Implementation Using OCL
Session
Member
m:n Shortcuts
Lists (derived ObjectList)
Class Lists
Ocl variables

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String Comparisons
Conditions

Operators

List operators
Conversion operators
Number operators
String-editing Processor Operators System settings operators operators
Editor operators Resource
planning operators System settings operators
Permission check
operators Ocl call operators for custom business logic
operators
Project phase operators Link operators
Power sum
operators
Date operators
Type operators (oclType, oclIsTypeOf, oclIsKindOf, oclAsType)
OCL Call operators Custom business logic operators

Returns the up-to-date logged-in user. See also the article Up-to-date user in expressions .

A database section can contain a value called InstanceName in the Vertec.ini file. This will then be shown on the Vertec desktop app interface, see the InstanceName section for identifying test installations.

For access via OCL, there is an attribute called InstanceName:

The hasGui operator allows you to determine from OCL expressions or scripts whether the client is capable of showing user-specific dialogs, i.e. whether the client is one of the full-featured apps .

TimSession.allInstances->first.hasGui

Return value is either

• True(desktop app, cloud app and web app), or
• False(XML Server, Phone app, Outlook app and TaskRunner)

It is important that scripts – especially Event Scripts – do not show dialogs if this is not possible on the client being used, as this may block Vertec.

Starting with version 6.0. The AppType operator allows you to determine which app you are in from OCL expressions or scripts.

Returns a string with the following possible values:

TimSession.allInstances->first.checkFeature('fcPhasen')

The feature codes are according to Vertec feature matrix (e.g. fcPhasen for phases).

Return value is False or True.

The first operator returns the first entry from a list. Most often, the first operator is used when an object is to be used as a result of a selection. Since the ->select operator returns a list as a result, ->first must be applied to it for the result to be a single object. Example:

indicates the quantity of open services of the “OFFER” phase in a list of projects.

With the orderdescending operator lists can be sorted in descending order (otherwise the same as ->orderby):

The orderMulti operator allows you to sort a list according to different sort criteria. It can be applied to a list in an OCL expression and takes a string as argument. This string contains the different sort criteria as individual OCL expressions, separated by semicolons:

as an expression of an expression folder, it returns a list of all projects, sorted first by the name of the project leader, second by the project code. However, this sorting will only be visible in the list view if you remove the sorting on list columns. Double-click a sorted list column until it no longer displays a sorting arrow.

If you want to sort by custom items, you have the problem that you cannot use quotes in the expression. For custom items, this requires a detour via the internal ID of the custom item (settings > custom fields > right mouse button > properties > internal ID):

projekt->ordermulti('projektleiter.name;zusatzfelder ->select(metaZusatzfeld.boldID=<interne ID>)->first.wert')

Depending on the field type, you can query the value as follows:

.wert  .wertBlob  .wertBoolean  .wertInteger  .wertCurrency  .wertDatum  .wertObject

The union operator allows two lists to be combined into one. It can be applied to a list in an OCL expression and expects another list (collection) as an argument:

as an expression on a project returns all open and billed services of the project. This list can be used as normal. The type is always the common base class whose attributes are available. So the above example returns a list of entries of type service. For an expression project->union(address entry), the common base class would be, for example, UserEntry.

For example, you want to show the total of the invoices (net) for the last year:

without the collect operator you would have to repeat the whole '->select’ expression for each value (revenue, advance amount etc).

You can also go a step further by assigning the value resulting from the collect to a variable and continuing with it.

As an example, let’s take a list of projects. Each project is located (in this example) either in a “Customer Projects” folder, or in an “Internal Projects” folder, or in an “Order Projects” folder. These folders are subfolders of the “Project Category” folder. In the list, we now want to show either 1, 2, or 3, depending on which folder the project is in the list:

ordner->select(parentordner.bezeichnung='Projektkategorie')  ->first.bezeichnung.substring(1,1)->asSet->collect(x|if x ='K'then  '1'else if x='I'then'2'else if x='A'then'3'  else'Keine Angabe'endif endif endif)->first

The expression assumes a project (every project in the list). folder means the folders in which the project is located. We first look for the subfolder of the project category folder. From this we take the first letter (name.substring(1,1)). This is now a single letter, either “K” or “I” or “A”. Since the collect operator can only be executed on a list, we add a ->asSet. Now we have the ->collect operator: instead of repeating the entire folder->select(...) section for each if query, we can simply use the variable x several times. The x in the brackets refers to the current value. This is our single letter at the moment. Now we can use the x to query this letter and insert the desired value. The whole thing is still a list, but we want to show the single value in the field, so we add a ->first again.

