In the Parser, a token (word, phrase, or mask) is defined in relation to its position within a name or address line (CDP) or on a line of business data (BDP). There are three possible line positions:
- BEG - Beginning
- END - Ending
- DEF - Default
In the following example, the position is BEG (beginning):
‘MARY’ INS NAME BEG ATT=GVN-NM1,GEN=F
Beginning
In the BDP, this describes the first word in a line. In the CDP, this can include the first word in a line, any word that follows a title, or any words that appear before a first name, including the first name. For example, consider the line:
MR JOSEPH SMITH
Every word except ‘Smith’ is considered to be at the beginning of the line.
Ending
The last word and any further non-alphabetic characters are the ending of a line. For example, consider the line:
BRIARWOOD ESTATES APT 3
Both "APT" and the apartment number "3" are considered to be at the end of the line.
Default
When the physical location of the word in the line is irrelevant, use default. A default word may appear anywhere on the line, including the beginning or end. If this keyword is omitted from the entry, default is assumed.