Scripting - How to set regular expressions for Format Locator at runtime

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Issue

How to change or set regular expressions for Format Locator at runtime?

Sometimes it is not known which regular expressions should be used in a Format Locator until part-way through running locators - for example, if the regular expression for an invoice should be retrieved from a database.

Solution

Update the regular expression in the Format Locator just before it runs, and reset it afterwards to its previous value.
To do this, first add a reference to the Format Locator in script, as per the following screenshot. Note that the Format Locator is called the "Kofax Cascade Format Locator" in the References dialog:

You can use the following code to change the first regular expression or add another regex to your Format Locator via API:

Option Explicit

' Class script: NewClass1

Private Sub Document_BeforeLocate(ByVal pXDoc As CASCADELib.CscXDocument, ByVal LocatorName As String)
   If LocatorName="FL_InvoiceNumber" Then
        Dim oFL_InvoiceNumber As CscRegExpLib.CscRegExpLocator
        Set oFL_InvoiceNumber = Project.ClassByName("NewClass1").Locators.ItemByName("FL_InvoiceNumber").LocatorMethod
        'oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(0).RegularExpression = "INV\d{6}" ' changing 1st existing expression


        ' remove all existing expressions
        While oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions.Count>0
          oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions.Remove(0)
        Wend

        Dim i As Integer
        i=oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions.Count
        oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions.Add("\d{7}") ' adding new expression
        oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).IgnoreCase=True
        oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).IgnoreBlanks=False
        oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).WholeWord=True
        ' optional way to enable or disable the expression: oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).Enabled=true
        
        ' optional example: fill locator with values from filename
        Dim regex As String
        Dim FileNum As Integer
        FileNum=FreeFile
        Open dict.TextFilename For Input As FileNum
        While Not EOF(FileNum)
          Line Input #FileNum, regex
          i=oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions.Count
          oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions.Add(regex)
          oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).IgnoreCase=True
          oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).IgnoreBlanks=False
          oFL_InvoiceNumber.RegularExpressions(i).WholeWord=True
         'Debug.Print cstr(i)+":"+regex
        Wend
        Close FileNum
        
      End If

End Sub

If you execute it in Project Builder and check the format locator afterwards then you should see the modification. If you save the project then it will be saved with these changes.

As the format locator does not allow regular expressions in a dictionary you can use this way, too.

A sample KTM project is attached here.

Level of Complexity

Moderate

Applies to

Product	Version	Build	Environment	Hardware
Kofax Transformation Module	6.3, 6.4

References

Sample project: here.

Article # 3039476