| Command group | Flag affected | Reversible | Execute on client | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finding data | YES | YES | NO | All |
Find first on field-name ([Use search][,Use sort])
| Use search | If specified, the command uses the current search to select data |
| Use sort | If specified, the command uses the current sort field(s) to order the data |
This command automatically locates the first record in a file using the index for the specified field. If no field is given, the record sequence number is used. The main and connected files are read into the CRB if a valid first record is found. The flag is set false if no record is found.
You use the Use search option in conjunction with the specified indexed field to select the first record which fulfils the search specification. If the search is a calculation, the optimizer will choose the best index if the index field is left blank.
You use the Use Sort option in conjunction with the current sort fields (see Set sort field) to create a table of entries from the data file which are sorted into an order set by up to nine sort fields.
The find table is cleared if:
A Clear find table command is executed with the same main file setting.
A new Find is carried out on the same file.
A Next/Previous command with a new (non-blank) index or a Use Search or Exact match option where the original Find had none, is used.
If you use the Find first command within a reversible block, it is reversed when the method finishes, that is, the main and connected records are restored. However, if the data within the original record has been deleted or changed, it will not be possible to completely restore the buffer.
# Find the first account with a negative balance, but restore
# the original record when this method finishes
Begin reversible block
Set main file {fAccounts}
Set search as calculation {fAccounts.Balance<0}
Find first on fAccounts.Code (Use search)
End reversible block