Tag Archives: FIND

Found()

Posted on by vivaclipper

FOUND()

Determine the success of a previous search operation.

Syntax

      FOUND() --> lSuccess

Arguments

(This function has no arguments)

Returns

<lSuccess> A logical true (.T.) is successful; otherwise, false (.F.)

Description

This function is used to test if the previous SEEK, LOCATE, CONTINUE, or FIND operation was successful. Each wrk area has its own FOUND() flag, so that a FOUND() condition may be tested in unselected work areas by using an alias.

Examples

      nId := 100
      USE tests NEW INDEX tests
      SEEK nId
      IF FOUND()
         ? tests->Name
      ENDIF
      USE

Compliance

Clipper

Files

Library is rdd

Seealso

EOF()

C5DG-7 DBFNTX Driver

Posted on by vivaclipper

Clipper 5.x – Drivers Guide

Chapter 7

DBFNTX Driver Installation and Usage

DBFNTX is the default RDD for Clipper. This new database driver replaces the DBFNTX database driver supplied with earlier versions of Clipper and adds a number of new indexing features. With DBFNTX, you can:

. Create conditional indexes by specifying a FOR condition

. Create indexes using a record scope or WHILE condition, allowing you to INDEX based on the order of another index

. Create both ascending and descending order indexes

. Specify an expression that is evaluated periodically during indexing in order to display an index progress indicator

In This Chapter 

This chapter explains how to install DBFNTX and how to use it in your applications. The following major topics are discussed:

. Overview of the DBFNTX RDD

. New Locking Scheme

. Conditional Indexing

. Installing DBFNTX Driver Files

. Linking the DBFNTX Driver

. Using the DBFNTX Driver

. Compatibility with dBASE III

Overview of the DBFNTX RDD

As an update of the default database driver, DBFNTX is linked into and used automatically by your application unless you compile using the /R option.

New Features

The replaceable driver lets you create and maintain (.ntx) files using features above and beyond those supplied with the previous DBFNTX driver. The new indexing features are supplied in the form of several syntactical additions to the INDEX and REINDEX commands. Specifically you can:

. Specify full record scoping and conditional filtering using the standard ALL, FOR, WHILE, NEXT, REST, and RECORD clauses

. Create an index while another controlling index is still active

. Monitor indexing as each record (or a specified record number interval) is processed using the EVAL and EVERY clauses

. Eliminate separate coding for descending order keys using the DESCENDING clause

Compatibility

Index files (.ntx) created with the original DBFNTX driver are compatible with DBFNTX and can be used in new applications without reindexing. Index files (.ntx) created with this version of DBFNTX will also work with previous Clipper applications provided that you use no FOR, WHILE, <scope>, or DESCENDING clauses.

Important! Indexes produced with DBFNTX using FOR or DESCENDING are incompatible with earlier version (.ntx) files. If you attempt to access them with the original DBFNTX database driver or programs compiled with versions earlier than Clipper 5.2, you will get an unrecoverable runtime error. In Clipper, this generates an “index corrupted” error message, causing the application to terminate.

New Locking Scheme

The DBFNTX database driver implements a new locking scheme to resolve several problems identified in previous versions of Clipper and to prevent potential problems that might arise when running Clipper applications in a network environment. This section discusses these changes and their implications, including compatibility issues.

Lock Time-outs

Problem: Index locking in previous versions of Clipper was handled automatically by the database driver, and had no time-out provision. This created the potential for problems in network environments if a workstation died while holding a lock. If this situation occurred all other workstations waiting for an index lock would appear to freeze while waiting to obtain their lock. This could also happen if a user placed a Clipper application in the background on a multitasking system without sufficient processing time allocated to it. Eventually, most network operation systems would clear a connection that had no activity for a specified period of time. This would free the lock and everything would resume as normal, but frustrated users may have rebooted their machines possibly causing file corruption.

Solution: In Clipper 5.2 the NTX driver will generate a recoverable runtime error if it fails to lock the index after a predetermined number of retries. The default error handler for this system simply returns (.T.) to retry the operation. This emulates the behavior of previous Clipper versions.

Error Handling

Time out handling: The handling of this error is problematic because the lock is issued from various internal index routines. Therefore the only safe recoveries are to retry or quit. Choosing to default from the error or issuing a break will more than likely leave the index in a corrupted state. If either of the options is employed, the application should immediately recreate the index. The preferred way to handle a time out such as this is to alert the user of the situation so they don’t think their machine has hung, and then have the network administrator determine what workstation is causing the problem. When the problem workstation is cleared, the users that have timed out can select retry and continue processing.

