This example parses raw phone numbers from a specific field in an input dataset into a single standard output containing just the numbers. A missing area code in the raw input results in three leading zeroes in the output.

infile := DATASET([{'5619994581'},{'15619994581'},
                   {'(561) 999-4581'},{'(561)999-4581'},
                   {'561-999-4581'},{'561 999 4581'},
                   {'561.999.4581'},{'561/999/4581'},
                   {'561 999-4581'},{'9994581'},
                   {'999-4581'}],{STRING20 rawnumber});
  
            
PATTERN numbers := PATTERN('[0-9]')+;
PATTERN alpha := PATTERN('[A-Za-z]')+;
PATTERN ws := [' ','\t']*;
PATTERN sepchar := PATTERN('[-./ ]');
PATTERN Seperator := ws sepchar ws;

// Area Code
PATTERN OpenParen := ['[','(','{','<'];
PATTERN CloseParen := [']',')','}','>'];
PATTERN FrontDigit := ['1', '0'] OPT(Seperator);
PATTERN areacode := OPT(FrontDigit) OPT(OpenParen) numbers length(3) OPT(CloseParen);

// Last Seven digits
PATTERN exchange := numbers length(3);
PATTERN lastfour := numbers length(4);
PATTERN seven := exchange OPT(Seperator) lastfour;

// Extension
PATTERN extension := ws alpha ws numbers;

// Phone Number
PATTERN phonenumber := OPT(areacode) OPT(Seperator) seven
          opt(extension) ws;

layout_phone_append := RECORD
  infile;
  STRING10 clean_phone := MAP(NOT MATCHED(phonenumber) => '',
              NOT MATCHED(areacode) => '000' + MATCHTEXT(exchange) + MATCHTEXT(lastfour),
              MATCHTEXT(areacode/numbers) + MATCHTEXT(exchange) + MATCHTEXT(lastfour));
END;

outfile := 
  PARSE(infile, rawnumber, phonenumber, layout_phone_append,FIRST, NOT MATCHED, WHOLE);

OUTPUT(outfile);

This example parses a small subset of raw movie data (freely available at IMDB.com) into standard database fields:

Layout_Actors_Raw := RECORD
STRING120 IMDB_Actor_Desc;
END;

File_Actors := DATASET([
{'A.V., Subba Rao Chenchu Lakshmi (1958/I) <10>'},
{' Jayabheri (1959) <17>'},
{' Madalasa (1948) <3>'},
{' Mangalya Balam (1958) <12>'},
{' Mohini Bhasmasura (1938) <3>'},
{' Palletoori Pilla (1950) [Kampanna Dora] <4>'},
{' Peddamanushulu (1954) <6>'},
{' Sarangadhara (1957) <12>'},
{' Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam (1961) <12>'},
{' Sri Venkateswara Mahatmyam (1960) [Akasa Raju] <5>'},
{' Vara Vikrayam (1939) [Judge] <12>'},
{' Vindhyarani (1948) <7>'},
{''},
{'Aa, Brynjar Adjo solidaritet (1985) [Ponker] <40>'},
{''},
{'Aabel, Andreas Bor Borson Jr. (1938) [O.G. Hansen] <9>'},
{' Jeppe pa bjerget (1933) [En skomakerlaerling]'},
{' Kampen om tungtvannet (1948) <8>'},
{' Prinsessen som ingen kunne maqlbinde (1932) [Espen
          Askeladd] <3>'},
{' Spokelse forelsker seg, Et (1946) [Et spokelse] <6>'},
{''},
{'Aabel, Hauk (I) Alexander den store (1917) [Alexander Nyberg]'},
{' Du har lovet mig en kone! (1935) [Professoren] <6>'},
{' Glad gutt, En (1932) [Ola Nordistua] <1>'},
{' Jeppe pa bjerget (1933) [Jeppe] <1>'},
{' Morderen uten ansikt (1936)'},
{' Store barnedapen, Den (1931) [Evensen, kirketjener] <5>'},
{' Troll-Elgen (1927) [Piper, direktor] <9>'},
{' Ungen (1938) [Krestoffer] <8>'},
{' Valfangare (1939) [Jensen Sr.] <4>'},
{''},
{'Aabel, Per (I) Brudebuketten (1953) [Hoyland jr.] <3>'},
{' Cafajestes, Os (1962)'},
{' Farlige leken, Den (1942) [Fredrik Holm, doktor]'},
{' Herre med bart, En (1942) [Ole Grong, advokat] <1>'},
{' Kjaere Maren (1976) [Doktor]'},
{' Kjaerlighet og vennskap (1941) [Anton Schack] <3>'},
{' Ombyte fornojer (1939) [Gregor Ivanow] <2>'},
{' Portrettet (1954) [Per Haug, provisor] <1>'}],
Layout_Actors_Raw);

//Basic patterns:
PATTERN arb := PATTERN('[-!.,\t a-zA-Z0-9]')+;

//all alphanumeric & certain special characters
PATTERN ws := [' ','\t']+; //word separators (space & tab)
PATTERN number := PATTERN('[0-9]')+; //numbers

//extended patterns:
PATTERN age := '(' number OPT('/I') ')';

//movie year -- OPT('/I') required for first rec
PATTERN role := '[' arb ']'; //character played
PATTERN m_rank := '<' number '>'; //credit appearance number
PATTERN actor := arb OPT(ws '(I)' ws);
//actor's name -- OPT(ws '(I)' ws)
// required for last two actors

//extended pattern to parse the actual text:
PATTERN line := actor '\t' arb ws OPT(age) ws OPT(role) ws OPT(m_rank) ws;

//output record structure:
NLP_layout_actor_movie := RECORD
  STRING30 actor_name := Std.Str.filterout(MATCHTEXT(actor),'\t');
  STRING50 movie_name := MATCHTEXT(arb[2]);
  UNSIGNED2 movie_year := (UNSIGNED)MATCHTEXT(age/number);
  STRING20 movie_role := MATCHTEXT(role/arb);
  UNSIGNED1 cast_rank := (UNSIGNED)MATCHTEXT(m_rank/number);
END;

//and the actual parsing operation
Actor_Movie_Init := PARSE(File_Actors,
                          IMDB_Actor_Desc,
                          line,
                          NLP_layout_actor_movie,WHOLE,FIRST);

// then iterate to propagate actor name in each record
NLP_layout_actor_movie IterNames(NLP_layout_actor_movie L,
                                 NLP_layout_actor_movie R) := TRANSFORM
  SELF.actor_name := IF(R.actor_Name='',L.actor_Name,R.actor_name);
  SELF:= R;
END;

NLP_Actor_Movie := ITERATE(Actor_Movie_Init,IterNames(LEFT,RIGHT));

// and output the result set
OUTPUT(NLP_Actor_Movie);