DISPLAY
Display records to the console
Syntax
DISPLAY <exp list> [TO PRINTER] [TO FILE <xcFile>] [<scope>] [WHILE <lCondition>] [FOR <lCondition>] [OFF]
Arguments
<exp list> is the list of values to display for each record processed.
TO PRINTER echoes output to the printer.
TO FILE <xcFile> echoes output to the indicated file which can be specified either as a literal file name or as a character expression enclosed in parentheses. If an extension is not specified, .txt is added.
<scope> is the portion of the current database file to DISPLAY. The default is the current record, or NEXT 1. If a condition is specified, the scope becomes ALL.
WHILE <lCondition> specifies the set of records meeting the condition from the current record until the condition fails.
FOR <lCondition> specifies the conditional set of records to DISPLAY within the given scope.
OFF suppresses the display of the record number.
Description
DISPLAY is a database command that sequentially accesses records in the current work area, sending the results of the <exp list> to the console in a tabular format with each column separated by a space. The command does not display column headers or pause at predetermined intervals. DISPLAY is identical to LIST with the exception that its default scope is NEXT 1 rather than ALL.
When invoked, output is sent to the screen and optionally to the printer and/or a file. To suppress output to the screen while printing or echoing output to a file, SET CONSOLE OFF before the DISPLAY command line.
Notes
. Interrupting output: To let the user interrupt the processing of a DISPLAY command, using the INKEY() function, add a test for the interrupt key press to the FOR condition. See the example below. . Printer margin: Since DISPLAY is a console command, it honors the current SET MARGIN for output echoed to the printer.
Examples
. This example illustrates a simple DISPLAY, and a conditional DISPLAY to the printer: USE Sales NEW DISPLAY DATE(), TIME(), Branch DISPLAY Branch, Salesman FOR Amount > 500 TO PRINTER . This example interrupts a DISPLAY using INKEY() to test whether the user pressed the Esc key: #define K_ESC 27 USE Sales INDEX SalesMan NEW DISPLAY Branch, Salesman, Amount WHILE ; INKEY() != K_ESC
Seealso
DBEVAL(), INKEY(), LIST, SET MARGIN