NTXERR.PRG: The file NTXERR.PRG contains the source code for the default error handler INIT procedure. This error handler can be modified to allow user-defined error handling for index lock time-outs. Care should be exercised when modifying the error handler as detailed above.

Compatibility: The lock time-out capability when used in conjunction with the default error handler is totally compatibility with previous versions of Clipper. No changes are made to the NTX file structure and no action is required by the developer to activate the time-out functionality.

New Lock Offset

Problem: Index locking, which is transparent to the developer, uses a single-byte semaphore locking system. This semaphore was placed at a virtual offset (beyond the physical end of file) in the index file. In previous versions of Clipper, this offset was located at one billion (1,000,000,000) which was adequate at the time. But many systems today are capable of producing indexes that are large enough to cause the actual data present at the lock offset to become physically locked. This leads to problems when trying to read or write to the data at that offset.

Solution: The solution is to move the offset where locking occurs to a location at a greater offset. We have chosen FFFFFFFF hex, which is the largest offset possible under the DOS operating system. The problem with this solution is that new applications using the index will be locking this new byte while old applications using the same index will lock the old position. Clearly this would cause both applications to fail because each could have a lock on the file at the same time.

To avoid this, the signature of the index (in the index header) is modified to prevent pre-Clipper 5.2 applications from being able to open the index. Clipper 5.2 applications can detect the correct offset to use by the flag in the header and will automatically use the correct one. In Figure 7-1 below, each bit represents a flag:

BIT  7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
FLAG R R R O P I I C
R Reserved
I Index type - both bits set (NTX)
C Index created with a Condition, condition in header
T Created as a Temporary index
O New Offset for exclusive (semaphore) lock
Figure 7-1: Bit Field for the Signature Byte of a -Clipper 5.2 NTX File

Activation

If Clipper 5.2 automatically modified the signature in the header when it created indexes, programs with automatic reindexing routines would be creating indexes that appeared corrupt to pre-Clipper 5.2 applications. This has an obvious problem with backward compatibility. Therefore, in order to create indexes with the new signature, the developer must link in the module NTXLOCK2.OBJ with the full knowledge that this will create indexes that older applications will not be able to access.

Header Changes

The signature byte of a .NTX file is 6 for an unenhanced NTX index. The inclusion of the NTXLOCK2.OBJ will cause the signature to become 26 hex. (6 hex ORed with 20 hex). See Figure 7-1 for an illustration of all the possible values for the signature byte.

Error Handling

Clipper 5.2 applications will automatically recognize the signature byte of the header, and depending on the signature value, will use the correct index lock location. Applications built with previous versions of Clipper, however, do not have the capability to detect the optional new information in the signature byte. Therefore, when an order application tries to open a file that has been created with the NTXLOCK2.OBJ linked in it will produce a Corruption Detected error.

Compatibility

The new locking location, if used, is not backward compatible with applications compiled with previous versions of Clipper.

Indexes created by applications built with a previous version of Clipper can be used by Clipper 5.2 using the new location and will not be modified unless the index is recreated in application.

Since older applications have no knowledge of the new index locking scheme nor of the significance of the header signature, these applications will assume the index is corrupt and will produce an Index Corrupted error.

Conditional Indexing

Conditional indexes are a feature of the DBFNTX driver. This section discusses this feature of the DBFNTX driver in some detail, giving you specific information about the implementation of conditional indexes. Compatibility issues are also discussed.

Conditional Indexes

Conditional indexes are produced by using a FOR condition in the index creation process. These indexes are made fully maintainable by storing the FOR condition in the index header. This condition is subsequently retrieved and compiled each time the index in opened. During updates, items are added to the index only if they meet the criteria of the condition.

Since older applications do not have the ability to recognize and use the condition stored in the header, they must be prevented from opening the index since they corrupt the index. This is accomplished by modifying the signature of the index (in the index header) preventing pre-Clipper 5.2 applications from being able to open the index. Clipper 5.2 applications can detect the flag in the header and will automatically use the stored FOR condition correctly.

Temporary Indexes

Temporary indexes are produced by using any scoping clause other than the FOR condition in the index creation process. These indexes are not automatically maintainable because the condition is not stored for later use. These indexes can be made maintainable if the condition can be expressed as a FOR condition and is added using the FOR clause. But the main use of temporary indexes is for fast creation of indexes for read- only browses or reports that operate on a subset of the database.

Since older applications would not operate properly with indexes that do not contain all the keys in a given database, they must be prevented from using them. This is accomplished by modifying the index signature to prevent pre-Clipper 5.2 applications from being able to open the index.

