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DBIVPRE.VUE
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1988-11-02
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22KB
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609 lines
Summary of Some of the Proposed dBase IV Commands
(source October, 1988 DBMS Magazine Vol. 1, No. 2)
Note: Commands which are SET either ON or OFF,the default setting is
shown in uppercase letters.
@<row 1>,<coll>SAY...GET command has been greatly enhanced to provide
extended data validation, help, and custom prompts using the new
[[OPEN]WINDOW<window name>],[VALID<condition>],[ERROR <exp>], [WHEN
<condition>], [DEFAULT <exp>], [MESSAGE <expC>],and [COLOR[<standard>],
[<enhanced>]] clauses. The full syntax is: @<row1>, <col1> [[SAY <exp>
[PICTURE <clause>][FUNCTION <function list>]] [[GET <varible> [[OPEN]
WINDOW<window name>] [PICTURE <clause>] [FUNCTION <function list>]
[RANGE<low>,<high>] [[VALID<condition>][ERROR<expC>]] [WHEN<condition>]
[DEFAULT<exp>[MESSAGE<expC>][COLOR[<standard>],[<enhanced>]].
@<row 1>, <col1>FILL TO <row2,<col2>COLOR<color attribute> allows you to
rapidly change the display color attributes of a rectangular portion of
the screen.
@<row1>,<col1> TO <row2>,<col2>[DOUBLE/PANEL/NONE/< border definition
string>]COLOR<color attribute> has been enhanced to allow you to select
the characterts used to draw boxes on the screen and specify the color of
the box.
ACTIVATE MENU <menu name>[PAD<pad name>] displays a previously DEFINEd
horizontal bar menu and transfers control to that menu.
ACTIVATE POPUP <popup name>displays a previously DEFINEd pop-up menu and
transfers control to it.
ACTIVATE WINDOW <window name list>/ALL displays and activates the windows
contained in the name list or all windows. When a window is activated,
all screen input and output take place in that window.
APPEND FROM <file name>/?/ARRAY <array name>[FOR<condition>]
[[TYPE[DELIMITED[WITH BLANK/<delimiter>]/SDF /DIF /SYLK /WKS /FW2 /RPD
/dBASEII] has been enhanced to optionally append records to the database
from a named array, and supports new Lotus 1-2-3, Framework II, Rapidfile,
and dBase II filetypes.
APPEND MEMO<field name>FROM<file name>[OVERWRITE] appends the entire
contents of<file name> to the memo field specified in the current record.
If the OVERWRITE option is specified, the memo field is erased before the
file is read into the field.
AVERAGE [<expN list>][<scope>][FOR<condition>][WHILE<condition>]
[TO<memvar list>/TO ARRAY<array name>] replaces the valuses of one or more
array elements in the named array with the computed averages of the
specified elements.
BEGIN TRANSACTION [<path name>] instructs dBase IV to begin recording
subsequent modifications of data and index files in a transaction
log file. All transactions are recorded until an END TRANSACTION command
is encountered in the normal course of processing, or a ROLLBACK command
is issued.
BROWSE has been much improved with an enhanced menu bar and the ability to
edit memo fields. It can operate within a user-defined window with
automatic panning of fields. Within BROWSE, you can now display
calculated fields and data validation.
BROWSE nowsupports the [NOFOLLOW],[NOINIT],[NOMENU],[NOCLEAR],
[NOAPPEND],[NODELETE], AND [NOEDIT] options to maintain compatibility with
the Control Center browsing capability. The complete BROWSE syntax is as
follows:BROWSE[FIELDS<field>[/R<n>]/<calculated field id>...]][LOCK<expN>]
[FREEZE<field>][WIDTH<expN>][NOFOLLOW][NOINIT][NOMENU][NOCLEAR][NOAPPEND]
[NODELETE][NOEDIT][COMPRESS][WINDOW<window name>][FORMAT].
When using BROWSE in a multiuser environment, dBase IV now performs a
record lock only when you attempt to modify information contained in the
record without first attempting a manual record lock. If another user
changes information in a record that you are browsing, dBase IV will
automatically display the changed information on your screen.
BUILD is a dBase IV Developer's Edition stand alone utility with enhanced
COMPILE, DBLINK, and COPY capabilities. Given the root program name of an
application, BUILD is capable of compiling, linking, and copying the
entire application to distribution diskettes.
