$copymerge

Usage: $copymerge(target,source[,keep_duplicates])

Category: assignment

Implemented: Picard 1.0

Description:

Merges metadata from variable source into target, removing duplicates and appending to the end, so retaining the original ordering. Like $copy, this will also copy multi-valued variables without flattening them. Following the operation, target will be a multi-value variable.

If keep_duplicates is set, then the duplicates will not be removed from the result.

Note

Unlike most functions, in this case the source is specified without enclosing it with percent signs (%).

Example:

The following statements will yield the values for target as indicated:

$set(target,)
$set(source,one)
$copymerge(target,source)     ==>  "one"

$set(target,zero)
$set(source,one)
$copymerge(target,source)     ==>  "zero; one"

$set(target,zero)
$setmulti(source,one; two)
$copymerge(target,source)     ==>  "zero; one; two"

$setmulti(target,zero; two)
$setmulti(source,one; two)
$copymerge(target,source)     ==>  "zero; two; one"

$set(target,zero; one; zero)
$set(source,one; two; three)
$copymerge(target,source)     ==>  "zero, one; two; three"

$setmulti(target,zero; two)
$setmulti(source,one; two)
$copymerge(target,source,1)   ==>  "zero; two; one; two"