Un-expanding(?) a File

[Transpower at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/21/2004 1:21:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Fredland at aol.com writes:

> Dear List:
> 
> Back in 1985 or so I did a great deal of programming in filePro for a small 
> airline and ever since then one of the vendors has been coming to me 
> whenever 
> he has a problem. In this case my memory of fp is not sufficient, but the 
> problem may contain elements of general interest so here it is.
> 
> He is running his business on vers. 4.8. He has a file containing both key 
> and data segments (very old program) and about 7000 records. It appears that 
> the 
> file has acquired about 7000 blank records possibly via Expand Files(?). As 
> a 
> result new records are often numbered 14000+. He doesn't want this to be 
> happening (it's not a functional problem - he simply doesn't like it like 
> that) so 
> he manually moves any such new records down to the 7000 range. He has gotten 
> 
> tired of doing this after several years and would like the file "fixed". 
> This 
> is the gist of a phone call from him.
> 
> If memory serves (not very well any more) there is a difference between 
> blank 
> records and deleted records. I think, but do not know, that he may be able 
> to 
> delete his empty blank records with a simple output process and then 
> overwrite the expand files limit with a new number in the 7000 range a 
> couple of 
> records beyond his active EOF. Once these are used then I would expect the 
> automated expand function built into FP to take over. I'm in the midst of a 
> major 
> renovation so do not have time to research this and am loath to suggest an 
> unverified procedure. Any clarification would be appreciated.
> 
> Fred Mindermann
> fredland at aol.com 
> 

Fred:

Make a clone of the file (with no records).  Copy non-blank records of the 
original file to the clone.  Delete the original file.  Rename the clone to the 
original name.

Regards,
RWS
Transpower Corporation
www.transpowercorp.com
transpower at aol.com

Commercial and custom software manufacturing for engineering and management 
since 1976.
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