CALCULATE [<scope>][FOR<condition>][WHILE<condition>]
NPV()/STD()/VAR()/MIN() /MAX()/AVG()/SUM()/cnt()[TO<memvarlist>
/TOARRAY<array name>] processs records in the active database for the
financial function NPV() (net present value). It also handles the
statistical function of AVG() (arithmetic mean), CNT() (count records),
MAX() (maximum), MIN() (minimum), STD() (standard deviation), SUM() (sum
of values), and VAR() (variance).
CHANGE...now supports the [NOFOLLOW],[NOINIT],[NOMENU],[NOCLEAR],
[NOAPPEND],[NODELETE], and [NOEDIT] options to maintain compatibility with
enhanced EDIT command. The complete CHANGE syntax is: CHANGE
[<scope>][FIELDS<field list>][WHILE <condition>][FOR <condition>]
[NOFOLLOW][NOINIT][NOMENU][NOCLEAR][NOAPPEND][NODELETE] [NOEDIT].
CLEAR MENUS erases all horizontal bar menus from the screen and releases
them from memory. CLEAR MENUS also clears any active horizontal bar menus
ON SELECTION and ON PAD commands.
CLEAR POPUPS erases all pop-up menus from the screen and releases them
from memory. CLEAR POPUPS also clears any active pop-up menus ON
SELECTION commands.
CLEAR WINDOWS deactivates all windows, erases them from the screen, and
releases them fro memory. Any text obscured by an activated window is
restored.
COMPILE <file name> searches for a program source (.prg) file and
generates a program object (.dbo) file with the same file name.
Program object (.dbo) files are pre-parsed, so executation speed is
greatly increased with their use.
CONVERT TO <expN> adds a field to a database structure which contains
information required to do multiuser lock holder identification and change
detection. Upon execution, CONVERT adds the DBASELOCK field to the _
selected database. DBASELOCK is required to use the new CHANGE() and _
LKSYS() functions.
COPY INDEXES/TAG <NDX file list>/<tag list>[TO<MDX name.mdx>creates .mdx
tags in <MDX file name> with the same key expression as each .ndx file
name of .mdx tag specified.
COPY MEMO [<memo field name>]TO<file name>[ADDITIVE] copies the named memo
field to a new file, or adds the memo to an existing file if the ADDITIVE
keyword is used.
COPY STRUCTURE EXTENDED TO <file name> produces a database file containing
the new index option database file attribute in addition to field number,
name, type, and size.
COPY TAG <MDXtag>[OF<MDXname>]TO<ndx file name.ndx> creates a new .ndx
file with the same key expression as the .mdx tag. COPY TO <new file>
[<scope>][FIELDS<field list>][FOR<condition>][WHILE<condition>][[TYPE]
[DELIMITED[WITHBLANK/<delimiter>]/SDF/DIF/SYLK/WKS/FW2/RPD/dBASEII] now
supports Framework II, Rapidfile, and dBase II filetypes.
COPY TO ARRAY <array name>[<scope>][FIELDS<field list>][FOR <condition>]
[WHILE <condition>] replaces the values of one or more array elements in
the existing named array with fields from the database file currently in
USE.
CREATE <file name> now accepts both F and N data types for fixed and
floating point numbers, and will also accept the new index field database
field database field attribute. (See CREATE FROM.)
CREATE <new file> FROM<structure extended file> now creates a database
structure containing the index database field attribute in addition to the
field name, type, length, and decimal places (if applicable).
DBLINK <file name>/L is a Developer's Edition's standalone program capable
of joining together up to 256 related program object (.dbo) files into a
single object file for faster execution. DBLINK will automatically join
together any command, procedure, and format files referenced in <file
name> or other file called by <file name>.
DEACTIVATE MENU deactivates the active horizontial bar menu and erases it
from the screen, but does not release it from memory.
DEACTIVATE POPUP deactivates the active popup menu and erases it from the
screen, but does not release it from memory.
DEACTIVATE WINDOW <window name list>/ALL deactivates and clears the
specified windows from the screen. Any text obscured by a window when the
window was activated is restored. Any previously activated window is
reactivated, or dBase IV reverts to full-screen input and output.
Deactivated windows are not cleared from memory, and may be reactivated at
any time.
DEBUG <file name>/<procedure name>[WITH<parameter list>] invokes dBase
IV's new built in debugger on the specified file.
