Hi, I am new to focus and would like to clarify the following doubt which amy be basic.

Here the focus procedure using two file EMPLOY01 and EMPDEPT01 with EMP-ID as the key field.

DEFINE FILE EMPLOY01
EFLAG/A1 = 'E' ;
END
-*-
TABLE FILE EMPLOY01
SUM EFLAG
BY EMP_ID ON TABLE HOLD AS EMPRPT2
END
-*-
JOIN CLEAR *
JOIN EMP_ID IN EMPDPT01 TO EMP_ID IN EMPLOY01 AS JE1
-*-
DEFINE FILE EMPDPT01
EFLAG/A1 = 'E' ;
END
-*-
TABLE
FILE EMPDPT01
SUM EFLAG
BY EMP_ID ON TABLE SAVB AS EMPRPT2
END
-*-
-RUN
-*-
TABLE FILE EMPRPT2
SUM EFLAG
BY EMP_ID
ON TABLE SAVE AS EMPRPT4
END

My understanding is sum by is like sorting out the unique EMP-IDs from EMPLOY01 file and add Flag "E" after EMP-ID in output file.
But ,as we see the EMPRPT2 is written twice (first as HOLD from employ01 file and next as SAVB from EMPDEPT01)
So what does EMPRPT2 actually contain (Is it a concatenation of EMP-IDS in both EMPLOY01 file and EMPDEPT01 file?)
What is the significance of "-RUN " command?

Can someone expalain why it was coded this way?

Thanks
Harsha.gsh

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kerry,

Any experience FOCUS user can explain what this code does but only the author could explain WHY it was done this way.

Maybe it would be better to describe what the purpose is so we can write something for you that will acheive what you're trying to do.

This code is not well written but without knowing what is supposed to do it's difficult to judge.

OPALTOSH is correct, but to answer your questions, EMPRPT2 will contain what ever was in the SAVB step which means that is what is in the EMPRPT4 file as well. If the intent was to append the data, there needs to be a FILEDEF with the APPEND attribute added before the TABLE with the SAVB. In this fex, the -RUN servers no purpose.

Thanks for clarifying my doubts.

If you want to append the data you could also use MORE.