'ProvideX v8.20 Language Reference' by Sage Software Canada Ltd.

ProvideX V8.20 > Language Reference > 2. Directives

130

FIND Directive

Locate and Read Data

Format

FIND (chan[,fileopt])varlist

Where:

chan

Channel or logical file number of the file from which to read the data.

Supported file options (see also, File Options, p.808):

fileopt

BSY=stmtref Traps Error #0: Record/file busy

DOM=stmtref Missing record transfer

END=stmtref END-OF-FILE transfer

ERR=stmtref Error transfer

IND=num Record index

KEY=string$ Record key

KNO=num | name$ File access key number (num) or name (name$)

REC=name$ Record prefix (REC=VIS(string$) can also be used)

RNO=num Record number

RTY=num Number of retries (one second intervals)

SIZ=num Number of characters to read

TBL=stmtref Data translation table

TIM=num Maximum time-out value in integer seconds.

Comma-separated list of variables, literals, and IOL= options.

varlist

stmtref

Program line number or label to transfer control to.

Description

Use FIND to read data from the file (channel) you specify. When ProvideX reads the

data, it's split into one or more fields (either separated by the current delimiter or

defined by an embedded format with headers, etc.). The contents of the first field are

placed in variable 1, the second field in variable 2, and so on.

ProvideX automatically converts numeric data when executing a FIND statement and

moving numerics into variables. Numeric data converted during a FIND directive does

parameters for European decimal settings.

If you want to skip a field, use an asterisk * as a place holder for the variable name. If

you include more variables in a FIND directive than there are fields in the record,

ProvideX initializes the additional variables to either zero (for a numeric variable) or

a null string (for a string variable). If successful, FIND advances the file position to

the next record (or the record you specify if you use a KEY= or IND= option). Use

the KNO= option to change the current file access key.

Note: If the record is not found when reading using a KEY= or IND= option, the

current file position is not changed (unlike READ).