Specifying Symbol Data Type

Campaign Builder 7.0 User's Guide » Define Dynamic Content to Merge » Specifying Symbol Data Type

Specifying Symbol Data Type

Each symbol listed in the Symbols tab has a data type that indicates the type of information that is substituted for the symbol when you mail the cell. Use the drop-down control to choose a data type that is suitable for the custom symbols you want to use in your e-mail. (The data type of intrinsic symbols is always Intrinsic. )

To use an intrinsic symbol in a cell, enter the symbol name (with underscores) in the Content tab of the cell. The symbol appears in the Symbols tab with the data type Intrinsic.

If you use the Add Symbol button in the Symbols Tab, you can enter the name of an intrinsic symbol but this creates a symbol of a non-intrinsic data type. You cannot assign the data type Intrinsic to a symbol created this way. If you use the name of an intrinsic symbol with a non-intrinsic data type, you cannot use the intrinsic symbol in the cell content.

The following are intrinsic symbols:

Intrinsic symbol	Description
_#BASE36(<content>)__	BASE36 encodes the value within the (). The value may also be a merge field.
_#BR__	Tag for HTML. Line feed for text.
_#CELLNAME__	Cell name.
_#DROPDATE__	Drop date in (SQL) format YYYYMMDDHH24MISS.
_#LF__	Line feed. ASCII character 10.
_#MAILINGNAME__	Mailing name.
_#URLENCODE(<content>)__	URL encodes the value within the (). The value can also be a merge field.
_#URLENCODE(<content>)__	URL encodes the value within the (). The value can also be a merge field.
_#VM__	Virtual MIME type. A single character: t \| a \| h
CELLID	CellID.
CID	Unique identifier of e-mail recipient.
CLIENTID	ClientID
COMPFIRSTLASTNAME	Computed first/last name. If the value seems invalid, the default value is merged into the cell content.
COMPFIRSTNAME	Computed first name. If the value seems invalid, the default value is merged into the cell content.
COMPFULLNAME	Computed full name. If the value seems invalid, the default value is merged into the cell content.
DATEDAYABBRNAME	Day name abbreviated. Example: Sun
DATEDAYFULLNAME	Full day name. Example: Sunday
DATEDAYFULLNUM	Full day number. Example: 05.
DATEDAYNUM	Day number in date. Example: 30
DATEMONTHABBRNAME	Month abbreviated. Example: Jun
DATEMONTHFULLNAME	Full month name. Example: June
DATEMONTHFULLNUM	Full month number. Example: 06.
DATEMONTHNUM	Month number. Example: 6.
DATEYEARABBRNUM	Year number abbreviated. Example: 05.
DATEYEARFULLNUM	Full year number. Example: 2005.
DROPDATE	Date when the mailing is schedule to be sent, in the format YYYYMMDDHH24MISS.
ECELLID	BASE36 encoded cellid.
ECID	BASE36 encoded cid.
ECLIENTID	BASE36 encoded detectexpires value.
EDETECTEXPIRES	BASE36 encoded detectexpires value.
EDSECUREI	For internal use only.
EDUSERHASHKEY	For internal use only.
EEMAIL	BASE64 encoded _EMAIL__ value.
EFIRSTNAME	BASE64 encodeded _FIRSTNAME__ value.
EFULLNAME	BASE64 encoded _FULLNAME__ value.
EGROUPID	For internal use only.
EINSTANCEID	For internal use only.
ELASTNAME	BASE64 encoded _LASTNAME__ value.
ELISTID	BASE64 encoded _LISTID__.
EMAIL	Recipient's e-mail address.
EMAILGROUPID	For internal use only.
EMIME	For internal use only.
EOCID	BASE36 encoded _OCID__.
EOEMAIL	BASE64 encoded _OEMAIL__.
EOLISTID	BASE36 encoded _IRIGINALLISTID__.
FORMAT	Format of the current row. One of: T \| A \| H \| M.
FTFCELL	Whether the cell is original or has been forwarded to a friend.
FTFLINK	Abbreviation of actual link.
HOSTEDLINK	For internal use only.
INSTANCEID	For internal use only.
INVALID	Used to abort a merger.
ISPKEY	For internal use only.
LISTID	List that the e-mail recipient is part of for reporting purposes.
MAILACTION	For internal use only.
MAILINGID	MailingID.
MAILTAG	For internal use only.
OCID	Original CID. Only different for proofs and clones.
OECID	Original _ECID__.
OELISTID	Original _ELISTID__.
OEMAIL	Original _EMAIL__. Only different for proofs and clones.
ORIGINALLISTID	Original _LISTID__.
REDIRECTDNS	Domain Name to use to redirect the link.
TIME12HOUR	Hour portion of time in 12 hour format. Example: 5.
TIME24HOUR	Hour portion of time in 24 hour format. Example: 17.
TIMEAMPMLC	am or pm value of time in lowercase. Example: pm.
TIMEAMPMUC	AM or PM value of time in uppercase. Example: PM.
TIMEMINUTE	Minute portion of time. Example: 30.
TIMESECOND	Second portion of time. Example: 30.
TRANSACTIONID	For internal use only.
UNSUBDNS	Domain name to use for unsub link.
UNSUBLINK	Abbreviation of actual unsub link.
UNSUBVERSION	For internal use only.

