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Property Name

Data Type

ExceptionHandling

Uses the Standard Exceptions Interface

Connected

bool (read only) - Will be true if the object is a live part of the ParentMessage. See Disconnected Segments above.

FieldCount

int (read only) - Will be the number of HL7Field objects the segment contains. NOTE: Segment Name is field 0 and does not count as a field object.

Index

int (read only) - Will be the ordinal position (1 based) of the segment within ParentMessage. Will be 0 for disconnected segments (see Disconnected Segments above)

ParentMessage

HL7Message Object (read only) - Reference to the Parent object that created the segment.

SegmentName

string (read only) - The name of the segment (MSH, PID, OBX, etc, etc)

Tag

CORETag Object

Value

string - Get returns the string value of the segment. You can Set this value also by passing in a fully formed HL7 segment string

Method

Return Value

ExceptionHandling

Uses the Standard Exceptions Interface

AddField()

HL7Field Appends a new (empty) HL7Field object to the segment.

AllFields()

HL7Field[] Returns a one dimensional array of all HL7Field objects in the segment.

Clear()

void - Clears all HL7Field objects from the segment. SegmentName does not count and is not cleared.

Clone()

HL7Segment Returns a disconnected CLONE of the HL7Segment object (see Disconnected Segments above)

Rename(string newSegmentName)

bool Renames a HL7 segment. The SegmentName property is read only, if you ever need to rename a HL7 segment use this setter method. newSegmentName must be a valid HL7 segment name (3 alphanumeric characters) and special rules apply for Connected segments, for instance you cannot rename the MSH segment, and you cannot rename another segment in the message TO MSH.

*For Methods GetField(), GetFieldValue(), SetFieldValue()  - See Below

TrimFieldsTo(int newCount)

void - Removes HL7Field objects from the segment until FieldCount == newCount. newCount <= 0 is the same as Clear().

HL7Field GetField(int fieldNumber, bool padIfNotPresent = false) Returns the HL7Field object at position fieldNumber of the segment. IF padIfNotPresent == true AND fieldNumber < FieldCount then HL7Fields are added to the segment until FieldCount == fieldNumber. IF padIfNotPresent == false AND fieldNumber < FieldCount will return null.

Example Code (C#):

        HL7Segment oSeg = oMessage.AddSegment("PID|1|f2|f3|f4|Doe^John");

          //oSeg is a connected segment object with 5 fields representing a PID segment

           HL7Field oField;

           oField = oSeg.GetField(7);

          //oField will be null because there are only 5 fields in the segment

           oField = oSeg.GetField(7, true);

          //NOW oField will be the HL7Field object for field #7 of the PID segment

string GetFieldValue(int index) Returns the FULL field value of the HL7Field object at position index. Will be "" if index < 1 or index > FieldCount.

string GetFieldValue(int index, int componentIndex = 1) Returns the FULL component value of HL7Component of componentIndex of the HL7Field object INSTANCE 1 at position index. Will be "" if index < 1 or index > FieldCount. OR componentIndex < 1 OR componentIndex > HL7Field.ComponentCount.

Example Code (C#):

          string tst;

           HL7Segment oSeg = oMessage.AddSegment("PID|1|f2ID1~f2ID2~f2ID3^AA~f2ID4|f3|f4|Doe^John");

          //oSeg is a connected segment object with 5 fields representing a PID segment

          //Note that field 2 is a repeating field

           tst = oSeg.GetFieldValue(2);

          //tst is now the FULL value of field 2

          //tst == "f2ID1~f2ID2~f2ID3^AA~f2ID4"

           tst = oSeg.GetFieldValue(2, 2);

          //Since I specified which component value I wanted 2

          //I get back the value of Component #2 in the FIRST instance

          //only of Field #2 which will be blank! 1st instance only has 1 component.

          //tst == ""

          //To access repeating instances I need to get down to the HL7Field object

           HL7Field oField = oSeg.GetField(2);

          //Now I can ask for the value of Component #2, instance #3

           tst = oField.GetComponentValue(2, 3);

          //tst now == "AA"

void SetFieldValue(int index, string value) Will set the Value of the HL7Field object at position index to value. If index < 1 nothing happens, if the FieldCount is < index fields are added to the segment until FieldCount == index.

void SetFieldValue(int index, int componentIndex, string value) Will set the Value of component componentIndex of field index with value. If the field or component don't exist they are added as above and if index < 1 or componentIndex < 1 nothing happens.

Example Code (C#):

          int tst;

           HL7Segment oSeg = oMessage.AddSegment("PID");

          //oSeg is now a PID segment in the message

           tst = oSeg.FieldCount;

          //tst is 0

          //Now set the Patient FULL name in 1 call

           oSeg.SetFieldValue(5, "Smith^John^P");

           tst = oSeg.FieldCount;

          //tst is now 5

          //Even though the segment was empty, 5 fields were

          //automatically added by this call.

          //wipe out the entire field

          //Clear field #5

           oSeg.SetFieldValue(5, "");

          //Set just the patient last name

           oSeg.SetFieldValue(5, 1, "Jones");

           oSeg.Clear();

           tst = oSeg.FieldCount;

          //tst is 0

          //Now do the same things we did above with the HL7Field object

           HL7Field oFld = oSeg.GetField(5, true);

           tst = oSeg.FieldCount;

          //tst is now 5. Using true as parameter 2 caused 5 empty fields

          //to be added.

           oFld.Value = "Smith^John^P"; //Set the whole field with 1 call

           oFld.Clear();

           oFld.SetComponentValue("Jones", 1);