What Are Functions and Commands?

Formula Language can be divided into two groupings@Functions and @Commands.These groupings comprise Formula Language and are used to create formulas.

Functions are used to return a value and can be placed anywhere within a formula. Although most functions simply return a value, some functions interact with users or trigger other actions to occur. For example, the @Prompt and @PickList functions can be used to request input from the user.

As you gain experience with Formula Language, you'll find that most formulas are built using functions. However, some functions can only be used in specific design objects. The following table lists some of the restricted functions and describes where they can be used.

---

[Pages 100 - 101]

Restricted Function	Design Objects That Can Use This Function
@All	Replication formulas, agents, and view selection formulas
@AllChildren	Replication formulas and view selection formulas
@AllDescendants	Replication formulas and view selection formulas
@Command	Toolbar buttons, manual agents, and action hotspots
@DBColumn	Toolbar buttons, actions, hotspots, fields, and agent (except mail)
@DBLookup	Toolbar buttons, actions, hotspots, fields, and agent (except mail)
@DeleteDocument	Agents
@DeleteField	Agents and fields
@DocChildren	Column formulas and window title formulas
@DocDescendants	Column formulas and window title formulas
@DocLevel	Column formulas and window title formulas
@DocMark	Agents
@DocNumber	Column formulas and window title formulas
@DocParentNumber	Column formulas and window title formulas
@DocSiblings	Column formulas and window title formulas
@Failure	Field validation formulas
ENVIRONMENT	All formulas with the exception of popup hotspots
@Environment	All formulas with the exception of popup hotspots
FIELD	Toolbar buttons, agents, action hotspots, and fields
@IsCategory	Column formulas
@IsDocBeingLoaded	Forms and fields
@IsDocBeingMailed	Buttons, hotspots, and fields
@IsDocBeingRecalculated	Buttons, hotspots, and fields
@IsDocBeingSaved	Buttons, hotspots, and fields
@IsExpandable	Column formulas
@IsNewDoc	Toolbar buttons, window title formulas, forms, and fields
@MailSend	Toolbar buttons, agents, action hotspots, and fields
@PickList	Toolbar buttons, manual agents, action hotspots, and fields
@Platform	Toolbar buttons, manual agents, hotspots, view design (with the exception of selection and column formulas), forms, and fields
@Prompt	Toolbar buttons, manual agents, action hotspots, and fields
@Responses	Window title formulas and fields
@Return	Toolbar buttons, agents, hotspots, and fields
SELECT	Replication formulas, agents, and view selection formulas
@SetDocField	Toolbar buttons, agents, action hotspots, and fields
@SetEnvironment	All formulas with the exception of popup hotspots
@SetField	Toolbar buttons, agents, action hotspots, and fields
@Success	Validation formulas
@Unavailable	Agents, views, and action buttons
@ViewTitle	Agents, action hotspots, and buttons

Note

A select number of functions can be called from LotusScript or have equivalents in LotusScript. Functions are sometimes called from LotusScript to simplify the code instructions. In other words, a single @Function can often replace multiple LotusScript code. In other cases, there are equivalent functions already included in the LotusScript language.