GRM extensions and references
The Generic Record Manager (GRM) is the interface to all record format facilities of the system. The Tcl extensions in the GRM category permit access to record/message formats supported by the engine. They also permit access to symbolic message data, for example, by field name. Message objects hold raw data. To access a particular portion of the data, you must know its offset and length.
Specific record format rules assign meaning to the data:
- The FRL module distinguishes between field data and pad/fill characters.
- HRL uses field delimiters.
- XML uses tags.
- VRL uses tags or field delimiters.
- The HL7, UN/EDIFACT, NCPDP, and X12 modules recognize delimiter characters.
- All modules assign names to various portions of the data.
GRM objects are used for record parsing, data lookup, field modification, and message encoding. Using the Tcl extensions, or commands, described in this topic also gives you direct access to those same functions.
A working knowledge of these is required:
- FRL, VRL, HRL, XML, HL7, UN/EDIFACT, NCPDP, and X12 record formats, processing rules, field naming, and addressing.
- Message and datum objects and the commands to manipulate them.
Before using any of the GRM commands in a stand-alone Tcl interpreter,
that is, an interpreter external to the engine, set your environment. This is
accomplished using setroot and setsite. Your code must also invoke setHciDirs
before accessing any of the GRM commands.