The data types are:

Content Case - Large block of text or image that varies according to a rule
Content Constant - Large block of text or image that is the same for each recipient
Custom - Custom content that varies by recipient
Data Column - Value from data in the master database
Grid Object - Binds a grid object to a call
Grid Symbol - Value from data in a grid object
Plugin Symbol - Created specifically for your organization, merges data from a source other than the Master Database, for example articles from your web site; symbol type names in the drop-down list indicate the data gathering technique, for example Article Lookup
Quick Test Content - Large block of text or image that varies by Quick Test version number
Quick Test String - Short text that varies by Quick Test version number
String Case - Short text that varies according to a rule
String Constant - Short text that is the same for each recipient

The following are general rules to distinguish between data types:

String vs. Content: Use string data types to merge just a few words or less. Use content data types for blocks of content or images stored in the Content Library.
Constant vs. Case: Constant is the same for all recipients (the entire mailing audience). Case is rule based.

All symbols require a default value as described in Specifying Symbol Default Value. Other required fields vary according to the data type. Some data types are based on profile information columns from the database. Some allow you specify rules.

The following table provides an example of each data type:

Symbol	Data Type	Based On	Default	Rules	Actions
MAP	Content Case	CITY	12345	EDIT RULE	DELETE
LOGO	Content Constant		23456		DELETE
OFFER	Custom		20 Percent Off		DELETE
FIRSTNAME	Data Column	FIRSTNAME	Valued Customer		DELETE
GRID01	Grid Object		Team Data		DELETE
TEAM	Grid Symbol		Team Data.TEAM		DELETE
CELLID	Intrinsic				DELETE*
ARTICLE	Plugin Note: The name of the type is not Plugin; instead it is descriptive, for example Article Lookup.				DELETE
LOCATION	String Case	CITY	your town	EDIT RULE	DELETE
OURPHONE	String Constant		1-800-555-5555		DELETE
PRODUCT	Quick Test Content			EDIT RULE	DELETE
SUBJECT	Quick Test String			EDIT RULE	DELETE

* DELETE generally indicates that the symbol is not used in the cell content. Certain intrinsic symbols such as CELLID cannot be deleted even if not used in the cell content.

In the previous table, the symbols are used as follows:

Symbol	Merges...
MAP	An image of a map of the city, which is stored in the Content Library with an ID of 12345, based on the value of CITY in the Master Database for each recipient.
LOGO	An image of the logo, which is stored in the Content Library with an ID of 23456. The image is the same in each e-mail.
OFFER	Content based on customization for your organization.
FIRSTNAME	The first name for each recipient, based on the value in the Master Database. If there is no value in the Master Database for the recipient, merges "Valued Customer."
GRID01	Not intended for merging. Binds a grid object to a cell. See Using Grid and Grid Object Symbols.
TEAM	Content based on the data in the associated grid object. See Using Grid and Grid Object Symbols.
CELLID	The cell ID. This is not visible in the e-mail.
ARTICLE	The article that you want to appear in the e-mail.
LOCATION	The name of the recipient's city based on business rules. Merges "your town" if there is no value for CITY in the Master Database for the recipient.
OURPHONE	The phone number (1-800-555-5555) into each e-mail.
PRODUCT	Content object identifier based on the Quick Test version number. See Using Quick Test Symbols.
SUBJECT	String content based on the Quick Test version number. See Using Quick Test Symbols.

In This Section

Using Case Symbols

Using Constant Symbols

Using Intrinsic Symbols

Using Data Column Symbols

Using Grid and Grid Object Symbols

Using Quick Test Symbols

Using Custom Symbols

Using Plugin Symbols