***************************************************************

INDEX Command

See Also Example

Collapse All Expand All

Creates an index file containing one or more indexes for displaying and accessing table records
in a specified order.

Note:

You cannot create primary indexes with the INDEX command. If you want to create a primary
index using the Visual FoxPro language, use the SQL CREATE TABLE or ALTER TABLE commands.

Caution:

Replacing an index key field changes the relative position for the current record in the index.
Therefore, use caution if you perform an operation such as REPLACE ALL or SCAN ... ENDSCAN
while changing the index for the scope. This also applies to REPLACE operations on indexes
created with a FOR clause.

INDEX ON eExpression TO IDXFileName | TAG TagName [BINARY]

[COLLATE cCollateSequence] [OF CDXFileName] [FOR lExpression]

[COMPACT] [ASCENDING | DESCENDING] [UNIQUE | CANDIDATE] [ADDITIVE]

Parameters

eExpression
Specifies an index expression that determines the order in which Visual FoxPro displays and
processes records. eExpression can be a simple expression, such as the name of one or more
fields from the current table, or a more complex expression containing Visual FoxPro functions,
constants, and so on. Visual FoxPro generates index keys based on eExpression and stores
them in an index file that you specify. The index file does not affect the physical order of how
records are stored in the table.

Note:

For a standalone index (.idx) file, the length of an index key must be between 1 and 100
characters. For a compound index (.cdx) file, the length of an index key must be between 1 and
240 characters.

With some collating sequences, or when using double-byte character set (DBCS) characters,
each character in the index expression uses two characters in the index key. In these cases, the
length of the index expression is limited to 50 or 120 characters, respectively.

Caution:

Using RECNO( ) in the index expression for a table buffered cursor corrupts the index and
causes an endless loop.

For more information about index expressions, see Index Creation Based on Expressions and
Considerations for Creating Index Expressions.

TO IDXFileName

Specifies the name of a standalone index (.idx) file for storing a single index key as generated
by eExpression.

Tip:

You can override the default index file name extension by including a different extension or by
changing the default index extension in the Visual FoxPro configuration file. When creating
index files, observe standard Windows rules for naming files, which include long file names.
For more information about index files, see Visual FoxPro Index Files.

TAG TagName

Specifies the name, or tag, for the index generated by eExpression and stored in a compound
index (.cdx) file. Tag names must begin with a letter or an underscore (_) and can consist of any
combination of up to 10 letters, digits, or underscore characters.

Note:

The number of tags in a .cdx file is limited only by available memory and disk space. If a .cdx
file for the table already exists and is open, issuing INDEX with TAG TagName adds a tag to the
open .cdx file. If you create an index tag without specifying the name of the index file, Visual
FoxPro adds the tag automatically to the table's structural .cdx file.

For more information about index files, see Visual FoxPro Index Files.

[COLLATE cCollateSequence]

Specifies a collation sequence other than the default setting, MACHINE. cCollateSequence
must be a valid Visual FoxPro collation sequence. For more information about setting collation
sequences, see Optimizing International Applications and SET COLLATE Command.

[OF CDXFileName]

Specifies the name of a nonstructural compound index (.cdx) file for storing the index, or tag,
as generated by eExpression. Omitting this clause creates a structural .cdx file, while including
this clause creates a nonstructural .cdx file. For more information about index files, see Visual
FoxPro Index Files.

[FOR lExpression]

Specifies a filter expression that selects only those records that match the filter expression for
display and access.

Tip:
If lExpression can be optimized, Rushmore technology optimizes the FOR clause in the INDEX
command. For best performance, use an expression that can be optimized in the FOR clause.
For more information, see SET OPTIMIZE and Using Rushmore Query Optimization to Speed
Data Access.

For more information about filter expressions, see How to: Filter Data.

[COMPACT]

Creates a compact index (.idx) file. Compact .idx files are small and more quickly accessible.

Note:

When creating a compound index (.cdx) file, it is not necessary to include COMPACT.
Compound index files are always compact.

