Column Details
- Last UpdatedJan 13, 2026
- 2 minute read
Read the following information in conjunction with details at the top of MDS-REPORT-HEADINGS file.
Note: The Mandatory number of fields/columns is 1 to 9 inclusive.
|
Column Number |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Description |
Description |
Column Heading |
Expression |
PML Function |
Justify Column |
|
Type/Options |
text |
text |
PDMS Expression |
Name of pml Function |
Left, center or right |
|
Example |
MDS Standard |
Standard |
(after (name of spref,MDS/)) |
MDSmatmancofg |
left |
|
Optional (O) or Mandatory (M) |
Optional |
Mandatory |
Mandatory -either Col 3 OR Col 4 Optional -Col 3 AND Col 4 |
Optional Empty = left |
|
Column 1:
Text that appears on the Output Report
Column 2:
Text that appears on the MDS Report Headings form along side the Heading number
Column 3:
PDMS PML Expression
Column 4:
PML Function enabling interfacing to external programs
Column 5:
Output Report column text justification
|
Column Num |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Description |
Client Code |
Unset text |
Client Description |
Output Data Type |
|
Type/Options |
True(T) / False(F) |
text |
True(T) / False(F) |
ASCII (A) / Numeric (N) |
|
Example |
true |
Non-found |
true |
Numeric |
|
Optional (O) or Mandatory (M) |
Optional Empty = false |
Optional Empty = --- |
Optional Empty = false |
Optional Empty = ASCII |
Column 6:
This is the client’s Replacement Support Code as defined in file DES-SUPP-DEFS.
Column 7:
This column enables substitute descriptive text to be added into the report for clarification
purposes (like non-found rather than ---)
Column 8:
In some circumstances an office standard may have a different standard code for different
steelwork sizes but the same configuration. The alternative descriptions are defined
in the MDS Structure Defaults Form.
Column 9:
Defines the format of the Output Data giving either a real number or an ASCII string.
The data above appears in the MDS-REPORT-HEADINGS file in the format shown in the following extract:
# M = MANDATORY
# O = OPTIONAL
# Description \ Column Heading \ Expression \ PML Function \ Justify Column \ Client Code \ Unset Text \ Client Description \ Output Data Type
# <1> \ <2> \ <3> \ <4> \ <5> \ <6> \ <7> \ <8> \ <9>
# <Text> \ <Text> \ <PDMS Expression> \ <Name of PML Function> \ <Left,Centre or Right> \ <T, True or F, False> \ <Text> \ <T, True or F, False> \<A, ASCII or N, NUMERIC>
# Optional=O \ Mandatory=M \ Either <3> or <4>=M, but <3> and <4>=O \ O(Empty Field=Left) \ O(Empty Field=False) \ O(Empty Field= --- \ O(Empty Field=False) \ O(Empty Field=ASCII)
# \If True Field<8>=False \ \ If True Field<6>=False\