significant data (“458”, for instance, or “28” or “1”), the function returns a 0. If, however, the field is filled with blanks (“ ”), the function returns a 1. Because Is_Missing returns a true-false value (1 or 0), the if clause does not need to express that the result must equal 1 for the rule to execute. Rather, the rule engine evaluates the then clause if the value of Is_Missing is 1, and does not if the value is 0.