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 APPEND FROM command
 Import records from a (.dbf) or ASCII file
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Syntax

     APPEND FROM <xcFile>
        [FIELDS <idField list>]
        [<scope>] [WHILE <lCondition>] [FOR <lCondition>]
        [SDF | DELIMITED [WITH BLANK | <xcDelimiter>] |
        [VIA <xcDriver>]]

 Arguments

     FROM <xcFile> specifies the name of the source file.  You can
     specify <xcFile> either as a literal filename or as a character
     expression enclosed in parentheses.  If a file extension is not
     specified, (.dbf) is the default input file type.  If SDF or DELIMITED
     is specified, the file extension is assumed to be (.txt) unless
     otherwise specified.

     FIELDS <idField list> specifies the list of fields to copy from
     <xcFile>.  The default is all fields.

     <scope> is the portion of the source database file to APPEND FROM.
     NEXT <n> APPENDs the first <n> records.  RECORD <n> APPENDs only record
     number <n> from <xcFile>.  The default scope is ALL records in <xcFile>.

     WHILE <lCondition> specifies the set of records meeting the
     condition from the first record in the source file until the condition
     fails.

     FOR <lCondition> specifies the conditional set of records to APPEND
     FROM within the given scope.

     SDF identifies a System Data Format ASCII file.  Records and fields
     are fixed length.

     DELIMITED identifies an ASCII text file, where character fields are
     enclosed in double quote marks (the default delimiter).  Note that
     delimiters are not required and CA-Clipper correctly APPENDs character
     fields not enclosed in them.  Fields and records are variable length.

     DELIMITED WITH BLANK identifies an ASCII text file in which fields
     are separated by one space and character fields are not enclosed in
     delimiters.

     DELIMITED WITH <xcDelimiter> identifies a delimited ASCII text file,
     where character fields are enclosed using the specified delimiter.  You
     can specify <xcDelimiter> as a literal character or as a character
     expression enclosed in parentheses.

     See the tables below for more information regarding the format
     specification requirements for ASCII text files that you want to APPEND
     using these arguments.

     VIA <xcDriver> specifies the replaceable database driver (RDD) to
     use to import the desired data.  <cDriver> is name of the RDD specified
     as a character expression.  If <cDriver> is specified as a literal
     value, it must be enclosed in quotes.

     If the VIA clause is omitted, APPEND FROM uses the driver in the current
     work area.  If you specify the VIA clause, you must REQUEST the
     appropriate RDDs be linked into the application.

     Warning!  If the DELIMITED WITH clause is specified on a COPY TO or
     APPEND FROM command line, it must be the last clause specified.

 Description

     APPEND FROM adds records to the current database file from an ASCII text
     file or another database file.  Only fields with the same names and
     types are APPENDed.  Fields with the same name from both the current
     database file and <xcFile> must be the same data type.  If they are not,
     a runtime error occurs when the APPEND FROM command is invoked.

     Any date information in <xcFile> must be in the format yyyymmdd to be
     properly APPENDed.

     In a network environment, APPEND FROM does not require that the current
     database file be USEed EXCLUSIVEly or locked with FLOCK() to perform its
     operation.  As each record is added, CA-Clipper automatically arbitrates
     contention for the new record.

     When you invoke APPEND FROM, CA-Clipper attempts to open <xcFile> shared
     and read-only.  If access is denied, APPEND FROM terminates with a
     runtime error.  Refer to the Network Programming chapter in the
     Programming and Utilities guide for more information.  No error is
     raised if you attempt to open a (.dbf) file that is already open.

     This table shows the format specifications for SDF text files.

     SDF Text File Format Specifications
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     File Element        Format
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Character fields    Padded with trailing blanks
     Date fields         yyyymmdd
     Logical fields      T or F
     Memo fields         Ignored
     Numeric fields      Padded with leading blanks or zeros
     Field separator     None
     Record separator    Carriage return/linefeed
     End of file marker  1A hex or CHR(26)
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     This table shows the format specifications for DELIMITED and DELIMITED
     WITH <xcDelimiter> ASCII text files.

     DELIMITED Text File Format Specifications
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     File Element        Format
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Character fields    May be delimited, with trailing blanks truncated
     Date fields         yyyymmdd
     Logical fields      T or F
     Memo fields         Ignored
     Numeric fields      Leading zeros may be truncated
     Field separator     Comma
     Record separator    Carriage return/linefeed
     End of file marker  1A hex or CHR(26)
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     This table shows the format specifications for DELIMITED WITH BLANK
     ASCII text files.

     DELIMITED WITH BLANK Text File Format Specifications
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     File Element        Format
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Character fields    Not delimited, trailing blanks may be truncated
     Date fields         yyyymmdd
     Logical fields      T or F
     Memo fields         Ignored
     Numeric fields      Leading zeros may be truncated
     Field separator     Single blank space
     Record separator    Carriage return/linefeed
     End of file marker  1A hex or CHR(26)
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Notes

     .  Deleted records: If DELETED is OFF, deleted records in
        <xcFile> are APPENDed to the current database file and retain their
        deleted status.  If DELETED is ON, however, none of the deleted
        <xcFile> records are APPENDed.

     .  Unmatched field widths: If a field in the current database
        file is character type and has a field length greater than the
        incoming <xcFile> data, CA-Clipper pads the <xcFile> data with
        blanks.  If the current field is character data type and its field
        length is less than the incoming <xcFile> data, the <xcFile> data is
        truncated to fit.  If the current field is numeric type and the
        incoming <xcFile> data has more digits than the current field length,
        a runtime error occurs.

 Examples

     .  This example demonstrates an APPEND FROM command using a
        fields list and a condition:

        USE Sales NEW
        APPEND FROM BranchFile FIELDS Branch, Salesman, Amount;
           FOR Branch = 100

     .  This example demonstrates how a <scope> can be specified to
        import a particular record from another database file:

        APPEND RECORD 5 FROM Temp

 Files:  Library is CLIPPER.LIB.

 Status:  Enhanced

 See also:  COPY TO