I have a program that uses FIXFORM to read a flat file into the SPA. Within the same program the user then scrolls through and selects a record they want to update by entering an "S" against one of the records displayed. User is then presented with a screenful of data regarding that record allowing user to update or cancel the input. User is then taken back to the first page of the same SPA but now the "S" is still being displayed against the record the user just chose. How can I clear this value?

Normally I would be reading a Focus database and could just repopulate the SPA again but I cant do that because Im reading from a flat file within the same .FEX and can only read the file once.

Any ideas how to clear the selection field of the record the user has just chosen?

It's been quite awhile since I've done MODIFYs but my guess would be to just recompute the selection field = ' ' after the update.

Have tried that but it's not working. My manager and I are in agreement it cant be done wihtout repopulating the SPA.

Thanks anyway

special-K, buy me a vowel...what is an SPA?
In your 'screenful of data', where you allow the user to UPDATE or CANCEL, the UPDATE would call the modify routine, and then rerun the initial page, yes? so therefore, the CANCEL routine would have to do exactly the same thing except bypass the modify routine, and just rerun the inital page. Does that make sense?
I have a similar usage...i have a pop up window that allows the user to enter some changes, but also requires the proper password. if the password isn't correct, the window closes and the original report re-runs, unchanged.

SPA or Scratch Pad Area is a sort of cache that is used internally within MODIFY and is generally tied up with CRTFORM, GETHOLD, HOLDINDEX etc.

As Rick says, it is a while since many of us have used MODIFY to this extent so if there is a solution within IB it is likely to come from some of the more experienced people such as Ben, Art, Noreen. So, imho, it would be best to raise a inforesponse case for this.

T

Special-K (Slimmer?),

You do not state what release or platform you are using but the alternative is to migrate to MAINTAIN for your process.

Have a look at this link for some hints.

T

You should not have to relaod the spa unless your looking to get updated values. Can you post the case where you are trying to reset the 'S' to a blank? You should be able to loop throught the spa and use a gethold to retrieve the record. Then compute the indicator from 'S' to blank. Then HOLD the record back into the spa.

I'm not a modify guru but I did not know modify could even update a flat file. I thought it would only be able to update databases (vsam, focus,db2,ims,etc). Is that what is being attempted here?

I've come to the conclusion it isnt possible to clear the selection field and am quite happy to close this problem.

If your still interested, it can be done.
Call be at 248-318-0205 cell and I can help you out. (mark). It depends on how it's coded.

If SEL/A1 is the selector column,
and ROW/I5 is the selected row:

-* copy all SPA columns to their vars
COMPUTE
HOLDINDEX = ROW;
GETHOLD
-* revise value, restore position, refresh the row
COMPUTE
SEL=' ';
HOLDINDEX = ROW;
HOLD SEL