GroupingType¶
Overview¶
The GroupingType enum specifies the group a Parameter Definition belongs to. Use it to target operations at the right structural level (form, page, table, row/column, field, etc.) when processing parameters.
Underlying type: int
Quick usage¶
// Find a field definition by name and ensure it's a Field (not an Anchor or Table)
var def = module.FindParameterDef(
"InvoiceNumber",
stpdId: stpd.Id,
grouping: new List<GroupingType?> { GroupingType.Field }
);
Member Reference¶
None¶
Value: 0
Description: No grouping specified.
When to use:
- Default or placeholder when the grouping is not defined.
Page¶
Value: 1
Description: The definition relates to a Page. Parent for page element definitions like Paragraphs, Tables, Anchors, Fields, etc.
When to use:
- Page-level operations or as a container for page-scoped children.
Cluster¶
Value: 2
Description: The definition relates to a Cluster.
When to use:
- Logical grouping where elements are clustered (provider/model dependent).
Table¶
Value: 3
Description: The definition relates to a Table. Parent for all Row and Column definitions.
When to use:
- Custom table extraction or structured row/column processing.
Row¶
Value: 4
Description: The definition relates to a Row within a Table.
When to use:
- Iterating row instances or mapping row-level values.
Column¶
Value: 5
Description: The definition relates to a Column within a Table.
When to use:
- Column-driven validation, typing, or aggregation across rows.
Paragraph¶
Value: 7
Description: The definition relates to a Paragraph. Parent for Line definitions.
When to use:
- Block-level text processing or layout-aware grouping.
Line¶
Value: 8
Description: The definition relates to a Line. Parent for Word definitions.
When to use:
- Line-by-line parsing or position-based logic.
Word¶
Value: 9
Description: The definition relates to a Word.
When to use:
- Fine-grained text/position operations and OCR alignment.
Array¶
Value: 10
Description: The definition relates to an Array. Used for list elements that are not Custom Tables.
When to use:
- Repeating fields where a full table structure isn’t needed.
Form¶
Value: 11
Description: The definition relates to a Form. Parent for all Page definitions.
When to use:
- Top-level document template/container operations.
Field¶
Value: 12
Description: The definition relates to a Field. Typically used for custom labels on a document.
When to use:
- Most label/value extractions and validations.
Anchor¶
Value: 13
Description: The definition relates to an Anchor. Used internally to anchor Fields/Labels to locations.
When to use:
- Location anchoring and reference points for downstream field detection.
Unknown¶
Value: 99
Description: Unknown grouping type.
When to use:
- Fallback handling when group is not recognized or newly introduced.
Best Practices¶
- Filter by GroupingType when resolving definitions to avoid ambiguity (e.g., prefer Field over Anchor).
- Use Table/Row/Column for structured extractions; use Array when list-like but not tabular.
- For layout-aware logic, step down the hierarchy: Form → Page → Paragraph → Line → Word.
- Treat Unknown as non-actionable until mapped; log for diagnostics.
FAQ¶
- Q: What’s the difference between Field and Anchor?
- A: Field represents the actual label/value definition; Anchor is a positional helper used to locate fields.
- Q: When should I use Array instead of Table?
- A: Use Array for repeating values without a strict row/column structure; use Table for structured tabular data.
- Q: Why are there gaps in numeric values (e.g., no 6)?
- A: Numeric values are versioned for compatibility; not all slots are used.