Activation

Conditional Indexes

The developer need only specify the FOR condition when creating the index. In doing so he must be fully aware the index will no longer be accessible to pre–Clipper 5.2 applications.

Temporary Indexes

The developer need only specify a scope other than FOR when creating the index. In doing so he must be fully aware the index will no longer be accessible to pre-Clipper 5.2 applications and that the index created is not maintainable.

Header Changes

The signature byte of a .NTX file is 6 for a unenhanced NTX index. If the index is created as a conditional index it will have a signature of 7 hex (6 hex ORed with 1 hex). If the index is created as a temporary index it will have a signature of E hex. (6 hex ORed with 8 hex). See Figure 7-1 for an illustration of all the possible values for the signature byte.

Error Handling

Corruption Detected

Since older applications have no knowledge of the new index features nor how to interpret the additional flags in the header signature, these applications will assume the index is corrupt and will produce an Index Corrupted error.

EOF()

If an index is created with a FOR condition and an attempt is made to update the index with a key that does not match the condition, the update is suppressed and the index is placed at EOF(). This is consistent with the current behavior for indexes created with the unique flag when an update is attempted with a non-unique key.

Also if a navigational action is attempted (SKIP) and the current record is not found in the index, the index will place the record pointer at EOF(). This is true for both conditional and temporary indexes.

Compatibility

Backward Compatibility

If the conditional or temporary indexing features are used the index produced will not be backward compatible with applications compiled with previous versions of Clipper. Indexes that do not use the features, however, will be 100% compatible.

Forward Compatibility

Indexes created by applications built with a previous version of Clipper can be used by Clipper 5.2 and will not be modified unless the index is recreated using either the conditional or temporary index features.

Error Message Produced by Old Applications

Since older applications have no knowledge of the new index locking scheme nor of the significance of the header signature, these applications will assume the index is corrupt and will produce an Index Corrupted error.

Installing DBFNTX Driver Files

DBFNTX is supplied as the file DBFNTX.LIB.

The Clipper installation program installs this driver as the default in the \CLIPPER5\LIB subdirectory on the drive that you specify, so you need not install the driver manually.

Important! Before installing Clipper, you may want to rename the DBFNTX.LIB that currently resides in your \CLIPPER5\LIB directory to DBFNTX.001. The new version, when installed, will overwrite DBFNTX.LIB. If you do not rename or otherwise protect the old version of DBFNTX.LIB, you will lose it.

Linking the DBFNTX Database Driver

Since DBFNTX is the default database driver for Clipper, there are no special instructions for linking. Unless you specify the /R option when you compile, the new driver will be linked into each program automatically if you specify a USE command or DBUSEAREA() function without an explicit request for another database driver. The driver is also linked if you specify an INDEX or REINDEX command with any of the new features.

Using the DBFNTX Database Driver

In applications written for the new DBFNTX driver, you can use the INDEX and REINDEX commands exactly as you have used them in the past. The index files (.ntx) you create and maintain in this way are completely compatible with those created using previous versions of the driver.

Changes to existing code are necessary only if you use the new indexing features. The (.ntx) files you create using the new features will have a slightly different header file and cannot be used by programs linked with a previous version of the driver.

Using (.ntx) and (.ndx) Files Concurrently

You can use (.ntx) and (.ndx) files concurrently in a Clipper program like this:

// (.ntx) file using default DBFNTX driver

USE File1 INDEX File1 NEW

// (.ndx) files using DBFNDX driver

USE File2 VIA "DBFNDX" INDEX File2 NEW

Note, however, that you cannot use (.ntx) and (.ndx) files in the same work area. For example, the following does not work:

USE File1 VIA "DBFNDX" INDEX File1.ntx, File2.ndx

Compatibility with dBASE III PLUS

The default DBFNTX driver makes Clipper programs behave differently than traditional dBASE programs. Some of these differences are discussed below.

Supported Data Types

The DBFNTX database driver supports the following dBASE III PLUS- compatible data types for key expressions:

. Character

. Numeric

. Date

. Logical

Supported Key Expressions

When you create (.ntx) files using the DBFNTX driver, you can use all Clipper or user-defined functions compatible with dBASE III PLUS as well as other functions accepted by the extended Clipper functionality.

Error Handling

The indexing behavior of DBFNTX and DBFNDX in a Clipper application is identical unless otherwise noted. With the default DBFNTX driver, you can handle most errors using BEGIN SEQUENCE…END SEQUENCE as illustrated in the next section.

