Q63901: Incorrect SEEK in Example in BASIC 7.00 Language Reference

Article: Q63901
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 7.00 7.10 | 7.00 7.10
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | OS/2
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | SR# S900712-2 docerr | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 15-JAN-1991

On page 323 of the "Microsoft BASIC 7.0: Language Reference" manual,
the example for the SEEK statement (on the 6th line from the bottom)
incorrectly shows that the process for backing up a file is as
follows:

   SEEK #1, SEEK(1) - LEN(RecordVar)

This statement is the correct method for backing up one record
position in a binary file. In a binary file, the SEEK function refers
to a byte in the file. Therefore, to move forward or backward a
record, you would increment or decrement by the number of bytes in
each record of the file.

However, because the file in the SEEK example on page 323 is a RANDOM
access file, a SEEK function refers to each record in the file, not to
each byte in the file. Thus, the statement should be corrected to read
as follows:

   SEEK #1, SEEK(1) - 1

This information applies to Microsoft BASIC Professional Development
System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 for MS-DOS and MS OS/2.

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