Modeling Guide

Differences Between String and Character Patterns

There are several differences in application behavior between character and string pattern variance when the input Value field or the input substring contains specific character types.

Value setting Character pattern String pattern
Single alpha or numeric characters. For example, T|9|S Allowed. The application replaces each character in a defined substring with a single alpha or numeric character that is specified in the Value option. For example, if the substring contains five characters, the application replaces each character with a single character from the Value option, for a total of five replacement characters. Allowed. The application replaces each defined substring (the entire substring) with a value that is specified in the Value option. For example, if the substring contains five characters, the application replaces the five characters with a single character.
Strings of alpha or numeric characters. For example, MILK|399|abc Not allowed. Character pattern variance accepts single alpha, numeric characters. The application issues an error if the Value list includes more than one character per value (except for ranges). Allowed. The application replaces each defined substring with alpha or numeric strings that are specified in the Value option. For example, an input substring that consists of five characters may be replaced with a string from the Value option that is ten characters.
Alpha or numeric ranges. For example, D-M or 2-9 Allowed. The application allows both alpha and numeric ranges. Alpha ranges can be anything from A to Z, upper or lower case. The numeric range can include single-digit numbers from 0 to 9.

Not allowed: Alpha ranges.

Allowed: Numeric ranges.

Numbers in ranges can have more than one digit, and they can include zero padding to the left. For example, 005-250

Spaces included with alpha characters or special characters. For example, *| - | a (space before asterisks, space before and after dash, space before letter “a”) Not allowed. Allowed. The application replaces the defined substring with a value from the Value option, including the spaces.
Zero-padded individual numbers and zero-padded numbers in a range. For example, 05|010-350 Not allowed. The application allows the single-digit numbers from 0 to 9 stated individually or in a range. For example, the values 8|9|0-5 include numbers 8, 9, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 for replacement values. Allowed. The application allows zero-padded numbers in the Value option for individual numbers or numeric ranges. When the defined substring contains more characters than a zero-padded number or numeric range in the value list, the application adds zeros to the left of the number to the length of the substring. For example, a four-character substring of “1250” may be replaced with “0005” even when the listed value is “05”. Other possible masked values based on the Value option example at left could be “0010” or “0350”.