For more information, see How to: Create Less Frequently Used Indexes.

[ASCENDING | DESCENDING]

Specifies an order for displaying and accessing records indexed by a compound index (.cdx)
file. ASCENDING specifies an ascending order for displaying and accessing records. By default,
Visual FoxPro displays and accesses records in ascending order. However, you can include
ASCENDING as a reminder of how records are displayed. DESCENDING specifies a descending
order for displaying and accessing records.

Note:

You cannot use DESCENDING when creating standalone index (.idx) files; however, you can
specify a descending order for an .idx file using the SET INDEX and SET ORDER commands. For
more information, see SET INDEX Command and SET ORDER Command.

[UNIQUE | CANDIDATE]
Creates a unique or candidate index. UNIQUE stores the matching index key only for the first
record that matches the specified index expression. The index key is stored as the only key in a
standalone (.idx) file or as an index tag in a compound index (.cdx) file. Any other index keys
for records that match the index expression are excluded from the index file.

Note:

Using UNIQUE does not prevent duplicate records from being entered in the table. It only
prevents duplicate index keys from being added to the index file. When a duplicate record is
changed so that its index key is changed for an active UNIQUE index or index tag, the index or
index tag is updated. However, Visual FoxPro cannot display or access the next duplicate
record with the original index key until you use the REINDEX command to reindex the file. For
more information, see REINDEX Command.

Using UNIQUE is identical to executing SET UNIQUE ON before issuing INDEX or REINDEX. For
more information, see SET UNIQUE Command. CANDIDATE stores an index tag to a structural
compound index (.cdx) file only; otherwise, Visual FoxPro generates an error message.

Note:

Candidate indexes do not permit duplicate values in fields. If you create a candidate index for
one or more fields that contain duplicate values, Visual FoxPro generates an error.

For more information about candidate indexes, see Visual FoxPro Index Types. For more
information about index files, see Visual FoxPro Index Files.

[ADDITIVE]

Keeps open any previously opened index files. Omitting the ADDITIVE clause closes any
previously opened index files except the structural compound index (.cdx) files.

Note:

The number of index files that you can keep open is limited only by memory and system
resources. In Visual FoxPro, the FILES setting in the Windows Config.sys configuration file
determines the total number of files you can open.
[BINARY]

Creates a binary index. For more information about binary indexes, see Visual FoxPro Index
Types.

Note:

When specifying an index expression for eExpression, you must specify a valid logical
expression that does not evaluate to a null value. If the index expression for a binary index is
changed so that it evaluates to a null value, Visual FoxPro generates an error.

When using binary indexes, you cannot use the FOR clause to specify a filter expression or the
ASCENDING, DESCENDING, UNIQUE, or CANDIDATE keywords. Visual FoxPro does not support
the SET ORDER command when setting to a binary index tag. If you attempt to set order to a
binary tag, Visual FoxPro generates an error, and the current order remains at its prior setting.
Visual FoxPro does not support SEEK operations or standalone single-key (.idx) indexes with
binary indexes.

Remarks

A structural .cdx file can become dissociated from its table if the index file cannot be located, is
deleted, or renamed. When you open a table that has a dissociated structural .cdx file, a dialog
box appears. When you click Cancel in the dialog box, the table does not open.

Caution:

Clicking Ignore opens the table; however, it also removes the table header flag that indicates
that an associated structural (.cdx) file exists.

Tip:

To reassaociate the structural .cdx file, issue the following command and specify the name of
the table as TableName and the name of the dissociated structural .cdx file as CDXFileName.
 Copy Code

USE TableName INDEX CDXFileName

If the table has been modified, make sure to index the table again.

To report the number of records indexed during the indexing process, set the SET TALK
command to ON. To specify the record interval displayed during indexing, use the SET
ODOMETER command. For more information, see SET TALK Command and SET ODOMETER
Command.

To obtain information about open index files, use the DISPLAY STATUS Command. DISPLAY
STATUS lists the names of all open index files, their types, their index expressions, and the
name of the master, or controlling, index file or tag. The number of index files that you can
open is limited only by memory and system resources.

