PMA Tutorial 3: Basic Report Methods
In order to best understand basic report methods, it is important to take a look at an example from PMA Tutorial 2, which is below as example3.a. There you defined an example that displays holdings data with headings, sorted by percentage of portfolio. If you read example3.a you should see:
Reminder! To run these examples, you should first start a new session then load the sample database using:"/localvision/samples/pma/sample.load" asFileContents evaluate ;Any other files referenced can be read from the /localvision/samples/pma directory.Note: The sample.load file runs by default on a Unix environment. If you are using a Windows NT platform, this location may be prefixed by a drive and optional path (e.g. d:/visiondb/localvision/samples/pma/sample.load). Check with your Vision Administrator for further details.
"Code" print:10 ;
"Name" print:37 ;
"Shares" print:12 ;
"Total Mkt Val" print:15 ;
"% of Port" printNL ;
newLine print ;
Named Account \102 holdings
sortDown:[percentOfPort] .
do:
[
security code print:10 ;
security name print:35 ;
shares printWithCommas:10 ;
totalMarketValue printWithCommas:15 ;
percentOfPort printNL ;
];
Since you have seen this example before you do not need to execute it.
A Method provides a way to define a program that can be run without recalling the entire original code each time. Example3.b defines a method that will produce the same results as example3.a. In this example the method is named firstReport. Read the file example3.b. You should see:
Account defineMethod:
[ | firstReport |
"Code" print:10 ;
"Name" print:35 ;
"Shares" print:12 ;
"Total Mkt Val" print:15 ;
"% of Port" printNL ;
newLine print ;
holdings
sortDown:[percentOfPort] . # sort largest to smallest
do:
[
security code print:10 ;
security name print:35 ;
shares print:10 ;
totalMarketValue printWithCommas:15 ;
percentOfPort printNL ;
];
];
Methods are defined for a specific class. In this case, the method is defined for the class Account. This means that the method can be run for any instance of an Account subclass. Vertical bars (||) are needed in order to define the method name.
When you execute this program the output buffer should be blank because the code is defining, not running, the method.
The next example runs the method firstReport for the Account 102. Read the file example3.c. You should see:
Named Account \102 firstReport
Execute this program. You should see:
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port 24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 8600.00 717,566.80 15.41 02364J10 AMERICA ONLINE INC DEL COM 8200.00 695,975.00 14.95 00949T10 AIRTOUCH COMMUNICATNS COM 15200.00 589,000.00 12.65 ...
The expression Named Account \102 firstReport runs the method for the Account 102. This example shows that using a method produces the same output as using original code.
The next example runs the method firstReport for a different Account. Read the file example3.d. You should see:
Named Account \232 firstReport
Execute this program. You should see:
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port 40410010 HBO & CO COM 12000.00 519,756.00 7.15 24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 5900.00 492,284.20 6.77 40169810 GUIDANT CORP COM 8000.00 480,000.00 6.60 ...
Although the values are different, the basic report is the same because you are using the same method.
The next example alters the method firstReport, by centering the account identifier at the top of the report. This will make it easier to distinguish which account was used. Read the file example3.e. You should see:
Account defineMethod:
[ | firstReport |
"Account: " concat: code . center:80 . printNL; # center account
newLine print ;
"Code" print:10 ;
"Name" print:35 ;
"Shares" print:12 ;
"Total Mkt Val" print:15 ;
"% of Port" printNL ;
newLine print ;
holdings
sortDown:[percentOfPort] . # sorted in descending order
do:
[
security code print:10 ;
security name print:35 ;
shares print:10 ;
totalMarketValue printWithCommas:15 ;
percentOfPort printNL ;
];
];
The concat: statement appends the value of the message code for the current Account to the string "Account: ". The message center: centers the string and the printNL displays the result.
Execute this program. You should see a blank output buffer.
The next example runs the new version of the method firstReport for the Account 102, this time with the Account identifier centered at the top of the report. Read the file example3.f. You should see:
Named Account \102 firstReport
Execute the program. You should see:
Account: 102
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 8600.00 717,566.80 15.41
02364J10 AMERICA ONLINE INC DEL COM 8200.00 695,975.00 14.95
00949T10 AIRTOUCH COMMUNICATNS COM 15200.00 589,000.00 12.65
...
The next example runs the method firstReport for the Account 232. Read the file example3.g. You should see:
Named Account \232 firstReport
Execute the program. You should see:
Account: 232
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
40410010 HBO & CO COM 12000.00 519,756.00 7.15
24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 5900.00 492,284.20 6.77
40169810 GUIDANT CORP COM 8000.00 480,000.00 6.60
...
The next example uses the method firstReport to display data for Account 102 as of a different date. Read the file example3.h. You should see:
971031 evaluate: [ Named Account \102 firstReport ];The expression evaluate:[] surrounding the request will access all data as of the date supplied. This date becomes the default date used for all operations within the brackets. As a result, the retrieved data of this example will be from 10/31/97.
