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Q95664: PRB: APPEND FROM <File> w/FOR Cause Doesn’t Behave As Expected

Article: Q95664
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.5c; MS-DOS:2.0,2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 03-FEB-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6 
- Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.0, 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, versions 2.5b, 2.5c 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The APPEND FROM <file> command with a FOR clause appears to fail and
behave incorrectly under the following conditions:

- When SET DELETED is OFF, the APPEND FROM <file> FOR NOT DELETED()
  command appends all records, including those that have been marked for
  deletion.

- If the field referenced in the FOR clause is not in the current database, the
  APPEND FROM command appends no records, even if there are fields in the
  original database that meet the FOR condition.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior occurs because the APPEND FROM command evaluates the criteria
after it has been copied from the database.

- In the first instance, the deleted attribute is not valid in this state and
  therefore all deleted records are copied. If SET DELETED is ON, the APPEND
  FROM command automatically ignores all deleted records.

- In the second case, the APPEND FROM command tries to copy all the fields and
  then delete the fields that do not match the FOR clause. Since the field does
  not exist in the current database, the condition cannot be met, and the
  APPEND FROM command fails.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, use the COPY TO command as follows:

  COPY TO <file> FOR NOT DELETED()

  -or-

  COPY TO <file> FOR <field> = <value>

Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxMac FoxDos FoxWin fails unexpected results DBF database

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro250bMac kbFoxPro250cMac kbFoxPro200DOS kbFoxPro250DOS kbFoxPro250aDOS kbFoxPro250bDOS kbFoxPro260DOS kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbFoxPro250b kbVFP300
Version           : MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.5c; MS-DOS:2.0,2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,3.0

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