Hello Focus world,

I have a module that runs error free but leaves the foc$hold.mas behind, however, it doesn't leave the foc$hold.foc behind. Does anyone know what can cause this?

I know I can write the file out to temporary space and then COPY it, I know I can delete it, I know I can create a real FOCUS database. I'm just curious why it would suddenly be left behind since this has been running for a couple of years without problems. BTW, I also know it's not a multi-user thing, because I was able to run it without contention.

Thanks,
Carol

I sometimes use the APP HOLDMETA and APP HOLDDATA commands to save the temporary hold and master files for future use. I also occasionally use SET TEMPERASE=OFF to save the temporary files within the EDATEMP directories. Are you using any of these? Where do you find the FOC$HOLD.mas file, in one of the EDATEMP directories?

APP HOLD folder - is issued right before the file I need to save.
I'm deleting the stray foc$hold.mas right after, just curious as to what could cause it.

Thanks,

Carol

carol, try grabbing ahold of your path right before your process
-SET &MYPATH = TEMPPATH(40,'A40');
use the temppath command
see what your path really is.
maybe some odd SET TEMPDIR command is operating.
but at least if your &MYPATH turns out to be the dir where the foc$hold.mas is appearing, you'll know all is right with the focworld, and you'll just have to figure out why your path is getting set funky.

Carol,

Issuing APP HOLD foldername to direct the ON TABLE HOLD FORMAT FOCUS will set the path for all the temporary work that goes on during the creation of the FOCUS file. That means that the "temporary" foc$hold files will be written to that folder as well as your resultant FOCUS file. However, unlike the EDATEMP folder, WF doesn't clean up the foc$hold files .

One way or another you will have to do some clean up for yourself I'm afraid - even if you choose to HOLD and then copy from the EDATEMP dir.

T

Aha, I guess the disconnect is - I didn't realize that WF did not clean up the foc$hold files. Sorry! My memory is not what it used to be!

Thanks Tony!

Carol,

They would be cleaned up if they were written to the EDATEMP folder, it's only because you wanted to capture the FOCUS file in an app folder and all the preparatory work is done in the same folder.

T

You can use an APP DELETEF command to delete the FOC$HOLD files.

In our instance we commonly use
APP HOLD USERFILES

when creating a FOCUS formatted HOLD file like:
ON TABLE HOLD AS CARFOC FORMAT FOCUS

Then at the end of the focexec we issue the following commands to clean up FOC$HOLD files:

APP DELETEF USERFILES FOC$HOLD MASTER
APP DELETEF USERFILES FOC$HOLD FOCTEMP