The dBase Language
Command Description
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? Evaluates and displays the value of expressions
?? as above without first issuing a carriage return
@ SAY Displays an expression on the CRT or Printer
@ GET Displays a variable on the CRT for editing
ACCEPT Accepts Keyboard input to a variable
APPEND Add records to the end of a database
AVERAGE Average a numerical value between records
BROWSE Display and edit records in a tablular form
CALL Executes a binary file (module)
CANCEL Cancel the execution of the current program
CHANGE Change data in the database on the screen
CLEAR Clear the screen or data in fields, memory etc...
CLOSE Close a currently open file
CONTINUE Find the next match of the current LOCATE
COPY
COPYFILE
COUNT
CREATE
DELETE
DELETE FILE
DIR
DISPLAY
DISPLAY CMDS
DO
DO CASE
DO WHILE
EDIT
EJECT
ERASE
EXIT
EXPORT
FIND
GO
GOTO
IF
IMPORT
INDEX
INPUT
INSERT
JOIN
LABEL
LIST
LIST CMDS
LOAD
LOCATE
LOOP
MACRO (&)
MODIFY
MODIFY CMDS
(MODICOMM)
NOTE (*)
ON
PACK
PARAMETERS
PRIVATE
PROCEDURE
PUBLIC
QUERY
QUIT
READ
RECALL
REINDEX
RELEASE
RENAME
REPLACE
REPORT
RESTORE
RESUME
RETRY
RETURN
RUN/!
SAVE
SCREEN
SEEK
SELECT
SET
SKIP
SORT
STORE
SUM
SUSPEND
TEXT
TOTAL
TYPE
UPDATE
USE
VIEW
WAIT
ZAP
BOF() .T. if the record pointer is before the first
logical record of the file.
DBF() The name of the database file if one is open.
Null string if there isn't one open.
DELETED() .T. if record is marked for deletion.
EOF() .T. if the record pointer is after the last logical
record in the file.
FIELD((expN)) The name of the field in the database corresponding
to (expN). Valid numbers are 1...128. Invalid
numbers return a null string.
FOUND() .T. if a match was found for a previously issued
search command.
LUPDATE() Date of last update to database.
NDX((expN)) The name of the index file (from the list of index
files) which corresponds to (expN). A null string
if there is no index.
RECCOUNT() Number of records in the database.
RECNO() Number of the current record.
RECSIZE() Number of bytes needed by a record.
CDOW((expD)) The name of the day of the week used in (expD).
CMONTH((expD)) The name of the month used in (expD).
CTOD((expC)) Date of the (expC).
DATE() The system date in the SET DATE format.
DAY((expD)) Number indicating the day of the month.
DOW((expD)) Number of the day of the week used in (expD).
DTOC((expD)) Character string in the SET DATE format of (expD).
MONTH((expD)) Number of the month used in (expD).
YEAR((expD)) Number of the year used in (expD).
COL() The number representing the position of the cursor
on the screen.
DISKSPACE() The number of bytes left on the default disk.
ERROR() The error number of the last error that triggered
an ON ERROR command.
FILE((expC)) .T. if the file exists.
FKLABEL((expN)) The name of the function key corresponding to (expN).
FKMAX() The maximum number of programmable function keys.
GETENV((expC)) The character string contents of a system
environmental variable.
INKEY() The number (0...255) corresponding to the
ASCII code of the last key pressed.
ISCOLOR() .T. if the system is running in color.
MESSAGE() The error message matching the last error
number from ERROR().
OS() The name of the computer operating system.
PCOL() The number of the column where the print
head is located.
PROW() The number of the row where the print head
is located.
READKEY() The number representing the key used to exit
a full-screen command.
ROW() The number of the row where the cursor is located.
TIME() The system time in "hh:mm:ss" format.
TYPE((expC)) A single character code indicating the type of the
(expC) or the validity of the (expC).
VERSION() A character string representing the version of the
dBASE III PLUS executing.
ABS((expN)) The absolute value of the (expN).
EXP((expN)) The value of e to the (expN) power.
IIF((expL), (exp1), (exp2)) (exp1) if (expL) is evaluated to be .T.,
(exp2) if (expL) is .F. ((exp1) and (exp2)
must be the same data type).
INT((expN)) The integer portion of (expN).
LOG((expN)) The natural logarithm of (expN).
MAX((expN1), (expN2)) The value of the maximum of either (expN1)
or (expN2).
MIN((expN1), (expN2)) The value of the minimum of either (expN1)
or (expN2).
MOD((expN1), (expN2)) The remainder of (expN1) divided by (expN2).
ROUND((expN1), (expN2)) The value of (expN1) rounded to (expN2)
decimal places.
SQRT((expN)) The square root of the value of (expN).
STR((expN1), (expN2), [(expN3)]) The character string of (expN1),
(expN2) characters long with (expN3)
decimal places.
TRANSFORM((expN)/(expC1), (expC2)) A character string created from either
the (expN) or (expC1) in the format of
(expC2). Use @...SAY PICTURE options
to format.
VAL((expC)) The numeric value of the (expC).
ASC((expC)) The number representing the ASCII equivalent of the
leftmost character of the (expC).
AT((expC1), (expC2)) A number indicating the position of (expC1) inside
(expC2). Zero if (expC1) isn't there.
CHR((expN)) A character string indicating the ASCII equivalent
of the (expN).