FIND vs SEEK

In Clipper, you can use the FIND command only to locate keys in indexes where the index key expression is character data type. This differs from dBASE III PLUS where FIND supports character and numeric key values.

Note: In Clipper programs, always use the SEEK command or the DBSEEK() function to search an index for a key value.

The DBFNTX driver lets you recover from data type errors raised during a FIND or SEEK. However, since Error:canDefault, Error:canRetry or Error:canSubstitute are set to false (.F.), you should use BEGIN SEQUENCE…END to handle such SEEK or FIND data type errors. Within the error block for the current operation, issue a BREAK() using the error object that the DBFNTX database driver generates, like this:

bOld := ERRORBLOCK({|oError| BREAK(oError)})
 .
 .
 .
 BEGIN SEQUENCE
     SEEK xVar
 RECOVER USING oError
     // Recovery code END
 .
 .
 .
 ERRORBLOCK(bOld)

There is an extensive discussion of the effective use of the Clipper error system in the Error Handling Strategies chapter of the Programming and Utilities guide.

Sharing Data on a Network

The DBFNTX driver provides file and record locking schemes that are different from dBASE III PLUS schemes. This means that if the same database and index files are open in Clipper and in dBASE III PLUS, Clipper program locks are not visible to dBASE III PLUS and vice versa.

Warning! Database integrity is not guaranteed and index corruption will occur if Clipper and dBASE III PLUS programs attempt to write to a database or index file at the same time. Therefore, concurrent use of the same database (.dbf) and index (.ndx) files by dBASE III PLUS and Clipper programs is strongly discouraged and not supported by Computer Associates.

Summary

In this chapter, you were given an overview of the new features of the default DBFNTX RDD. You learned how to this driver is automatically linked and how to use it in your applications, and were given an overview of the compatiblity issues.

C5DG-6 DBFNDX Driver

Posted on by vivaclipper

Clipper 5.x – Drivers Guide

Chapter 6

DBFNDX Driver Installation and Usage

DBFNDX is the dBASE III PLUS compatible RDD for Clipper. The DBFNDX driver uses the Clipper driver architecture to access dBASE III PLUS compatible index files within a Clipper program.

In This Chapter

This chapter explains how to install DBFNDX and how to use it in your applications. The following major topics are discussed:

. Overview of the DBFNDX RDD

. Installing DBFNDX Driver Files

. Linking the DBFNDX Driver

. Using the DBFNDX Driver

. Compatibility with dBASE III PLUS

Overview of the DBFNDX RDD

The DBFNDX database driver allows creation, access, and updating of dBASE III and dBASE III PLUS compatible index (.ndx) files. Index files (.ndx) created with Clipper are exactly the same as those created by dBASE III PLUS. All operations that can be performed on standard Clipper index (.ntx) files can be performed on (.ndx) files using the DBFNDX database driver.

In a network environment, the DBFNDX driver supports the Clipper file and record locking scheme. The multiuser behavior is the same as the default DBFNTX driver. This means that the DBFNDX database driver supports concurrent access to (.ndx) files between Clipper applications only. Concurrent access to (.ndx) files between dBASE III PLUS and Clipper programs is not supported.

Important! Updating database (.dbf) and index (.ndx) files shared between dBASE III PLUS and Clipper programs may corrupt the (.dbf) and any of its associated (.ndx) files.

Installing DBFNDX Driver Files

The DBFNDX database driver is supplied as the file, DBFNDX.LIB.

The Clipper installation program installs this driver in the \CLIPPER5\LIB subdirectory on the drive that you specify, so you need not install the driver manually.

Linking the DBFNDX Database Driver

To link the DBFNDX database driver into an application program, you must specify DBFNDX.LIB to the linker in addition to your application object files (.OBJ).

1. To link with .RTLink using positional syntax:

C>RTLINK <appObjectList> ,,, DBFNDX

2. To link with .RTLink using freeformat syntax:

C>RTLINK FI <appObjectList> LIB DBFNDX

Note: These link commands all assume the LIB, OBJ, and PLL environment variables are set to the standard locations. They also assume that the Clipper programs were compiled without the /R option.

Using the DBFNDX Database Driver

To use (.ndx) files in a Clipper program:

1. Place a REQUEST DBFNDX at the beginning of your application or at the top of the first program file (.prg) that opens a database file using the DBFNDX driver.

2. Specify the VIA “DBFNDX” clause if you open the database file with the USE command.

-OR-

3. Specify “DBFNDX” for the <cDriver> argument if you open the database file with the DBUSEAREA() function.

-OR-

4. Use RDDSETDEFAULT(“DBFNDX”) to set the default driver to DBFNDX.

Except in the case of REQUEST, the RDD name must be a literal character string or a variable. In all cases it is important that the driver name be spelled correctly.

