BFILE

SUNDB86A & SUNDB86M Only

The BFILE instruction defines a Btrieve format data file. Btrieve is a method of retrieving data records using one or more key specifications. It uses one of the following formats:

Where:

label

Optional. A Program Execution Label.

*

Optional. Denotes the item as being COMMON.

^

Optional. Denotes the item as being a POINTER.

target

Optional. The name of a previously defined data item of the same type.

Flags Affected: NONE

Note the following:

1. A BFILE label must have been defined with a File Definition instruction before being referenced in a BTRIEVE I/O instruction.

2. BFILE definitions reference one physical file on the system. If multiple keys are used for the Btrieve file, they are all maintained within the same file.

3. If the operand field contains an asterisk (*), the file is a Common Data Item. An attempt is made to maintain the open status (with existing file pointers intact) of a corresponding file declaration in the program that initiated the chain. However, if the UDA of the chained to program is not in alignment (same File Definition types, sizes, and locations) with those in the program that initiated the CHAIN, a CHAIN error occurs.

4. The Btrieve record manager must be loaded for BTRIEVE file I/O to function correctly. This is not supplied by Sunbelt Computer Software.

5. The ^ denotes a Pointer Variable.

See Also: Example Code, File Definitions, Disk I/O Instructions