Converts a number to a date. The following expression counts 31 days to the date of the entry (e.g. a service):

(datum->dateToFloat+31)->floatToDate

Converts a string to a date. This operator is useful when you need to work with a date that is not previously known or exists only as a string (e.g. when the user queries a date).

The use of strToDate is tricky, because it refers to the current country settings. A strToDate with a string literal of '01.09.2020' goes wrong if a client uses a US date format, for example. In the web app this does not even refer to the local Windows, but to the settings in the web browser (e.g. “English”).

In fixed OCL expressions, therefore, the operator should instead encodeDate which is described below. So do not '01.09.2020'->strToDate, but encodeDate(2020,09,01).

Represents a string as a list. Individual words are separated by the word boundary or by a delimeter. Words enclosed in double quotation marks are counted as one word.

TimSession.allinstances->first.login.name.stringToList

Returns the name of the logged-in user as a list. For example,

TimSession.allinstances->first.login.name.stringToList->last

only the surname will be shown.

Example: instead

projekt->select(betreffend.asstring='') (all projects without regarding)

you can now

projekt->select(betreffend.isNull)

to carry out.

This is useful to render nothing for numeric values instead of 0 without having to convert the entire expression to a string. For example, expressions like:

if usespesen then spesenint.asstring else '' endif

if usespesen then spesenint else spesenint.asnull endif

Since OCL is a static and strictly typed language, a null value must also have a type in order to determine the validity of the expression. Therefore, a .asnull operator has been introduced on instances and .null on types:

• <typ>.null creates a null value from an Ocl type. Using the null operator on type, the above expression would be if usespesen then spesenint else VtcCurrency.null endif.

• <value>.asnull creates a null value of the same type based on an existing value (member reference), without the need to know the correct name of the type: if usespesen then spesenint else spesenint.asnull endif.

Using this operator, lists can be represented in strings. For example, the expression returns:

phasen.code->listToString(',')

executed on a project (e.g. via list settings) the list of phase codes, separated by “,”.

Query the corresponding language version of a member. This applies to all MLStrings, which are values that each have their own field for the different languages (examples are services, expense and outlay types). For example, for outlays on an invoice: If you want the French designation of the type, you can use the expression typ.text.asStringByLanguage('FR') happened.

Possible languages / parameters are 'DE’, 'DD’ (from 6.5.0.9), 'FR’, 'IT’, 'EN’ or 'NV’.

Note: This feature returns only the value entered in the MLString field. No translation takes place in the specified language, so if no value is entered in that language, an empty string is returned instead of the native term.

The .pad operator populates an integer value with the wildcard symbol up to the quantity of specified symbols. The result is a string.

This is useful, for example, when you need leading zeros for alphanumeric sorting.

6.pad(2,'0') returns 06
6.pad(3,'0') returns 006
...

This operator returns the absolute value of a number.

(-2.8).abs = 2.8
(2.8).abs = 2.8

Round function. Returns the nearest smaller integer from a real number.

(-2.8).floor = -3
(2.8).floor = 2
2.floor = 2

Rounds a numeric value to the nearest integer according to the round-to-even rule and returns it as a result.

(-2.8).round = -3
(2.5).round = 2
(2.6).round = 3
(3.5).round = 4

Round to five chunks:

(wert * 20)->round / 20

Round to two decimal places:

(wert * 100)->round / 100

Rounding up from the 5th:

• For positive real numbers: (wert + 0.5).floor
• For negative real numbers: (wert - 0.5).floor

See also rounds in scripts on this topic.

This operator returns the quantity of symbols in a string. For example, the expression addressentry->select(standardzip.length=4) returns all addresses with a four-digit zip code.

The syntax is as follows:

You specify the part you want to replace (substring) and the part you want to replace (replacement). The return value is again a string.

For example, you would like to replace all Meyer with Maier in a text:

The replace string is case sensitive, i.e. it is case sensitive.

The syntax is as follows:

Here you can specify a regular expression, a so-called regular expression, both for the part you want to replace (template) and for the part you want to replace (replacement). The return value is again a string.

