Macro Command Help FILE

 

Macro Command Name	Menu Path	Link to Command Table
FILE	Access via macro or menu only	Click here

• Introduction

• Notes

• Example

• Errors

Introduction

Detects the existence of a database file from within a menu or macro, and, optionally, the number of records in the file.

How to use

The format is:-

!FILE <var1>=<filename>,<var2>=recs

where	<var1>	is a substitution variable.
	<filename>	is the name of the database file.
	<var2>	is a second substitution variable.

 

Note that the name recs is not checked; any name following the = is permitted. The structure is defined for consistency, and to allow future extension of the format.

The variable <var1> will be set to 0 if the file does not exist, or there is a file read error, or the file has no read access for the current usercode. If the file exists, the Data Definition can be read, and read permission is granted, <var1> becomes 1.

The optional variable <var2> will be set to the number of records in the file. This will be zero if <var1> is zero.

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Notes

A message will be sent to the display if the file does not exist, or read permission is denied, or there is a read error or any of the specified fields do not exist.

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Example

1.	Check that the file COLLARS exists and set the variable $recs# to the number of records in the file.
	!FILE    $exist#=COLLARS, $recs#=RECS

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Error and Warning Messages

Message	Description	Solution
>>> !FILE:  SUBSTITUTION VARIABLE OR FILE NAME OR RECS MISSING or 8 CHARACTERS <<< <listing of command line>   >>> ERR 89 <<< (       0) IN MACGET	The command is malformed.  Fatal;  the macro or menu is cancelled.	Check the command syntax.

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