If a multi-dimension array

–          have a fixed number elements in each dimension and

–          each column contains the same type of information for each row in array

called “uniform”.

This structure is similar to a table structure.

Built-in functions DBSTRUCT() and DIRECTORY() produces uniform arrays.

Array produced by DBSTRUCT() will have field count  in size and the structure of an array is:

Field Name  C

Field Type  C

Field Width N

Field Dec   N

And DIRECTORY() function produces an array with elements as file count and with this structure:

File Name        C

File Size        N

File Date        D

File Time        C

File Attributes  C

Building, maintaining and using those arrays is simple as possible.

Let’s look at a sample .prg:

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#include "directry.ch"
#include "dbstruct.ch"
PROCEDURE Main()
  SET DATE GERM
  SET CENT ON
 
  ?
  ? "Uniform arrays :" 
  ?
 
  ?
  ? " Directory file list :"
  ?
 
  FileList()
 
  ?
  ? " Table structure list :"
  ?
  IF MakUseTable()
     DispStru() 
  ELSE
     ? "Couldn't USE or Make th table." 
  ENDIF
 
  ?
  @ MAXROW(), 0
  WAIT "EOF UF_Arrays.prg"
 
RETURN // UF_Arrays.Main
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PROCEDURE FileList()
  LOCAL aFList := DIRECTORY( "C:\Harbour\*.*" )
  LOCAL a1File
 
  FOR EACH a1File IN aFList 
     ? SPACE( 4 ),;
       PAD( a1File[ F_NAME ], 13 ),; /* File name */ 
       TRAN( a1File[ F_SIZE ], "999,999,999" ),; /* File size */
       a1File[ F_DATE ],; /* File date */
       a1File[ F_TIME ],; /* File time */
       a1File[ F_ATTR ] /* File attribute */
 NEXT
 
RETURN // FileList()
 
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FUNCTION MakUseTable() 
 
  LOCAL cTablName := "CUSTOMER.DBF"
  LOCAL lRetval, aStru 
 
  IF FILE( cTablName ) 
     USE (cTablName)
  ELSE
     aStru := { { "CUST_ID",    "C",  5, 0 },;
                { "CUST_NAME",  "C", 10, 0 },;
                { "CUST_SNAM",  "C", 10, 0 },;
                { "CUST_FDAT",  "D",  8, 0 },;
                { "CUST_ACTV",  "L",  1, 0 },;
                { "CUST_BLNCE", "N", 11, 2 } }
    * 
    * 5-th parameter of DBCREATE() is alias - 
    * if not given then WA is open without alias 
    *                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
    DBCREATE( cTablName, aStru, , .F., "CUSTOMER" ) 
 ENDIF 
 
 lRetval := ( ALIAS() == "CUSTOMER" )
 
RETURN lRetval // MakUseTable()
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PROCEDURE DispStru()
   LOCAL nTotal := 1
 
   IF SELECT() > 0
      aStructur := DBSTRUCT()
      ? SPACE( 4 ), "No: Field Name Type Width Dec"
      ? SPACE( 4 ), "--- ---------- ---- ----- ---"
      AEVAL( aStructur, { | aF1, nFNo | ;
             QOUT( SPACE( 4 ),; // Left Marj 
                   PADL( nFNo, 3 ),; // Field No
                   PADR( aF1[ DBS_NAME ], 11 ),; // Field Name
                   PADC( aF1[ DBS_TYPE ], 4 ),; // Field Type
                   PADL( aF1[ DBS_LEN ], 4 ),; // Field Len
                   PADL( aF1[ DBS_DEC ], 3 )),; // Field Dec 
             nTotal += aF1[ 3 ] } )
 
      ? SPACE( 4 ), "--- ---------- ---- ----- ---"
      ? SPACE( 4 ), "** Total ** ", TRAN( nTotal, "9,999" )
   ELSE
      ? "Current work area is empty"
   ENDIF 
 
RETURN // DispStru()
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