The following program fragments illustrate:

REQUEST DBFNDX 
. 
. 
. 
USE Customers INDEX Name, Address NEW VIA "DBFNDX"

-OR-

REQUEST DBFNDX RDDSETDEFAULT( "DBFNDX" ) 
.
.
. 
USE Customers INDEX Name, Address NEW

Using (.ntx) and (.ndx) Files Concurrently

You can use (.ndx) and (.ntx) files concurrently in a Clipper program like this:

REQUEST DBFNDX

// (.ntx) file using default DBFNTX driver USE File1 INDEX File1 NEW

// (.ndx) files using DBFNDX driver USE File2 VIA “DBFNDX” INDEX File2 NEW

Note, however, that you cannot use (.ndx) and (.ntx) files in the same work area. For example, the following does not work:

USE File1 VIA "DBFNDX" INDEX File1.ntx, File2.ndx

Compatibility with dBASE III PLUS

When accessing dBASE III PLUS (.ndx) files, there are several compatibility issues of which you must be aware. These issues are discussed below.

Supported Data Types

The DBFNDX database driver supports the following data types for key expressions:

. Character

. Numeric

. Date

This is consistent with dBASE III PLUS.

The DBFNDX database driver does not support indexing with logical key expressions as does the default DBFNTX database driver. This is actually a dBASE III PLUS limitation and is not supported by the DBFNDX driver in order to enforce compatibility with dBASE III PLUS.

To work around this limitation, index logical values by converting them to character values like this:

INDEX ON IIF(<lExp>, "T", "F") TO <logicalIndex>

Supported Key Expressions

When you create (.ndx) files using the DBFNDX driver, you must use only Clipper or user-defined functions compatible with dBASE III PLUS. Use of the other functions will render the (.ndx) file unreadable in dBASE III PLUS.

FIND vs SEEK

In Clipper, you can use the FIND command only to locate keys in indexes where the index key expression is character type. This differs from dBASE III PLUS where FIND supports character and numeric key values.

Note: In Clipper programs, always use the SEEK command or the DBSEEK() function to search an index for a key value.

The DBFNDX driver lets you recover from a data type error raised during a FIND or SEEK. However, since Error:canDefault, Error:canRetry, or Error:canSubstitute are set to false (.F.), you should use BEGIN SEQUENCE…END to handle a SEEK or FIND data type error. Within the error block for the current operation, issue a BREAK() using the error object the DBFNDX database driver generates, like this:

bOld := ERRORBLOCK({|oError| BREAK(oError)})
.
.
 .
BEGIN SEQUENCE
SEEK xVar
RECOVER USING oError
// Recovery code
END
.
.
 .
ERRORBLOCK(bOld)

There is an extensive discussion of the effective use of the Clipper error system in the Error Handling Strategies chapter of the Programming and Utilities guide.

Sharing Data on a Network

As mentioned above, the DBFNDX driver does not support dBASE III PLUS file and record locking schemes. Instead, the DBFNDX driver supports the DBFNTX file and record locking scheme. This means that if the same database and index files are open in Clipper and dBASE III PLUS, Clipper program locks are not visible to dBASE III PLUS and vice versa.

Warning! Database integrity is not guaranteed and index corruption will occur if Clipper and dBASE III PLUS programs attempt to write to a database or index file at the same time. For this reason, concurrent use of the same database (.dbf) and index (.ndx) files by dBASE III PLUS and Clipper programs is strongly discouraged and not supported.

Compatibility with dBASE IV

Specific compatibility with dBASE IV is provided through the DBFMDX driver. It includes (.dbf), (.mdx), and (.dbt) file format compatibility and is described in detail in the previous chapter.

Summary

In this chapter, you were given an overview of the features and benefits of the DBFNDX RDD. You learned how to link this driver and how to use it in your applications, and were given an overview of the compatibility issues.

C5_FIND

Posted on by vivaclipper 
 FIND*
 Search an index for a specified key value
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Syntax

     FIND <xcSearchString>

 Arguments

     <xcSearchString> is part or all of the index key of a record to
     search for, and can be specified either as a literal string or as a
     character expression enclosed in parentheses.  If an expression is
     specified instead of a literal string, FIND operates the same as SEEK.

 Description

     FIND is a database command that searches an index for the first key
     matching the specified character string and positions the record pointer
     to the corresponding record.