A small example of what is possible with this:

In a text there are designations of the type <Abschnitt>:<Kapitel>, for example 2:15 or 3:10. You want to swap these designations so that they are represented as 15:2 or 10:3 respectively. This can be done with the following expression:

As of Vertec 6.4.0.20. Translates a string value to the latest Vertec Surface Language .

Example:

if projekte->size > 0 then 'Client'.translate else 'Address'.translate endif

on an address list shows in the column the following result for English:

->hasBIDataRight: boolean

from Vertec 6.4.0.14:

->hasBIDataRight('Number’):boolean

This operator can be used to check whether the up-to-date logged-in user has the right to the specified BI object.

With the implementation of the rights on the KPIs with version 6.4.0.14, this OCL operator has been changed. From then on, a string with the internal name of the KPI must be specified as a parameter. Example:

projekt->hasBiDataRight('MinutesExt')

checks whether the up-to-date logged-in user on the specified project has the right to the MinutesExt KPI.

This is not backward compatible. The corresponding calls need to be adjusted.

->hastag(tagname): boolean

As of version 6.1.0.10. Query whether the object has set a tag of this name.

For more information, see the article about tags on user records.

->keystring(key): string

->keybool(key): boolean

->keydate(key): datetime or empty

->keyint(key): integer or 0

->keycurr(key): currency or 0.00

Starting with version 6.1.0.10. Operators for typed query of key values on the object.

For more information, see the article about key values on user records.

->gettarget time(from, to)

Standard hour in period (minutes)

->getWorking time(from, to)

Working time in the period (minutes). Calculated from the sum of all available services plus vacations entered as absences.

->received deferral(date)

brings the overtime balance by date-1, unless a forward is entered on date, then this forward is delivered.

->Delay date(date)

returns date of last deferral before date

5.4

->Overtime balance(date)

provides overtime balance by date

5.4

->getHolidayDefault(from,to)

Holiday credit within period

->getHolidayReference(from,to)

Holiday pay, both absences and holiday benefits

5.4

->getHolidayLecture(date)

brings the vacation balance per date-1, unless a forward is entered on date, then this forward is delivered.

->getHolidayLecture date(date):

carries date of last vacation carryover before date

5.4

->getHolidayStart(date)

brings the start date for calculating the holiday credit. Is the next holiday cut-off date after the last forward

5.4

->getHolidayEnd(date)

provides end date for calculation of holiday credit. Is the next holiday period end

5.4

->getHolidayBalance(date)

delivers holiday balance by date

5.4

->getHoliday BalanceDelimited(date)

Calculates the accrued vacation balance per date, taking into account the vacation credit up to the date. Example:

A vacation credit of 200 hours per year is given, specified by the group. The holiday cut-off date is 01.01. On this cut-off date, the employee was credited with a vacation carry-over of 20 hours. This means: The employee has a total vacation credit for the year 2013 of 220 hours.

Now I want to calculate the vacation balance of this employee as of March 31, 2013. There are the following options:

• getVacation balance(encodeDate(2013,3,31)): Takes the vacation carryover (20 hours) plus the vacation credit (200 hours) and counts the vacation taken in the period up to 31.03.2013. Result: 204:00 hours. This is how many vacations the employee still benefits.

• getVacation BalanceDelimited(encodeDate(2013,3,31)): Takes the vacation carryover (20 hours) plus the percentage of the vacation credit up to March 31, 2013 (49:19) and counts the vacation taken in the period up to March 31, 2013. Result: 53:19 hours. That’s how much vacation the employee would have had on March 31, 2013.

->getsalary(from,to)

Salary within the specified period

5.4

->getCommon costs(from,to)

Overheads within the specified period

5.4

->getTargetTimeDefault(from, to)

->getTargetTimeGroupDefault(from, to)

->getTargetTimeOnlyGroupAbw(from, to)

Calculates an employee’s standard hours, taking into account only group-based absences (holidays, etc.).

In contrast to the GetSollzeit operator, absences are taken into account only by the groups. Absences entered on the employee are not taken into account. The employment level of the employee is taken into account.

->getEmployment degree(date)

->getAbsenceFree(Absence type, from, to)

Operator to determine the free time of a particular type of absence. Example:

Editor->getAwayFree('Holiday’, encodedate(2013, 1, 1), encodedate(2013, 1, 31))

The calculation is as follows:

1. Calculation of the standard hours for the specified period without taking into account absences.
2. Calculation of the standard hours taking into account only the free absences of the specified type.
3. The result is the difference between the two values in minutes (integer).