DECLARE<array definition list> creates the arrays specified in the array
definition list and sets aside a memory variable location for each element
of each array. An array may contain up to two separate element
dimensions.
DEFINEBAR <expN>OF<popup name>PROMPT<expC>[MESSAGE <expC>][SKIP[FOR
<condition>]] is used to specify a single option on a pop-up menu.
DEFINE BOX FROM<row1>,<col1>TO<row2>,<col2>HEIGHT<expN>[AT LINE <expN>]
[SINGLE/DOUBLE/Rborder definition stringS] established parameters for a
graphic box to be drawn on the printer with subsequent lines of output.
DEFINE MENU <menu name>[MESSAGE<expC>] allows you to define horizontal bar
menu.
DEFINE PAD <pad name>OF<menu name>PROMPT<expC>[AT<row>,<col>]
[MESSAGE<expC>] allows you to define a single horizontal bar menu option.
DEFINE POPUP <popup name>FROM<row1>,<col1>[TO<row2>,<col2>][PROMPT
FIELD<field name>/FILES [LIKE<skelton>]/STRUCTURE][MESSAGE<expC>] is used
to easily create popup menus under program control.
DEFINE WINDOW <window name>FROM<row1>,<col1>TO<row2>,<col2>[DOUBLE
/PANEL/NONE/Rborder definition stringS] [COLOR[<standard>][,,enhanced>]
[,<frame>]]allows you to specify the name, size, colors, and border
pattern of a window, and its location on the screen.
DELETE TAG <MDXtag1>[OF<MDXname>]/[<NDXtag1>][,<MDXtag2>[OF<MDXname>
/[<NDXtag2>]...] removes the specified index tag from the specified .mdx
files or closes the indicated .ndx files.
DISPLAY2[<scope>][[FIELDS]<expression list>][OFF][TO PRINTER]
[WHILE<condition>][FOR<condition>] has been enhanced to support the TO
PRINTER option.
DISPLAY FILES[LIKE<skelton>][TO PRINTER] has been enhanced to support the
TO PRINTER option.
DISPLAY HISTORY [LAST<expN>][TOP PRINTER] now supports the TO PRINTER
option.
DISPLAY MEMORY [TO PRINTER] has been enhanced to show pop-up menu
names, horizontal bar menu names and PADS, and the memory consumed by
each. This is in addition to memory variable names, data types, contents,
and the amount of available memory left. DISPLAY MEMORY now also supports
the TO PRINTER option.
DISPLAY STATUS [TO PRINTER/FILE<file name>] has been modified to display
both MDX and NDX information and now supports the TO PRINTER/FILE<file
name>option.
DISPLAY STRUCTURE [TO PRINTER][IN<alias name>] has been enhanced to
display a database structure in a work area other than one currently
selected, and now supports the TO PRINTER option.
DO <program file name>/<procedure name>[WITH <parameter list>] now
supports a optional list of parameters to be passed to the called program
or procedure file.
EDIT has been improved to provide all the features available in the
Control Center editing capability, described under the BROWSE command.
The complete syntax for EDIT is EDIT [FIELDS,field list>][<scope>]
[FOR<condition>][WHILE<condition>][NOFOLLOW][NOINIT][NOMENU]
[NOAPPEND][NODELETE][NOEDIT][NOCLEAR].
END PRINTJOB sends the ending printer codes (defined by the pecodes _
system memvar) to the printer, performs an EJECT if required by the
peject system memvar, and loops back to the begin PRINTJOB statement for_
the number of copies required by the pecopies system memvar. _
END TRANSACTION terminated an active transaction. When END TRANSACTION is
executed, dBASE IV closes and deletes the active transaction log file. In
addition, all active locks are released.
ENDSCAN closes off an active SCAN loop. Please see SCAN for more
information.
EXPORT TO<file name>[FIELDS<field list>][<scope>][FOR<condition>]
[WHILE<condition>][TYPE][PFS/FW2/RPD/dBASEII] now supports the following
types: FW@ (Framework II), RPD (Rapidfile), and dBASEII, as well as the
orginal PFS file type.
GO/GOTO BOTTOM/[RECORD] <expN>/TOP[IN<alias name>] has been enhanced to
move the record pointer in a work area other than one currently selected
for updating or changing.
INPORT FROM<file name>[TYPE][PFS,FW2/RPD/dBASEII] now supports the
following types: FW2 (Framework II), RPD(Rapidfile), and dBASEII as well
as the orginal PFS file type.
