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Macro Language Elements
The section contains detailed specifications for all 1010data Macro Language elements.
Data Transformation
Data transformation operations use functions and expressions to functionally alter tabular data. These operations take 0, 1, or 2 tables as input and produce a single table as a result.
<meta>
<meta> allows settings to be made at the level of an individual query (and saved along with the query).

Macro Language Elements
The section contains detailed specifications for all 1010data Macro Language elements.
- Data Transformation
  Data transformation operations use functions and expressions to functionally alter tabular data. These operations take 0, 1, or 2 tables as input and produce a single table as a result.
  - <amend>
    Update a specified value, or column of values, either by entering a new value or by using an expression. The expression can be applied to the column the value is in or to another column.
  - <base>
    <base> is the concrete macro operation that represents the action of opening the initial table.
  - <col>
    <col> changes the display attributes of a column in a table. It does not change the name of a column, but it does change the heading, as an example.
  - <colord>
    <colord> tells the system which columns to display and in what order.
  - <cols>
    Modifies the metadata of multiple columns at once, based on a query result or formatted tabular input.
  - <columns>
    <columns> is a special operation that retrieves column information from a table.
  - <directory>
    <directory> returns a table that provides information about the child objects of a particular folder. These include any tables, folders, and queries that have been saved to that folder.
  - <find>
    Efficiently finds (without selecting) the first n rows, between the specified row numbers, where the specified Boolean value expression is true.
  - <ignore>
    <ignore> encases code in a Macro Language query that should not be executed by the system.
  - <link>
    Link a foreign table to a base table or worksheet. Both tables must share a column on which to link.
  - <materialize>
    Creates a new physical table.
  - <merge>
    Merge a table to another table or worksheet.
  - <meta>
    <meta> allows settings to be made at the level of an individual query (and saved along with the query).
  - <note>
    <note> may be used to place a comment in the Macro Language. The contents of the element is any standard text.
  - <sel>
    Select the rows relevant to your analysis.
  - <sort>
    Changes the order in which rows appear in a table by sorting according to the values in a column.
  - <stats:>
    The <stats:> package provides more advanced statistics operations.
  - <table>
    <table> is a special operation that creates a temporary table within the scope of a query.
  - <tabu>
    <tabu> defines a tabulation or cross-tabulation.
  - <transpose>
    <transpose> results in a table in which the rows from the original table are its columns and the columns from the original table are its rows.
  - <willbe>
    Define a new computed column in an existing worksheet with a value expression.
- Blocks
  Blocks allow users to reuse sections of Macro Language code and to parameterize values in that code for greater flexibility and power.
- Application Development

`<meta>`

<meta> allows settings to be made at the level of an individual query (and saved along with the query).

Description

<meta> is an advanced feature that is similar to Advanced Settings in the web interface.

<meta> does not contain any attributes. Instead, the predefined values for <meta> are placed inside the opening and closing tags. You may add multiple attributes in a single meta tag, separated by commas, such as <meta>noblock,empty</meta>.

<meta> should appear at the beginning of the query, before any other operations (except for <ignore> and <base>, if applicable).

<meta> commands persist for the duration of the query, and then reset.

Syntax

<meta>[VAL_1], [VAL_2], . . . [VAL_N]</meta>

Acceptable values for `<meta>`

The accepted values for <meta> are as follows:

empty: Allow selections to result in an empty table.
noempty: Signal an error if a selection results in an empty table.

Aggregation/blocking

noblock: Do not use blocking in selection and tabulation.
block: Use default blocking factor in selection and tabulation.
block=N: Use blocking by N rows in selection and tabulation.
condense: Use stepwise aggregation in tabulation.
nocondense: Do not use stepwise aggregation in tabulation.
inf2na: Use infinity handling (return N/A instead of infinity when dividing by zero)
noinf2na: Do not use infinity handling (return positive or negative infinity when dividing a non-zero value by zero)

Example

In this example, the goal is to produce an empty table with a selection statement. Without the <meta> element, the selection statement below would generate the error: No rows selected.

<base table="pub.demo.retail.item"/>
<meta>empty</meta>
<sel name="store" value="store<0"/>