If a non-existent or incorrect (not free) absence type is specified, the result is 0.

Versions before 5.8

In versions before 5.8, the (language-dependent) designation is used to query the absence type.

If several absences are entered on the same day, Vertec cannot unambiguously determine the impact of each absence because the absence types do not have a sorting according to importance. So if you are also sick on Easter Monday (“holiday”) then the standard hour is correct, but this operator specifies 0 for both “holiday” and “sickness,” since the other absence type also occupies the whole day.

Versions from 5.8

For querying the absence type, the (language-independent) code is used in versions 5.8 and above.

Starting with this version, absence types have a priority attribute. This is taken into account in case of overlapping absences. Any number of overlapping entries are taken into account and the “visibility” of the eligible absences is determined by the priority value on their type.

If the priorities are equal, the following priority rules apply:

1. For minute absences of different types, the absence with the greater minute value wins.
2. In the case of minute and full-day absences, the full-day absences wins.
3. If one absence is defined on the user and one on the user group, the one on the user wins.
4. In all other cases, the absence with the higher ID, i.e. the one entered later, wins.

->getHoliday referenceFromw(from, to)

Operator for calculating vacation entitlement taking into account vacations entered only as absences. Example:

Editor->getVacationReferenceAbw(encodedate(2012, 1, 1), encodedate(2012, 1, 31))

As a result, the absences of the type vacation in the corresponding period are returned, in minutes (integer).

For normal vacation calculation the operator
->getVacationReference(from,to) can be used.

->getTargetTimeGroup(from, to)

This operator returns the standard hour for the group (100%), taking into account absences on the group. Example:

Editor->getTargetGroup(encodedate(2012, 1, 1), encodedate(2012, 1, 31))

As a result, the corresponding standard hour is returned, in minutes (integer).

->currentAbsences(date)

This operator returns a list of absences used for the specified day. Example:

Editor->currentAbsences(encodedate(2012,6,11))

provides a list of absences entered for this user for 11.06.2012.

->getTrackingUsers

The getTrackingUsers operator provides a list of all users for which the user is allowed to record services, expenses and outlays.

This is used in the Editor selection field on services, expenses and outlays and can also be queried via OCL.

Example:

Returns the list of all users for which the user is allowed to record for the up-to-date logged-in user.

getPresenceEntries(date)

Returns a list of the day’s presence entries for the user.

bearb.getPresenceEntries(date)

.getResPlanMinutes(Date From, Date To)

Available on project and scheduling editors. Returns the scheduled time for the user in minutes for the specified period.

.

.getResRsrcMinutes(Date From, Date To)

Available on project and scheduling editors. Returns the resource time for the user, in minutes, for the specified period.

This is not the time still available, but the total standard hours relevant to the resource plan. The difference to standard hours is that only absences of the type “free” affect the standard hours, whereas all types of absences (free, vacation, compensation) are deducted from the resource time (see also the table on working time exceptions in the article Absences).

An example can be found here

getProject

getPhase

getEditor

In versions prior to 6.3, the subphases of a project phase do not have a direct connection to the project to which they belong. The OCL operator phaseGetProject returns the project for any phase or subphase:

Starting with Vertec 6.3, the member owningProjekt can also be used for this purpose.

date

now

dateToFloat

floatToDate

dateToStrGerman

It sometimes needs date values in German format at certain locations, regardless of up-to-date locale settings (see e.g. from/to arguments in groupPerformance operators).

argobject.eval('creationdatetime.datetostrgerman')

year

month

day

hours

minutes

seconds

milliseconds

incMonth(quantity)

adds quantity months to a date. You can also use it to count backwards: for example, date.incMonth(-1) counts back one month from the current date.

Note: If the date is at the end of the month and the respective months have different quantities of days, the last day of the month is taken.

Example: incmonth(-1) executed on 31.03.2021 results in 28.02.2021.

incDay(quantity)

firstOfYear

lastOfYear

firstOfQuarter

lastOfQuarter

calculates the last day of the quarter. Example:

self->groupleistungenP(date.firstOfQuarter.asstring,  date.lastOfQuarter.asstring, '')->collect(minutenintoffen+minutenintverrechnet)->sum

firstOfMonth

lastOfMonth

MondayOfWeek

encodeDate
(year, month, day)

calculates a date based on numerical values for year, month and day. Example: folder with all invoices created in 2012:

formatdatetime
(formatstring)

Example:

The format string can contain:

• c: Displays the date in the global format ShortDateFormat, followed by the time in the global format LongTimeFormat. If it has no time value, only the date is displayed.
• d: day as number without leading 0s (1-31).
• dd: day as a two-digit number (01-31).
• ddd: Day as abbreviation (Mon-Sun) according to global settings (ShortDayNames).
• dddd: Day as word (Monday-Sunday) according to global settings (LongDayNames).
• m: Month as a number without a leading 0 (1-12). If m immediately follows h or hh, it is interpreted as a placeholder for minutes instead of the month, and the minutes are shown.
• mm: Month as a two-digit number (01-12). If mm immediately follows h or hh, it is interpreted as a placeholder for minutes instead of the month, and the minutes are shown.
• mmm: Month as abbreviation (Jan-Dec) according to global settings (ShortMonthNames).
• mmmm: Month as word (January-December) according to global settings (LongMonthNames).
• yy: year as a two-digit number (00-99).
• yyyy: Year as a four-digit number (0000-9999).
• h: hours without preceding 0 (0-23).
• hh: hours as a two-digit number (00-23).
• n: minutes without leading 0 (0-59).
• nn: minutes as a two-digit number (00-59).
• s: seconds without leading 0 (0-59).
• ss: seconds as a two-digit number (00-59).
• z: milliseconds without leading 0 (0-999).
• zz: milliseconds as a three-digit number (000-999).
• t: Time value in the format of the short time (ShortTimeFormat), e.g. 11:37.

• tt: Time value in LongTimeFormat, e.g. 11:37:40.

• /: Date separator according to global settings (DateSeparator).
• :: Time separator according to global settings (TimeSeparator).
• xx: Other letters and symbols are not formatted, but are displayed as entered, e.g. hh...mm results in 11...37. Exception: e, g.

varLogin

varContainer

From Vertec 6.4.0.21. Access in OCL expressions in lists to the container (folder or LinkContainer).

In addition to the column expressions in the list, the also have access to this context variable.

varContext

As of Vertec 6.6.0.1. Access in OCL expressions to customize list settings. Contains the currently selected entry in the tree. For containers, the value is identical to varContainer (see above).

Specifically in Resource Planning , the variable makes it possible to customize lists depending on whether a resource planning view is shown for individual objects or lists.

It is also available in List Controllers and Custom Renderers . To make the OCL variable easy to use here, both have the self.evalocl() method available, which uses this specific OCL evaluator. The OCL variable is defined only in this evaluator.

varParent

Starting with Vertec 6.4.0.21. Access in OCL expressions in lists to the object to which the container belongs (parent object of the link container).

In addition to the column expressions in the list, the Listexpression and ghostrowlistexpression of a control also have access to this context variable.

• Time table: Start date of the first interval in period
• Pivot table: Interval start date

It is available in resource planning views and the corresponding list controllers, as well as in the custom renderers.

To make it easy to use the OCL variable in and , both have the self.evalocl() method available, which uses this specific OCL evaluator. The OCL variable is defined only in this evaluator.

The container variables varContainer and varParent contain null in the case of a single object.

• Time table: End date of last interval in period
• Pivot table: End date of interval

It is available in resource planning views and the corresponding list controllers, as well as in the custom renderers.

To make it easy to use the OCL variable in List Controllers and Custom Renderers , both have the self.evalocl() method available, which uses this specific OCL evaluator. The OCL variable is defined only in this evaluator.

The container variables varContainer and varParent contain null in the case of a single object.

varView

• default: a standard list view (container)
• resources: a resource planning view (container or user entry, configured via resource planning view (see 2.5))
• bi a BI (business intelligence) view.

var<Feldname>

Logical AND, that is, both elements associated with AND must be met.

invoice->select((date >= encodeDate(2012,01,01)) and (date <= encodeDate(2012,12,31)))

Logical OR, that is, at least one of the two elements which are connected with OR, must be fulfilled.

Contravalent OR, that is, exactly one of the two elements is fulfilled, either one or the other; neither are both at the same time true nor both at the same time false.

The not operator queries Boolean elements for false.

editor->select(not active)

sqlLike

sqlLikeCaseInsensitive

The following symbols can be used as wildcards:

• '%': Replaces any string of any length. E.g. AA% describes all strings starting with AA.
• '_': Replaces a single letter. For example, AA_ describes all strings that begin with AA and have exactly one letter after that.

regExpMatch

., *, +, [, ], ^, $, –, \