5 replies to this topic

[Richard Bassett]

[Native Development but probably applies elsewhere too]

I've just had a very interesting little 'experience' which I will relate in a following post..

First though, I'd like to ask forum users what they think setting the PARTIAL flag to Y is supposed to mean in:

1/ Report Characteristics
2/ Update Characteristics

Thanks for your input.

[Rob Donovan]

Hi,

I never use it... But

I think its for AutoSeq files...

If your AutoSeq file has 2 keys (2nd one being the SEQ) then if you set the first key if Def Logic, and do no SEL-XXXX command and have the PARTIAL flag set, then it will do the equiv of doing a SEL-ONLY(KEY1)

Rob D.

[Richard Bassett]

I don't use it either but I've had to deal with some code that did..

It certainly doesn't seem to mean simply what you suggest.

What the ProIV (V4.6) docs say is also 'interesting' although apparently wrong..

I'll be interested to see what other opinions there are.

Thanks for the response,
Richard

[John Hamlin]

I believe that it is supposed to work the way Rob explained. That is that it is the same as a 'sel-partial(key1)' command in default logic. That is the way it worked in version 1.5. I've found however that it no longer works from at least version 4.0 on up. Having migrated a great many functions from 1.5 to 4.0 and beyond I've found that you have to put the command in default logic or you don't get the 'partial select'.
John H.

[Steve Jenkins]

I had a nice little surprise with this flag the other day too.

I never, ever use the thing and haven't checked the manual on this one for years. I was faced with a non auto seq file so I guessed it would have done the equivalent of a SEL-PARTIAL using whatever keys you had set. Wrong!

I was a surprised to find even with some keys set it started at the beginning of the file and read it right through to the end regardless of the keys being set. A SEL command brought it back under control though.

It's good to see I'm not the only one who can't tame the ProIV beast. You can teach it to sit, lie down and even give you paw, but if you try teaching it to rollover, it will hump your leg.

(The name of the coder responsible for this beauty has been deliberately withheld to protect his innocence.)

[Richard Bassett]

Quite, although checking the manual would have helped you not at all (see separate post)

Cheers, Richard