Compare with
The Compare with matcher type links Check value and Compare value for a 'rank comparison' with selectable Compare operator:
|
Compare operator |
Logic |
|
|
Symbol |
Plain text |
Meaning of ‘Rule passed’ |
|
= |
equal to |
Check value is equal to the Compare value. |
|
> |
greater than |
Check value is subordinate to the Compare value for ascending sorting. |
|
>= |
greater than or equal to |
Check value is equal or subordinate to the Compare value for ascending sorting. |
|
< |
less than |
Check value has priority over the Compare value for ascending sorting. |
|
<= |
less than or equal to |
Check value is equal to or higher than the Compare value for ascending sorting. |
A ‘rank comparison’ between two values requires that a logic for determining a ‘rank relationship’ exists for the compared data types.
This is generally the case for the following data types (or categories of data types):
Text values
Numeric values
Time data
Enumeration values
Data types of other categories (e.g. entities, general data objects, etc.) can be added to the Vergleiche mit (Vergleichstyp) matcher type purely technically as a Check value or Compare value. However, practically relevant comparison results are generally not to be expected.
►IMPORTANT◄
Automatic type conversions can take effect between different data types. Whether and how a comparison works with two values of a different data type may depend on the execution context (client/server).
If applicable, an automatic type conversion attempts to convert the Compare value into the type of the Check value.
Regardless of type conversions, the server context and client context can also differ in terms of sorting for the ‘rank comparison’.
The server determines the rank relationship between String values via a code table, for example, while specific sorting rules for the Current locale apply in the client context.
In principle, an Entity property rule with the Compare with matcher type should not be implemented ‘in good faith’ without verifying through detailed and meaningful tests that relevant ‘rank relationships’ in the execution context (server, client and, if applicable, Current locale) are assessed as expected.
For Tests, it should also be noted that if an automatic type conversion (from the Compare value type to the Check value type) fails, the Entity property rule is considered ‘failed’ without an error being reported.
A false test result for a rule therefore does not reliably prove (without additional checking of details in the 'Log' tab for the test result) that the tested ranking relationship (e.g. Chest value > Compare value) was not evaluated as fulfilled and therefore the complement (here: Check value <= Compare value) would be fulfilled. To put it simply: ‘Only a test with a passed rule is a meaningful test.’