ISALPHA((expC)) .T. if the first character of (expC) is a letter.
ISLOWER((expC)) .T. if the first character of (expC) is a lowercase
letter.
ISUPPER((expC)) .T. if the first character of (expC) is an
uppercase letter.
LEFT((expC), (expN)) A string containing the leftmost (expN)
characters from the (expC).
LEN((expC)) The length of the (expC).
LOWER((expC)) The lowercase equivalent of (expC).
LTRIM((expC)) (expC) with all leading blank characters
removed.
REPLICATE((expC), (expN)) A string containing (expN) repetitions of the
(expC).
RIGHT((expC), (expN)) A string containing (expN) characters from the
right of (expC).
RTRIM((expC)) (expC) with all the trailing blanks removed.
SPACE((expN)) A string of blanks (expN) characters in length.
STUFF((expC1), (expN1), Overlay (expC1) with (expC2), starting at
(expN2), (expC2)) (expN1) for (expN2) characters.
SUBSTR((expC), (expN1) A string which is (expN2) characters long and
[,(expN2)]) starts at (expN1) inside (expC).
TRIM((expC)) (expC) with all the trailing blanks removed.
UPPER((expC)) The uppercase equivalent of (expC).
SET ALTERNATE
SET CATALOG
SET COLOR
SET DATE
SET DECIMALS
SET DEFAULT
SET DELIMITERS
SET DEVICE
SET FIELDS
SET FILTER
SET FUNCTION
SET FORMAT
SET HISTORY
SET INDEX
SET MARGIN
SET MEMOWIDTH
SET MESSAGE
SET ORDER
SET PATH
SET PRINT
SET PROCEDURE
SET RELATION
SET TYPEAHEAD
SET VIEW
SET BELL ON/off Enables the console bell.
SET CARRY on/OFF Brings information from the last record into the
next record.
SET CENTURY on/OFF Makes all dates display with a 4 digit year
(e.g. 1985).
SET CONFIRM on/OFF Requires the user to press the Enter key before
dBASE III PLUS continues to the next GET.
SET CONSOLE ON/off Makes sure all information is displayed on the
screen.
SET DEBUG on/OFF Routes output of SET ECHO to the printer.
SET DELETED on/OFF Ignores all records marked for deletion.
SET DOHISTORY on/OFF Captures commands executed from a program file in
HISTORY.
SET ECHO on/OFF Echoes commands executed in a program to the screen.
SET ESCAPE ON/off Allows an executing program to be interrupted from the
keyboard with the Esc key.
SET EXACT on/OFF Requires an exact match for character string equality.
SET FIXED on/OFF Displays a fixed number of decimal places for numeric
output.
SET HEADINGS ON/off Displays field headings during the LIST and DISPLAY
operations.
SET HELP ON/off Asks the question, "Do you want some help? (Y/N)"
when you make a mistake.
SET INTENSITY ON/off Uses enhanced mode for full-screen commands.
SET MENUS ON/off Displays the cursor navigation menu during full-screen
commands.
SET SAFETY ON/off Reminds the user when he/she is about to overwrite an
already existing file.
SET SCOREBOARD ON/off Displays messages on the status bar or top line.
SET STATUS ON/off Displays the status bar at the bottom of all
full-screen operation.
SET STEP on/OFF Halts execution after each command.
SET TALK ON/off Puts command results on the screen.
SET TITLE ON/off Prompts for a file title when a catalog is in use.
SET UNIQUE on/OFF Includes in the index file only the first record of a
set of identical key values.
?/??
ÍÍÍÍ
Syntax : ? (expression list)
?? (expression list)
Description : ?/?? is the way to ask dBASE III PLUS a question and have the
answer displayed on the screen. ? poses the question and
the expression list tells dBASE III PLUS in its terms exactly
what should be shown. The expression list can include
any type expression.
See also : @...SAY, TEXT
APPEND
ÍÍÍÍÍÍ
Syntax : APPEND [BLANK]
APPEND FROM (file) [FOR (condition)]
[[TYPE] (file type)] /
[DELIMITED [WITH BLANK/(delimiter)]]
Description : Uses the full-screen data entry mode to add a BLANK
record to the active database file. APPEND FROM copies
records from the specified file to the end of the
active database file. Use the TYPE option to add records
from another file format. Use DELIMITED if the added
records have delimiters such as BLANK spaces or quotation
marks around each field.
Syntax : AVERAGE [(expN list)] [(scope)] [FOR (condition)]
[WHILE (condition)] [TO (memvar list)]
Description : Computes the arithmetic mean of numeric expressions.
All numeric fields in the database file are averaged
unless limited by the numeric expression list. The
TO phrase stores the results of the operation in
memory variables.
See also : COUNT, SUM
BROWSE
ÍÍÍÍÍÍ
Syntax : BROWSE [FIELDS (field list)] [LOCK (expN)]
[WIDTH (expN)] [FREEZE (field)] [NOFOLLOW]
[NOAPPEND] [NOMENU]
Description : Allows full-screen window editing of several records.
FIELDS specifies which fields to edit. LOCK defines the
number of leftmost fields which remain stationary while
panning. WIDTH defines editing width of character fields.
FREEZE edits a single field. NOFOLLOW displays the current
indexed record by replacing the record with the altered key
field. NOAPPEND prevents addition of new records to the
database file. NOMENU turns off the optional menu.
Questions:
See also:
Comments: