Un-expanding(?) a File

[Keith F Weatherhead]

Transpower at aol.com wrote:

> 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.

This is ONLY good if he does not want to preserve Date/Time stamps 
on the original records, _if that matters to him_?

I believe Bob Stockler has a program that will allow you to shrink 
the file AND PRESERVE the Date/Time.  I'm sure he will chime in shortly!

Regards,
Keith

> 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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-- 
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Keith F. Weatherhead                   keithw at ddltd.com

Discus Data, LTD                  Voice: (815) 237-8467
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