update Command

The update command invokes the Update Processor for adding, changing, deleting, or cruising through data in a given file.

Syntax

update file.reference {item.list*} {attr.list} {(options)}

Synonym(s)

Parameter(s)

attr.list	Attribute list functions in the same way as the out list in a list or sort command. It indicates the names of the attributes that are to be affected by the command. Specific attributes can be updated without using the default macro defined on the file’s D-pointer.
options	e	Disables line number display.
	i	Includes item-ID in Update Processor workspace. Each item prompts for an item-ID.
	s	Turns off Spelling Checker
	l	Look only. The item cannot be filed or deleted.
	c	Clears the screen before bringing each item into Update Processor workspace.
	r	Raw option. When using this option, the Update Processor displays nondisplayable characters as periods and as left brackets. In this mode, the escape character can be entered directly. The raw option also causes the Update Processor not to trim trailing attributes.

Example(s)

In this form, the default list of attributes is obtained from the macro attribute in the entity file-defining item located in the dictionary of the entity file.

update entity

This explicitly requests the three fields shown, regardless of the default macro.

update invoices customer.name invoice.date invoice.amount

Like the first example, this example uses the c option to clear the screen between each item, the i option to include the item-ID of each item, and the l option for look only.

update entity (cil

This is exactly the same as the previous example, but uses the id-prompt modifier rather than the i option.

update entity id-prompt (cl