When simple or negated simple relation conditions are combined with logical connectives in a consecutive sequence such that a succeeding relation condition contains a subject or subject and relational operator that is common with the preceding relation condition, and no parentheses are used within such a consecutive sequence, any relation condition except the first can be abbreviated by either of the following means:
General Format
Comments:
Within a sequence of relation conditions both of the above forms of abbreviation can be used. The effect of using such abbreviations is as if the last preceding stated subject were inserted in place of the omitted subject, and the last stated relational operator were inserted in place of the omitted relational operator. The result of such implied insertion must comply with the rules of the table Relational Operators. This insertion of an omitted subject and/or relational operator terminates once a complete simple condition is encountered within a complex condition.
The order of evaluation of the conditions can be prioritized by the use of parentheses (see example below).
The interpretation applied to the use of the word "NOT" in an abbreviated combined relation condition is as follows:
If NOT is immediately followed by the word GREATER, >, LESS, <, EQUAL, or =, excluding the relational operators GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO, >=, LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO, and <=, then the word NOT is interpreted as part of the relational operator, otherwise: Some examples of abbreviated combined and negated combined relation conditions and expanded equivalents follow.
| Abbreviated Combined Relation Condition | Expanded Equivalent |
|---|---|
| a > b AND NOT < c OR d | ((a > b) AND (a NOT < c)) OR (a NOT < d) |
| a NOT EQUAL b OR c | (a NOT EQUAL b) OR (a NOT EQUAL c) |
| NOT a = b OR c | (NOT (a = b)) OR (a = c) |
| NOT (a GREATER b OR < c) | NOT ((a GREATER b) OR (a < c)) |
| NOT (a NOT > b AND c AND NOT d | NOT ((((a NOT > b) AND (a NOT > c)) AND (NOT (a NOT > d)))) |
| x > a OR y AND z | x > a OR (x > y AND x > z) |
| x > a OR (y AND z) | x > a OR (x > y AND x > z) |
| x > (a OR y) AND z | (x > a OR x > y) AND x > z |
| x ( = a OR > b) | x = a OR x > b |
| x = a AND ( > b OR < z ) | x = a AND ( x > b OR x < z ) |
| a EQUAL b OR NOT GREATER OR EQUAL c OR d | (a EQUAL b) OR (NOT (a GREATER OR EQUAL c)) OR (a GREATER OR EQUAL d) |
| a EQUAL b OR NOT >=c OR d | (a EQUAL b) OR (NOT (a >= c)) OR (a >= d) |