Execute the program. You should see:
Account: 102
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
40410010 HBO & CO COM 19600.00 852,600.00 9.61
37935240 GLOBAL MARINE INC COM 25400.00 790,575.00 8.91
24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 8600.00 689,075.00 7.77
...
The next example alters the method firstReport, by displaying the most recent holdings date, in addition to the account name, at the top of the report. Read the file example3.i. You should see:
Account defineMethod:
[ | firstReport |
"Account: " concat: code . center:80 . printNL ; # center account
"As Of: " concat: holdingsDate . center:80 . printNL ; # center holdings date
newLine printNL ;
"Code" print:10 ;
"Name" print:35 ;
"Shares" print:12 ;
"Total Mkt Val" print:15 ;
"% of Port" printNL ;
newLine print ;
holdings
sortDown:[percentOfPort] . # sort lowest to smallest
do:
[
security code print:10 ;
security name print:35 ;
shares print:10 ;
totalMarketValue printWithCommas:15 ;
percentOfPort printNL ;
];
];
The message holdingsDate returns the date that the holdings were last updated, either on or before the evaluation date, for the Account.
Execute this program. You should see a blank output buffer.
The next example runs the new version of the method. Read the file example3.j. You should see:
Named Account \102 firstReport
Execute the program. You should see:
Account: 102
As Of: 12/15/1997
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 8600.00 717,566.80 15.41
02364J10 AMERICA ONLINE INC DEL COM 8200.00 695,975.00 14.95
00949T10 AIRTOUCH COMMUNICATNS COM 15200.00 589,000.00 12.65
...
The date 12/15/1997 is the most recent date that the holdings were loaded in the sample database.
The next example runs the method firstReport for the Account 102 from a different date. Read the file example3.k. You should see:
971031 evaluate: [ Named Account \102 firstReport ];
Execute the program. You should see:
Account: 102
As Of: 10/31/1997
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
40410010 HBO & CO COM 19600.00 852,600.00 9.61
37935240 GLOBAL MARINE INC COM 25400.00 790,575.00 8.91
24702510 DELL COMPUTER CORP COM 8600.00 689,075.00 7.77
...
The next example is a method that uses input supplied by the user for sorting data. Read the file example3.l. You should see:
Account defineMethod:
[ | firstReport: sortString | # method with one parameter
"Account: " concat: code . center:80 . printNL ; # center account
"As Of: " concat: holdingsDate . center:80 . printNL ; # center holdings date
newLine print;
"Code" print:10 ;
"Name" print:37 ;
"Shares" print:12 ;
"Total Mkt Val" print:15 ;
"% of Port" print:10 ;
newLine print ;
!sortBlock <- sortString asBlock ;
holdings
sortUp:sortBlock . # sortBy user supplied rule
do:
[
security code print:10 ;
security name print:35 ;
shares printWithCommas:10 ;
totalMarketValue printWithCommas:15 ;
percentOfPort printNL:10 ;
];
];
Execute this program. You should see a blank output buffer.
Note that after the method name firstReport: but still in the vertical brackets, there is an expression sortString. This expression implies that additional input is required for the method to run. The required input will be a string that contains an expression for sorting the holdings. The expression asBlock converts the string into a block, which is used as a parameter for the sortUp: message.
The next example calls the method firstReport for Account 102, sorting the data by name. Read the file example3.m. You should see:
Named Account \102 firstReport:"security name"Execute this program. You should see the following:
Account: 102
As Of: 12/15/1997
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
00949T10 AIRTOUCH COMMUNICATNS COM 15,200.00 589,000.00 12.65
02364J10 AMERICA ONLINE INC DEL COM 8,200.00 695,975.00 14.95
14912310 CATERPILLAR INC DEL COM 9,400.00 476,467.20 10.23
...
The basic report is now sorted by "security name".
The next example runs the method firstReport for the Account 102, sorting the data by shares. Read the file example3.n. You should see:
Named Account \102 firstReport:"shares"Execute this program. You should see the following:
Account: 102
As Of: 12/15/1997
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
40169810 GUIDANT CORP COM 2,900.00 174,000.00 3.74
19416210 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO COM 4,300.00 287,025.00 6.17
39350510 GREEN TREE FINL CORP COM 5,600.00 114,800.00 2.47
...
As always, you can change the date by supplying your request within a date evaluate: block. Read the file example3.o. You should see:
971031 evaluate: [ Named Account \102 firstReport:"shares" ]
Execute this program. You should see the following:
Account: 102
As Of: 10/31/1997
Code Name Shares Total Mkt Val % of Port
06605010 BANKAMERICA CORP COM 1,800.00 129,375.00 1.46
19416210 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO COM 4,300.00 278,425.00 3.14
39350510 GREEN TREE FINL CORP COM 5,600.00 236,600.00 2.67
...