INDEX [ON <key expression>TO<NDX file name.ndx>/TAG<tag>][OF<filename>]
[UNIQUE][DESCENDING] has been vastly enhanced to allow for the creation of
.mdx files and greatly reduced execution time as well as descending index
tags in an .mdx file. Specifying the TO<NDX file name.ndx> option will
create a dBASE III PLUS type .ndx file, while specifying TAG<tag> will
create a new tag in the specified .mdx file. If the ,mdx file does not
exist, it is created.
LABEL FROM <label file name>/?[<scope>][FOR <condition>][WHILE
<condition>][SAMPLE][TO PRINTER/TO FILE,file name>] now supports the TO
FILE<file name> option which directs the label output to the named text
file.
LIST...now supports TO FILE<file name> in every instance. The full syntax
of the enhanced LIST commands is:
LIST[OFF][<scope>][FIELDS]<field list>][<expression list>][TO
PRINTER/TO FILE<file name>][WHILE<condition>][FOR<condition>]LIST
FILES[LIKE<skelton>][FOR<condition>]LIST FILES[LIKE<skelton>][TO
PRINTER/TO FILE<file name>LIST HISTORY[LAST<expN>][TO PRINTER/TOP
FILE<file name>LIST MEMORY[TO PRINTER/TO FILE<file name>][TO
PRINTER/TOFILE<file name>
LIST MEMORY has been enhanced to show window names, pop-up menu names,
horizontal bar menu names and PADS, and the memory consumed by each, in
addition to memory variable names, data types, contents, and the amount of
available memory remaining.
MODIFY COMMAND/FILE <file name>[WINDOW<window name>] will now search for a
program object(.dbo) file of the same name as the program source (.prg)
file and delete the old .dbo file when a new version of the .prg file is
saved, In this way, the .dbo files on disk will always represent the
latest version of a .prg or will be deleted. MODIFY COMMAND will delete
an older version of a .dbo even if an alternate editor is specified in
Config.db. If SAFETY is SET ON, a confirm message will display.
MODIFY COMMAND also now supports the WINDOW<window name> option,
allowing the editor to operate within a user-defined window area.
MODIFY STRUCTURE will now accept both N(fixed point) and F (floating
point) numeric data types. If a database structure is modified with index
files open, the indexes are now checked for validation and maintained
accordingly. MODIFY STRUCTURE also accepts the new database index field
attribute.
MOVE WINDOW TO<row1>,<col1>/BY<delta row>,Delta col> moves the active
window to the new absolute position specified by <row1>,<col1>, or the new
relative position specified by <delta row,<delta col>. MOVE WINDOW TO
also updates the window definition in memory to indicate the final
coordinates.
ON KEY[<key label name>][<command>] has been enhanced to trap specific
keys. Functions keys, shifted function keys, Alt-function keys,
Ctrl-function keys, and all other special keys available on the keyboard
may be trapped with ON KEY by using unique key labels.
ON PAD <pad name> OF <menu name> [ACTIVATE POPUP <popup name>] defines
which pop-up menu will be activated when the selection bar is positioned
to the prompt pad of the specified menu.
ON PAGE [AT LINE <expN><command>] allows you to specify the action to be
taken at a page break.
ON READERROR [<command>] executes the command when invalidf RANGE or VALID
conditions occur, or when an invalid date is entered into a date
variable. ON READERROR without arguments disables RANGE and VALID
checking.
ON SELECTION PAD <pad name> OF<menu name>[<command>] indicates the action
to be taken when a selection is made from a horizontal bar menu previously
DEFINEd and ACTIVATEd.
ON SELECTION POPUP <pop-up name>/ALL[<command>] indicates the action to be
taken when a selection is made from a pop-up menu previously DEFINEd and
ACTIVATEd. (See ON PAD, which defines pop-up menu direction.)
PLAY MACRO <macro name> will replay a macro created at the Control Center.
PRINTER <printer int>=<file name string>[NAME<name string>][DEVICE<device
string>] has been added to dBASEIV to load a printer driver into memory
and operationally specify an output device other than LPT1 (such as LPT2,
COM1, etc. ) Up to four printer drivers may be laoded at one time.
PRINTER<printer int>FONT<font int>=<begin code>,<end code>[NAME<font name
string>] allows up to five font definitions to be loaded for each printer
driver loaded. Each font definition must specify the beginning and ending
printer control codes, and may optionally specify a font name.
