Appendix C: Data Type Mapping for xfNetLink .NET

This appendix includes information on data type mapping for parameters, return values, and fields in repository structures passed as parameters.

Parameter and return value type mapping

The table below shows how parameter and return value data types are mapped from Synergy to C# when the classes are generated.

For decimal, implied-decimal, and integer data types, you can choose to coerce the data to a non-default type on the .NET side by selecting the desired data type in the Coerced type field when defining methods in the MDU. (See the Coerced type field.) If you are using attributes, see the description of cType for instructions on specifying non-default type mapping.

When coercing data to a non-default data type, you should take care to select a type that is suitable for the size of the data that will be placed in the parameter or return value. The data type in the “Default C# data type” column will be used when “Default” is specified for the coerced type in the MDU.

xfNetLink .NET Parameter and Return Value Type Mapping
Data type in SMC	Default C# data type	Non-default C# data types available
^VALa	int	N/A
Alpha	string with trailing spaces trimmed	N/A
Binary (handle)b	byte array	N/A
Decimal (d)	length ≤ 9 = int length > 9 = long	byte, short, sbyte, ushort, uint, ulong, Boolean, DateTime, nullable DateTime, decimal, nullable decimal
Enumeration	enumeration	N/A
Handleb	string	N/A
Implied-decimal (d.)	decimal	double, float
Integer	length < 8 = int length = 8 = long	byte, short, sbyte, ushort, uint, ulong, Boolean
System.String	string	N/A

Field type mapping

The table below shows how data types within repository structures are mapped to C# data types when the classes are generated. The structure itself becomes a class; this table shows what the data types for the properties or fields of that class will be.

The first column indicates the value in the Type field of the Field Definition window in Repository. The second column indicates the value in the Class field and, where necessary, the value in the User data field in that same window.

Some data types can be coerced to a non-default type on the .NET side. To use a non-default type, select the desired data type in the Coerced type field of the Field Definition window in Repository. When coercing data to a non-default data type, you should take care to select a type that is suitable for the size of the data that will be placed in the property or field. The data type in the “Default C# data type” column will be used when “Default” is specified for the coerced type in the Repository.

xfNetLink .NET Field Type Mapping
Field data type in Repository	Format	Default C# data type	Non-default C# data types available
Alpha	N/A	string with trailing spaces trimmed	N/A
AutoSeq	N/A	long	N/A
AutoTime	N/A	DateTime	N/A
Binary	N/A	byte array	You can convert binary fields to strings (which was the pre-9.3 behavior) by using the gencs -nb option. See Generating C# classes with gencs.
Boolean	N/A	Boolean	N/A
Date	YYMMDD YYYYMMDD YYJJJ YYYYJJJ	DateTimea	nullable DateTime
	YYPP YYYYPP	string	N/A
Decimal (no precision)	N/A	length ≤ 9 = int length > 9 = long	byte, short, sbyte, ushort, uint, ulong, Boolean, decimal, nullable decimal
Decimal (with precision)	N/A	decimal	double, float, nullable decimal
Enum	N/A	enumeration	N/A
Integer	N/A	length < 8 = int length = 8 = long	byte, short, sbyte, ushort, uint, ulong, Boolean
Struct	N/A	N/A. Becomes a class (treated the same as a group).	N/A
Time	HHMM HHMMSS	DateTime	nullable DateTime
User	Date with ^CLASS^= YYYYMMDDHHMISS or YYYYMMDDHHMISSUUUUUU in the User data field	DateTimea	nullable DateTime
	Date with any other value in the User data field	string with trailing spaces trimmed	N/A
	Alpha
	Binary
	Numeric