Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!chuq
From: chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: 4D 2.0 question
Message-ID: <35206@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 3 Oct 89 00:04:46 GMT
Organization: Life is just a Fantasy novel played for keeps
Lines: 24

Here's a question for the folks who are using 4D. I've got a file with a
unique key. I'm going to be generating that key in a procedure, and I want
to check for the previous existence of that key programmatically. What is
the most efficient way of doing that?

I can see two approaches:

do a SEARCH based on that key. If "number of records in selection" > 0, it's
already there.

try to SAVE RECORD the thing. If it fails (the field is marked unique) then
it exists.

In both cases, I want to loop and generate the key again until I do get it
right. Any suggestions on the cleanest way to do this?


-- 

Chuq Von Rospach <+> Editor,OtherRealms <+> Member SFWA/ASFA
chuq@apple.com <+> CI$: 73317,635 <+> [This is myself speaking]
Future home of the San Jose Photons!

I was a Kings fan before it was politically correct. NHL to San Jose!