Text ranges

Text ranges are used in several places in IMMS:

When searching for titles and items
In definitions which define the content of the item groupings
Configuration of item widths and life cycle rules

In most cases, these ranges will be combined with other criteria such as, e.g., the department or the sub-location. A distinction is never made in textual ranges between capital and small letters. Three areas will be described in the following:

Searching by classification
Configuration of classification by defining the item width and life cycle rules
Use of classification and alphabetization in the item grouping definitions

Searching by classification

When searching for items and titles on the pages for item handling and title management, you can choose to specify a range for the classification. This works in the following manner:

There are two fields for the start and end of the range
As a rule, both fields are filled in using “*”, which means that no limits are set for the classification.
If the start field is filled in (and the end field contains “*”), it means that only items with a classification from and including this value are included.
If the end field is filled in (and the start field contains “*”), it means that only items with a classification to and including this value are included. As a rule, there is no truncation, so if “22.1” is entered, this will not match items with a classification of “22.16”.
If both fields are filled in, then both limits apply - in other words, items are matched which have a classification that lies between the two values (including both).
Truncation may be used in the end field by setting a question mark “?” last when entering information. This means that items with a classification which matches the data entered before the question mark is included even if the item’s classification contains one or more subsequent characters. If “22.1?” is entered, this will therefore also match items with a classification of “22.16”.
A question mark cannot be used in the start field - and only at the end of the end field
If something is entered in the start field that ends in a question mark, it will automatically be transferred to the end field, and the question mark is deleted from the start field. For example, “12?” turns into “12”... “12?”.
If only the start field is filled in and the end field is left empty (no “*”), only items with the exact value will be matched. This corresponds to entering the same value in both the start and the end field (without a “?”).

The following table contains examples of classification searches:

Start	End	Meaning
*	*	No limit to the classification
*	19	From the beginning of the alphabet up to and including “19”
*	19?	From the beginning of the alphabet up to and including anything starting with “19”
12	*	From “12” and the rest of the alphabet
12	19	Everything from “12” up to and including “19”
12	19?	Everything from “12” up to and including anything starting with “19”
12	12?	Everything starting with “12”
12.3		Only the exact value “12.3”
12.3	12.3	Only the exact value “12.3”

Configuration of classification by defining item widths and life cycle rules

When configuring a classification range for an item width definition or a life cycle rule, it must comply with the following rules:

There are two fields for the start and end of the range
As a rule, both fields are filled in using “*”, which means that no limits are set for the classification.
If the start field is filled in (and the end field contains “*”), it means that only items with a classification from and including this value are included.
If the end field is filled in (and the start field contains “*”), it means that only items with a classification to and including this value are included. As a rule, there is no truncation, so if “22.1” is entered, this will not match items with a classification of “22.16”.
If both fields are filled in, then both limits apply - in other words, items are matched which have a classification that lies between the two values (including both).
Truncation may be used in the end field by setting a question mark “?” last when entering information. This means that items with a classification which matches the data entered before the question mark is included even if the item’s classification contains one or more subsequent characters. If “22.1?” is entered, this will therefore also match items with a classification of “22.16”.
A question mark cannot be used in the start field - and only at the end of the end field
If something is entered in the start field that ends in a question mark, it will automatically be transferred to the end field, and the question mark is deleted from the start field. For example, “12?” turns into “12”... “12?”.

The following table contains examples of classification ranges that comply with the aforementioned rules:

Start	End	Meaning
*	*	No limit to the classification
*	19	From the beginning of the alphabet up to and including “19”
*	19?	From the beginning of the alphabet up to and including anything starting with “19”
12	*	From “12” and the rest of the alphabet
12	19	Everything from “12” up to and including “19”
12	19?	Everything from “12” up to and including anything starting with “19”
12	12?	Everything starting with “12”
12.3	12.3	Only the exact value “12.3”

Use of classification and alphabetization in the item grouping definitions

Limitations to both the classification and the alphabetization can be placed on the definition of an item grouping. The method of operation for these limiting options depends on how you have chosen to sort the items within the item grouping. For the item grouping, there is an option to select whether you want the items to be sorted by classification before they are sorted according to their alphabetization. In the opposite case, they are exclusively sorted by alphabetization.