PROTECT is now available from the dot prompt, and is no longer an external
utility.
PUBLIC<memory variable list>/ARRAY,array definition list>] can now declare
both memory variables and arrays to be PUBLIC.
REINDEX has been enhanced to support .mdx files and tags.
RELEASE MENUS [<menu name list>] erases the named horizontal bar menus
from the screen and releases it from memory. Any associated ON PAD and ON
SELECTION commands associated with the <menu name> are also released.
RELEASE POPUPS [<popup name list>] erases the named pop-up menus from the
screen and releases them from memory. Any associated ON SELECTION
commands associated with the <popup name> are also released.
RELEASE WINDOWS [<window name list>] deactivates the specified windows,
restores any text obscured by the windows, and releases the window
definition from memory.
REPLACE <field name> WITH <exp>[,<field name> WITH <exp>...][<scope>]
[WHILE]<condition>][FOR<condition>][ADDITIVE} will now automatically
convert between character strings and meno fields and vice versa. In
addition, the ADDITIVE clause may now be used with replace to build
up a memo field from several character strings.
REPORTING FORM <report form file name>/?[PLAIN][READING<expC>]
[NOEJECT][SUMMARY][<scope>][FOR <condition>][TO PRINTER/TO FILE <file
name>] now supports the TO FILE<file name> option which directs report
output to the named text file.
RESET [IN ALIAS <alias name>] resets the integrity (transaction in
progress) flag in the specified database header.
RESTORE MACROS FROM <macro file> retrieves the macros contained in the
specified macro file.
RESTORE WINDOW <window name list>/ALL FROM<window file> restores either
all or the specified window definitions previously saved with the SAVE
WINDOW command.
RETURN [TO MASTER] [<exp>] has been enhanced to return an expression when
used in a user defined function.
ROLLBACK [<database file name>} attempts to restore each database and
index file involved in the current transactionto its state prior to the
inition of the current transaction.
SAVE MACROS TO <macro file> will save any defined macros to the specified
macro file. If no file extension is given, the file is given the default
.mcr extension.
SAVE WINDOW <window name list>/ALL TO <window file> saves either ALL or
the named window definitions to the specified window file. If no file
extension is given, the file is given the default .win extension.
SCAN [<scope>][FOR<condition>][WHILE<condition>][<commands>][EXIT]
[LOOP]ENDSCAN establishes a loop to process database records meeting the
specified condition. SCAN/ENDSCAN is similar to DO WHILE/ENDO, but
affords more flexibility in programming and offers cleaner syntax. (See
also ENDSCAN for more information.)
SHOW MENU <menu name>[PAD <pad name>] displays a previously defined
horizontal bar menu on the screen without activating it. (See also:
DEFINE BAR and DEFINE MENU.)
SHOW POPUP <popup name> displays the previously defined pop-up menu on the
screen without activating it.
SKIP [<expn>][IN<alias name>] has been enhanced to move the record pointer
in a work area other than one currently selected.
SORT {<scope>]TO<new file name>ON<field name>[/A][/C][/D][,<field 2>[/A]
[/C][/D]...] WHILE<condition>][FOR <condition>][ASCENDING/DESCENDING]now
supports both ASCENDING and DESCENDING options.
SUM [<expN list>][<scope>][FOR<condition>][WHILE<condition>]
[TO<memvar list>/TO ARRAY<array name>[ON<field>]] replaces the values of
one or more memory variables or array elements in an existing array with
the computed sums of the specified database elements.
TYPE <file name>[TO PRINTER][NUMBER] has a new option to insert line
numbers in a displayed or printed file. A page heading showing the file
name, date and page number is automatically included unless SET HEADING is
OFF.
UNLOCK [ALL][IN<alias name>] has been enhamced to release record or file
locks in a work area other than one currently selected.
USE [<DBF name>/?][IN<waexpN>][INDEX<NDXfile 1>/<MDXfile 1>[,<NDXfile
2/MDXfile>...]][ORDER<NDXtag>/<MDXtag>[OF<MDX name>]]] [ALIAS<alias name>]
[NOLOG] has been enhanced to support ,mdx files and allow databases to be
opened in a work area other than the one currently selected. USE also has
a new ORDER option which allows the master or controlling index to be
specified when the database is opened. If the NOLOG option is specified,
the USEd file is exempted from transaction processing.
End of Article. November 2, 1988