     If SOFTSEEK is OFF and FIND does not find a record, the record pointer
     is positioned to LASTREC() + 1, EOF() returns true (.T.), and FOUND()
     returns false (.F.).

     If SOFTSEEK is ON, the record pointer is positioned to the record with
     the first key value greater than the search argument and FOUND() returns
     false (.F.).  In this case, EOF() returns true (.T.) only if there are
     no keys in the index greater than the search argument.

     FIND is a compatibility command and therefore not recommended.  Its
     usage is superseded entirely by the SEEK command.

 Examples

     .  These examples show simple FIND results:

        USE Sales INDEX Branch NEW
        FIND ("500")
        ? FOUND(), EOF(), RECNO()         // Result: .F. .T. 85
        FIND "200"
        ? FOUND(), EOF(), RECNO()         // Result: .T. .F. 5
        FIND "100"
        ? FOUND(), EOF(), RECNO()         // Result: .T. .F. 1

 Files   Library is CLIPPER.LIB.

See Also: EOF() FOUND() RECNO() SEEK SET INDEX SET ORDER

 

C5 Commands

Posted on by vivaclipper 
 ?|??            Display one or more values to the console
 @...BOX         Draw a box on the screen
 @...CLEAR       Clear a rectangular region of the screen
 @...GET         Create a new Get object and display it
 @...PROMPT      Paint a menu item and define a message
 @...SAY         Display data at a specified screen or printer row and column
 @...TO          Draw a single- or double-line box
 ACCEPT*         Place keyboard input into a memory variable
 APPEND BLANK    Add a new record to the current database file
 APPEND FROM     Import records from a database (.dbf) file or ASCII text file
 AVERAGE         Average numeric expressions in the current work area
 CALL*           Execute a C or Assembler procedure
 CANCEL*         Terminate program processing
 CLEAR ALL*      Close files and release public and private variables
 CLEAR GETS      Release Get objects from the current GetList array
 CLEAR MEMORY    Release all public and private variables
 CLEAR SCREEN    Clear the screen and return the cursor home
 CLEAR TYPEAHEAD Empty the keyboard buffer
 CLOSE           Close a specific set of files
 COMMIT          Perform a solid-disk write for all active work areas
 CONTINUE        Resume a pending LOCATE
 COPY FILE       Copy a file to a new file or to a device
 COPY STRUCTURE  Copy the current .dbf structure to a new database (.dbf) file
 COPY STRU EXTE  Copy field definitions to a .dbf file
 COPY TO         Export records to a database (.dbf) file or ASCII text file
 COUNT           Tally records to a variable
 CREATE          Create an empty structure extended (.dbf) file
 CREATE FROM     Create a new .dbf file from a structure extended file
 DELETE          Mark records for deletion
 DELETE FILE     Remove a file from disk
 DELETE TAG      Delete a tag
 DIR*            Display a listing of files from a specified path
 DISPLAY         Display records to the console
 EJECT           Advance the printhead to top of form
 ERASE           Remove a file from disk
 FIND*           Search an index for a specified key value
 GO              Move the pointer to the specified identity
 INDEX           Create an index file
 INPUT*          Enter the result of an expression into a variable
 JOIN            Create a new database file by merging from two work areas
 KEYBOARD        Stuff a string into the keyboard buffer
 LABEL FORM      Display labels to the console
 LIST            List records to the console
 LOCATE          Search sequentially for a record matching a condition
 MENU TO         Execute a lightbar menu for defined PROMPTs
 NOTE*           Place a single-line comment in a program file
 PACK            Remove deleted records from a database file
 QUIT            Terminate program processing
 READ            Activate full-screen editing mode using Get objects
 RECALL          Restore records marked for deletion
 REINDEX         Rebuild open indexes in the current work area
 RELEASE         Delete public and private memory variables
 RENAME          Change the name of a file
 REPLACE         Assign new values to field variables
 REPORT FORM     Display a report to the console
 RESTORE         Retrieve memory variables from a memory (.mem) file
 RESTORE SCREEN* Display a saved screen
 RUN             Execute a DOS command or program
 SAVE            Save variables to a memory (.mem) file
 SAVE SCREEN*    Save the current screen to a buffer or variable
 SEEK            Search an order for a specified key value
 SELECT          Change the current work area
 SET ALTERNATE   Echo console output to a text file
 SET BELL        Toggle sounding of the bell during full-screen operations
 SET CENTURY     Modify the date format to include or omit century digits
 SET COLOR*      Define screen colors
 SET CONFIRM     Toggle required exit key to terminate GETs
 SET CONSOLE     Toggle console display to the screen
 SET CURSOR      Toggle the screen cursor on or off
 SET DATE        Set the date format for input and display
 SET DECIMALS    Set the number of decimal places to be displayed
 SET DEFAULT     Set the CA-Clipper default drive and directory
 SET DELETED     Toggle filtering of deleted records
 SET DELIMITERS  Toggle or define GET delimiters
 SET DESCENDING  Change the descending flag of the controlling order
 SET DEVICE      Direct @...SAYs to the screen or printer
 SET EPOCH       Control the interpretation of dates with no century digits
 SET ESCAPE      Toggle Esc as a READ exit key
 SET EXACT*      Toggle exact matches for character strings
 SET EXCLUSIVE*  Establish shared or exclusive USE of database files
 SET FILTER      Hide records not meeting a condition
 SET FIXED       Toggle fixing of the number of decimal digits displayed
 SET FORMAT*     Activate a format when READ is executed
 SET FUNCTION    Assign a character string to a function key
 SET INDEX       Open one or more order bags in the current work area
 SET INTENSITY   Toggle enhanced display of GETs and PROMPTs
 SET KEY         Assign a procedure invocation to a key
 SET MARGIN      Set the page offset for all printed output
 SET MEMOBLOCK   Change the block size for memo files
 SET MESSAGE     Set the @...PROMPT message line row
 SET OPTIMIZE    Change the setting that optimizes using open orders
 SET ORDER       Select the controlling order
 SET PATH        Specify the CA-Clipper search path for opening files
 SET PRINTER     Toggle echo of output to printer or set the print destination
 SET PROCEDURE*  Compile procedures and functions into the current object file
 SET RELATION    Relate two work areas by a key value or record number
 SET SCOPE       Change the boundaries for scoping keys in controlling order
 SET SCOPEBOTTOM Change bottom boundary for scoping keys in controlling order
 SET SCOPETOP    Change top boundary for scoping keys in controlling order
 SET SCOREBOARD  Toggle the message display from READ or MEMOEDIT()
 SET SOFTSEEK    Toggle relative seeking
 SET TYPEAHEAD   Set the size of the keyboard buffer
 SET UNIQUE*     Toggle inclusion of non-unique keys into an index
 SET WRAP*       Toggle wrapping of the highlight in menus
 SKIP            Move the record pointer to a new position
 SORT            Copy to a database (.dbf) file in sorted order
 STORE*          Assign a value to one or more variables
 SUM             Sum numeric expressions and assign results to variables
 TEXT*           Display a literal block of text
 TOTAL           Summarize records by key value to a database (.dbf) file
 TYPE            Display the contents of a text file
 UNLOCK          Release file/record locks set by the current user
 UPDATE          Update current database file from another database file
 USE             Open an existing database (.dbf) and its associated files
 WAIT*           Suspend program processing until a key is pressed
 ZAP             Remove all records from the current database file

