Formatted string function not executed when input variable is empty

[JohannaOtt]

Version 4.0.0.SNAPSHOT Build 617913794

When defining a Formatted string function with several input variables and e.g. aligning the values in the function, it does not get executed (target attribute is empty) as soon as one of the input variables is empty. While this might be desired for Formatted string functions with one single input variable (but even in this case, it could be discussed to still write the information added in the function to the target attribute), it should not affect the execution of the function for cases with several input variables. If users should be aware that the output might not be complete/as expected because one of the input variables is empty, this could be added as warning for the transformation.

[florianesser]

If we change the current behaviour to always write the target attribute regardless of the input variable, we are not backwards compatible anymore, i.e. transformations run w/ e. g. hale studio 3.5 generate a different result than a later version where the behaviour was changed. Also, writing the target value with one or more empty input variables might actually not be what an alignment creator wants.

I see two options (not mutually exclusive):

• add a warning in case a Formatted String does not write a target value because of empty input variables
• add an option to the Formatted String function to specify whether the output should be written in case of empty input variables or not (with the default being no).

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had activity in the last 60 days. It will be closed in two weeks if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.