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if() function

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
May 9, 2022
10 replies
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Could someone explain why the following code work without compiler errors?

if(
    isnull(ri!user),
    "",
    isusernametaken(ri!user),
    user(ri!user, "firstName") & " " & user(ri!user, "lastName"),
    joinarray(split(ri!user, "."), " ")
)

I expect some kind of evaluation error, but it works just as the three lines starting on "isusernametaken" were an embedded if.

I saw that in one of the Appian courses and I'm wondering if it is some undocumented feature of the if function.

Thank you

Best answer by davel001150

if() has hidden else if functionality in it. What's documented is:

if(

condition

return if true,

return if false

)

What you can do with it:

if(

condition1,

return if condition1 true

condition2 if condition1 false {else if}

return if condition2 true

return if condition2 false

)

Or you can do it with 7, 9, 11, 13. Every odd input is another conditional until the very last one, what returns if they're ALL false.

It's way less keypresses, but gets dramatically unreadable.

richardm900458

if() has 3 parameter

condition and true, false statement
https://docs.appian.com/suite/help/22.1/fnc_logical_if.html

if you like to use more
check a!match()
https://docs.appian.com/suite/help/22.1/fnc_logical_match.html

-> this is just a kind of mistake in the appian course. at least unproper use.

luisr0004Author

Thank you Richard, but why it does not trigger an error or warning in rule designer?

richardm900458

Lets say, as its not completely wrong in the sense that the rule is not technically breaking there is no error message.
-> [mention:126a676c85024855948336691b0a7b92:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] as far as i remember you reported that issue already?

davel001150Answer

if() has hidden else if functionality in it. What's documented is:

if(

condition

return if true,

return if false

)

What you can do with it:

if(

condition1,

return if condition1 true

condition2 if condition1 false {else if}

return if condition2 true

return if condition2 false

)

Or you can do it with 7, 9, 11, 13. Every odd input is another conditional until the very last one, what returns if they're ALL false.

It's way less keypresses, but gets dramatically unreadable.

davel001150

As others have posted, a!match is basically the same thing in readable format.

mikes0011

Brainy

I am enjoying a!match. Even now I have a special app package wherein i'm tracking down all the sloppy uses of "choose()" in my system and swapping them out.

N

niteshs2958

I discovered the same last year, I sent email to Appian to ask if its right way to use it. They suggested not to use this functionality and use multiple if statements. Now we have a!match() function for the same functionality.

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