 

DB Management Systems

Posted on by vivaclipper

Database Management Systems (PDF)

C5 Database Commands

Posted on by vivaclipper

Database Commands and Statements

APPEND BLANK : 

Add a new record to current database file.

APPEND BLANK

APPEND FROM :

Import records from a (.dbf) or ASCII file

APPEND FROM <xcFile>
     [FIELDS <idField list>]
     [<scope>] 
     [WHILE <lCondition>] 
     [FOR <lCondition>]
     [SDF | DELIMITED [WITH BLANK | <xcDelimiter>] |
     [VIA <xcDriver>]]

AVERAGE :

Average numeric expressions in the current work area

AVERAGE <nExp list> TO <idVar list> 
     [<scope>] 
     [WHILE <lCondition>] 
     [FOR <lCondition>]

CLEAR ALL* :

Close files and release public and private variables.

CLEAR ALL

CLOSE :

Close a specific set of files

CLOSE [<idAlias> | ALL | ALTERNATE | DATABASES | FORMAT |INDEXES ]

COMMIT :

Perform a solid-disk write for all active work areas

COMMIT

CONTINUE :

Resume a pending LOCATE

CONTINUE

COPY STRUCTURE :

Copy the current (.dbf) structure to a new (.dbf) file

COPY STRUCTURE [FIELDS <idField list>] TO <xcDatabase>

COPY STRUCTURE EXTENDED :

Copy field definitions to a (.dbf) file

COPY STRUCTURE EXTENDED TO <xcExtendedDatabase>

COPY TO :

