FIND Command

The FIND command creates a temporary select-list of file items to be processed by the next TCL or INFO/ACCESS statement, or by other processors such as the Editor, mvBASIC, or PROC. Creating a select-list is a useful way to define and operate on a subset of items in a database. FIND locates file items that contain a specified string.

Format

Parameter(s)

Description

The FIND command creates a temporary select-list containing the item-IDs of items that contain the specified character string. The items referenced by the select-list is processed by the next command you execute.

To permanently save the select-list, use the SAVE-LIST command. Once a select-list is saved, you can retrieve it at any time with the GET-LIST command.

You can also enter the FIND command immediately following a SELECT or SSELECT statement. This allows you to create a select-list from a subset of the items in an existing select-list.

A select-list can reference data in any file, not just the file specified in the original FIND statement. If two files have similar items with the same item-IDs, you can create a select-list from one file, then use it to operate on items from the other file.

Selecting Items that Contain a Specified String

Assume you want to find out the name of the author of a book. You cannot remember the book’s full title, but you know it contains the word SIMPSON. A file called CARD-CATALOG contains the titles and authors of the books. You could enter:

You can now identify the desired book from the selected items.