Example

Example 1

The following example closes all databases with the CLOSE DATABASES command and opens
the Visual FoxPro sample database, TestData.dbc, with the OPEN DATABASE command and the
Customer table with the USE command.

The INDEX command creates a standalone index (.idx) file named Complist based on the
Company field. The CLEAR command clears the Visual FoxPro main window, and the DISPLAY
STATUS command displays information about the index file, Complist.

Copy Code

CLOSE DATABASES

OPEN DATABASE (HOME(2) + 'Data\TestData')

USE Customer

INDEX ON Company TO Complist

CLEAR
DISPLAY STATUS

Example 2

The following example closes all databases with the CLOSE DATABASES command and opens
the Visual FoxPro sample database, TestData.dbc, with the OPEN DATABASE command and the
Customer table with the USE command.

The INDEX command creates a standalone index (.idx) file named CityComp from a substring of
the first five characters of the City field and the first six characters of the Company field using
the SUBSTR( ) function. This index file orders records in the table primarily according to the
City field and secondarily according to the Company field. Visual FoxPro clears the main Visual
FoxPro window with the CLEAR command, and the DISPLAY STATUS command displays
information about the index file, CityComp.

Copy Code

CLOSE DATABASES

OPEN DATABASE (HOME(2) + 'Data\TestData')

USE Customer

INDEX ON SUBSTR(City,1,5) + SUBSTR(Company,1,6) TO CityComp

CLEAR

DISPLAY STATUS

Example 3

The following example closes all databases with the CLOSE DATABASES command, and opens
the Visual FoxPro sample database, TestData.dbc, with the OPEN DATABASE command and the
Customer table with the USE command.

The INDEX commands create a structural compound index (.cdx) file with two tags: one based
on the Address field named Address and one based on the Company field named Company. If a
structural compound index file was previously created for the table, the two tags are added to
the existing file.

Copy Code
CLOSE DATABASES

OPEN DATABASE (HOME(2) + 'Data\TestData')

USE Customer

INDEX ON company TAG company

INDEX ON address TAG address

CLEAR

DISPLAY STATUS

***************************************************************

SCROLL Command

See Also Example

Collapse All Expand All

Scrolls an area of the main Visual FoxPro window or a user-defined window up, down, left, or
right.

SCROLL nRow1, nColumn1, nRow2, nColumn2, nRowsScrolled

[, nColumnsScrolled]

Parameters

nRow1, nColumn1, nRow2, nColumn2

Specifies the rectangular region where scrolling occurs in the main Visual FoxPro window or in
the active user-defined window. nRow1, nColumn1 specifies the upper-left corner of the
region, and nRow2, nColumn2 specifies the lower-right corner.

nRowsScrolled
Specifies the number of rows up or down to scroll inside the rectangular region. If the numeric
expression nRowsScrolled is positive, Visual FoxPro scrolls up the number of rows. If
nRowsScrolled is negative, Visual FoxPro scrolls down the number of rows. If nRowsScrolled is
0 and you omit nColumnsScrolled, Visual FoxPro clears the rectangular region.

nColumnsScrolled

Specifies the number of columns left or right to scroll inside the rectangular region. If the
numeric expression nColumnsScrolled is positive, Visual FoxPro scrolls to the right the number
of columns. If nColumnsScrolled is negative, Visual FoxPro scrolls to the left the number of
columns. If you include both nRowsScrolled and nColumnsScrolled, Visual FoxPro scrolls the
area diagonally.

Example

The following command scrolls a small rectangular region:

Copy Code

CLEAR

@ 4, 1 FILL TO 10, 8 COLOR GR+/B

WAIT WINDOW 'Press key to scroll left top corner'

SCROLL 0, 0, 5, 5, -2, 1

***************************************************************

*****************************************************************

****************************************************************

******************************************************************

***************************************************************

***************************************************************

*****************************************************************
****************************************************************

***************************************************************

***************************************************************

*****************************************************************

****************************************************************