Export records to a new (.dbf) or ASCII file

COPY [FIELDS <idField list>] TO <xcFile>
     [<scope>] 
     [WHILE <lCondition>] 
     [FOR <lCondition>]
     [SDF | DELIMITED [WITH BLANK | <xcDelimiter>] |
     [VIA <xcDriver>]]

COUNT :

Tally records to a variable

COUNT TO <idVar>
     [<scope>] 
     [WHILE <lCondition>] 
     [FOR <lCondition>]

CREATE :

Create an empty structure extended (.dbf) file

CREATE <xcExtendedDatabase>

CREATE FROM :

Create a new (.dbf) file from a structure extended file

CREATE <xcDatabase> 
    FROM <xcExtendedDatabase> 
    [NEW]
    [ALIAS <xcAlias>] 
    [VIA <cDriver>]

DELETE :

Mark records for deletion

DELETE [<scope>] 
    [WHILE <lCondition>]
    [FOR <lCondition>]

FIELD :

Declare database field names

FIELD <idField list> [IN <idAlias>]

FIND* :

Search an index for a specified key value

FIND <xcSearchString>

GO :

Move the record pointer to a specific record

GO[TO] <nRecord> | BOTTOM | TOP

JOIN :

Merge two (.dbf) files to create a new (.dbf) file

JOIN WITH <xcAlias> TO <xcDatabase>
     FOR <lCondition> 
     [FIELDS <idField list>]

LOCATE :

Search sequentially for a record matching a condition

LOCATE [<scope>] 
    FOR <lCondition>
    [WHILE <lCondition>]

PACK :

Remove deleted records from a database file

PACK

RECALL :

Restore records marked for deletion

RECALL [<scope>] 
     [WHILE <lCondition>]
     [FOR <lCondition>]

REPLACE :

Assign new values to field variables

REPLACE <idField> WITH <exp>
    [, <idField2> WITH <exp2>...]
    [<scope>] 
    [WHILE <lCondition>] 
    [FOR <lCondition>]

SEEK :

Search an index for a specified key value

SEEK <expSearch>

SELECT :

Change the current work area

SELECT <xnWorkArea> | <idAlias>

SET DELETED :

Toggle filtering of deleted records

SET DELETED on | OFF | <xlToggle>

SET EXCLUSIVE :

Establish shared or exclusive USE of database files

SET EXCLUSIVE ON | off | <xlToggle>

SET FILTER :

Hide records not meeting a condition

SET FILTER TO [<lCondition>]

SET  MEMOBLOCK :

     Change the block size for memo files

     SET MEMOBLOCK TO <nSize>

SET PATH :

Specify the search path for opening files

SET PATH TO [<xcPathspec list>]

SET RELATION :

Relate two work areas by a key value or record number

SET RELATION TO [<expKey> | <nRecord> INTO <xcAlias>]
    [, [TO] <expKey2> | <nRecord2> INTO <xcAlias2>...]
    [ADDITIVE]

SET SOFTSEEK :

Toggle relative SEEKing

SET SOFTSEEK on | OFF | <xlToggle>

SET UNIQUE :

Toggle the inclusion of nonunique keys into an index

SET UNIQUE on | OFF | <xlToggle>

SKIP :

Move the record pointer to a new position

SKIP [<nRecords>] [ALIAS <idAlias> | <nWorkArea>]

SORT :

Copy to a (.dbf) file in sorted order

SORT TO <xcDatabase> ON <idField> [/[A | D][C]]
    [, <idField2> [/[A | D][C]]...]
    [<scope>] 
    [WHILE <lCondition>] 
    [FOR <lCondition>]

SUM :

Sum numeric expressions to variables

SUM <nExp list> TO <idVar list>
    [<scope>] 
    [WHILE <lCondition>] 
    [FOR <lCondition>]

TOTAL : 

Summarize records by key value to a (.dbf) file

TOTAL ON <expKey> FIELDS <idField list>
    TO <xcDatabase>
    [<scope>] 
    [WHILE <lCondition>] 
    [FOR <lCondition>]

UNLOCK :

Release file/record locks set by the current user

     UNLOCK [ALL]

UPDATE : 

Update current database file from another database file

UPDATE FROM <xcAlias>
   ON <expKey> [RANDOM]
   REPLACE <idField> WITH <exp>
   [, <idField2> WITH <exp2>...]

USE : 

Open an existing (.dbf) and its associated files

USE [<xcDatabase>
    [INDEX <xcIndex list>]
    [ALIAS <xcAlias>] 
    [EXCLUSIVE | SHARED]
    [NEW] [READONLY]
    [VIA <cDriver>]]

ZAP : 

Remove all records from the current database file

ZAP