You can reference items indirectly with the NAME_IN and COPY built-in subprograms.
The NAME_IN function returns the contents of an indicated variable or item. Use the NAME_IN function to get the value of an item without referring to the item directly.
The following statements are equivalent:
IF :emp.ename = 'smith' -- direct reference
IF NAME_IN('emp.ename') = 'smith' -- indirect reference
The return value is always a character string. To use NAME_IN for a DATE or NUMBER item, convert the string to the desired data type with the appropriate conversion function:
date_var := TO_DATE(Name_In('order.date_item'));
num_var := TO_NUMBER(Name_In('order.number_item'))
The NAME_IN function returns the contents of an indicated variable or item. Use the NAME_IN function to get the value of an item without referring to the item directly.
The following statements are equivalent:
IF :emp.ename = 'smith' -- direct reference
IF NAME_IN('emp.ename') = 'smith' -- indirect reference
The return value is always a character string. To use NAME_IN for a DATE or NUMBER item, convert the string to the desired data type with the appropriate conversion function:
date_var := TO_DATE(Name_In('order.date_item'));
num_var := TO_NUMBER(Name_In('order.number_item'))