If you choose to exclusively sort the item grouping alphabetically, it is not possible to put any limitations on the classification. An alphabetical range can be specified (along with conditions for the other item properties: location, sub-location, etc.). If you have chosen to sort the item grouping according to classification, a range that combines the properties of classification and alphabetization can be defined for each definition. In other words, a start point can be specified, consisting of a classification value and, if needed, an alphabetization value. Likewise, an end point can be specified using a classification value and, if needed, an alphabetization value.

Classification and alphabetization limits function in a manner where the alphabetization only fine tunes the “ends” of the classification range. For the classification values that lie in between these bounds, there is no alphabetical limitation. This can also be viewed as three item ranges:

Items that exactly match the start of classification, with an alphabetization on or after the start of alphabetization
Items with a classification between (but not including) the start of classification and the end of classification, regardless of their alphabetization
Items which exactly match the end of classification, with alphabetization before or at the end of alphabetization

Example: A definition specifies that the start of classification is “13.1” and the start of alphabetization is “G”. The end of classification is specified as “13.3” and the end of alphabetization is specified as “K”. This now means that all items from “13.1””G” to “13.3””K” are included. This includes, among other things, all items with a classification of “13.2” regardless of their alphabetization. If we imagine the following 9 items, each listed with its classification (descending) and alphabetization (alongside), it would look like this:

“13.1” and “Briz”	“13.1” and “Jens”	“13.1” and “Trap”
“13.2” and “Briz”	“13.2” and “Jens”	“13.2” and “Trap”
“13.3” and “Briz”	“13.3” and “Jens”	“13.3” and “Trap”

The yellow highlighting indicates which items have been affected by the range in the example. The rationale is that when items are placed on the shelf sorted first by classification and then by alphabetization, a continuous range of items will always be singled out. This is illustrated here:

Classification “13.1” and alphabetization “Briz”

Classification “13.1” and alphabetization “Jens”

Classification “13.1” and alphabetization “Trap”

Classification “13.2” and alphabetization “Briz”

Classification “13.2” and alphabetization “Jens”

Classification “13.2” and alphabetization “Trap”

Classification “13.3” and alphabetization “Briz”

Classification “13.3” and alphabetization “Jens”

Classification “13.3” and alphabetization “Trap”

Note: You are welcome to let a definition delineate one specific classification value and use an alphabetical range from it. This just requires sorting by classification and specifying this classification as both the start of classification and end of classification (e.g., “17.4””A” to “17.4””J”).

User interface-related - without sorting of the classification:

If no sorting by classification has been specified for the item grouping, then there is no option in the definitions to indicate the classification. There are fields for the start of alphabetization and end of alphabetization. As a rule, the fields are filled out using “*”, which means that no limits are set for the alphabetization. Both fields can be filled in independent of one another. Truncation (“?”) must be used at the end of alphabetization.

User interface-related - with sorting of the classification:

If sorting by classification has been specified for the item grouping, there are 4 fields (start of classification, start of alphabetization, end of classification, and end of alphabetization). As a rule, the fields are filled out using the value “*”, which means that no limits are set for either classification or alphabetization. In addition, the following applies:

If the start of classification is “*”, nothing needs to be specified in the start of alphabetization field
If the end of classification is “*”, nothing needs to be specified in end of alphabetization field
Truncation (“?”) only needs to be used at the end of the end of classification field if the value in the end of alphabetization field is “*”
Truncation ('“?”') must be used at the end of the end of alphabetization field
No fields are allowed to be completely empty

The various combination options for the beginning of the item range are listed in this table:

Classification	Alphabetization	Meaning
*	*	From the start
13	*	From the beginning of the classification “13”
13	P	From the classification “13” at “P”

The various combination options for the end of the item range are listed in this table:

Classification	Alphabetization	Meaning
*	*	Until the end
16	*	Until and including the classification “16” - the entire alphabet
16?	*	Until and including the classification starting with “16” - the entire alphabet
16	D	Until the classification “16” up to and including “D”
16	D?	Until the classification “16” up to and including anything starting with “D”