Methods: Custom Metadata

Global methods are Fore or Fore.NET procedures and functions that can be used in expressions in various Prognoz Platform 9 tools and that make calculations according to a user algorithm. Global methods in the expression can be specified without using qualified identifier, that is, only procedure or function name is specified without specifying its actual location (unit or assembly identifier, namespace).

To create a set of global procedures and functions, use the Methods tab in the Custom Metadata section of the Parameters dialog box.

Go to the object navigator.
Select the Tools > Parameters main menu item.
Select the Custom Metadata item in the left part and go to the Methods tab.

Categories are used to separate a list of methods by some attribute.

To create a new category, execute one of the operations:

Select the Category item in the popup menu of the Add button.
Select the Add Category context menu item in the list area.

Set name of the created category.

To create a new method and execute one of the following operations:

Select the Method item in the popup menu of the Add button.
Select the Add Method context menu item in the method list area.

If on creating a method, some category was focused, the method will be created inside this category, otherwise it will be created in the root list of global methods.

Set a name for the created method, in the Assembly, Unit or Form drop-down list select a development environment object, and in the Method drop-down list select a procedure or function that implements a custom calculation algorithm.

The calculation type, that will be used by the method, can be specified in the Type list. Arithmetic methods are used to calculate single values. Pointwise methods can take data series as parameters, but calculation will be executed individually at each series point. Series methods enable the user to handle entire data series. Get familiar with the various method features in the following subsections: Custom Functions, Custom Fore and Fore.NET Functions.

The Description box can be used to specify method additional information.

Each created global method is linked with a specific procedure or function, which implementation is located in some development environment object. If required, the link can be changed, to do this, select the development environment object in the Assembly, Unit or Form drop-down list, select the procedure or function that implements a new custom calculation algorithm in the Method drop-down list.

If the method is parametric, default parameter value can be set.

If the method is parametric, default values can be set for its parameters. To do this, select the method and click the Parameters button. In the dialog box that opens select the required parameter and, according to its data type, set the value. The Description box can also be used to add a comment.

The specified default values will be used if the required parameter values were not determined for the method in the expression.

To remove a category or a method, select the corresponding element and click the Remove button. After the confirmation the category or method will be removed from the list.

After the category is removed, all the methods contained in it will be moved to the root list of global methods.