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change type of field with code?

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    #1

    change type of field with code?

    Hi all,

    stumped me on this one.

    Have a numeric field coming across from csv file as numeric. Works fine. I then have to change a couple of field names, and ok there. I need to change the miles field from numeric to character. I can do this manually, but need to be able to do it with code.

    Any help will be appreciated? I can't find a funtion for this.

    dave
    Dave Mason
    [email protected]
    Skype is dave.mason46
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: change type of field with code?

    Not sure why you "need" to change the field type but I suggest you add a character field, update it with alltrim(str()) of the numeric field.
    There can be only one.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: change type of field with code?

      Hi Dave,

      Originally posted by DaveM View Post
      Hi all,

      stumped me on this one.

      Have a numeric field coming across from csv file as numeric. Works fine. I then have to change a couple of field names, and ok there. I need to change the miles field from numeric to character. I can do this manually, but need to be able to do it with code.

      Any help will be appreciated? I can't find a funtion for this.

      Use STR() to convert numeric to string/character, and LTRIM() to trim leading spaces.

      Easiest way is to have a numeric and character version of field and update from one to the other.

      You can also use an append operation, where you can define an append expression.

      If you want to restructure the file, you could create a new structure and copy the records, but I ahven't checked whether you can truly restructure a table in place via XBasic (although I suspect you could)
      Regards,

      Ira J. Perlow
      Computer Systems Design


      CSDA A5 Products
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      Comment

        #4
        Re: change type of field with code?

        Hey guys,

        I didn't make it clear. I want to change a field type in a table from numb to char. I already know str().

        something like: a5.field_change_name() only I need a5.field_change_type()
        Dave Mason
        [email protected]
        Skype is dave.mason46

        Comment

          #5
          Re: change type of field with code?

          You made it perfectly clear but there is no way to do that directly.

          You can add a field (TABLE.ADD_FIELDS()), you can update a field with another field's contents, and you can then delete the original field (TABLE.DELETE_FIELDS()).
          There can be only one.

          Comment

            #6
            Re: change type of field with code?

            Dave:
            Why?
            What will you do with it after it becomes character?
            And can't you do the same with it being numeric with an expression?

            Messing with the table structure with xbasic is a BAD IDEA any way you look at it, doable or not doable.

            Comment

              #7
              Re: change type of field with code?

              Gabe,

              We were doing it with clipper in the 80's.

              I asked a couple years or so ago why we couldn't add fields and rename them and was told it was impossible with .dbf files to do this by people on this forum. Now we have some of the abilities.

              we can do it with the table structure, so why not with xbasic???

              If we cannot, I will live with it for now.

              Dave
              Dave Mason
              [email protected]
              Skype is dave.mason46

              Comment

                #8
                Re: change type of field with code?

                Hi Dave,

                Originally posted by DaveM View Post
                Gabe,

                We were doing it with clipper in the 80's.

                I asked a couple years or so ago why we couldn't add fields and rename them and was told it was impossible with .dbf files to do this by people on this forum. Now we have some of the abilities.

                we can do it with the table structure, so why not with xbasic???

                If we cannot, I will live with it for now.

                Dave
                I stated the answer earlier.

                If you want to restructure the file, you could create a new structure and copy the records
                This definitely works, as I've done it before. You get the structure of the original, change what you want, add indexes, copy whatever forms are required etc. It's a little more work, but it's not particularly hard.
                Regards,

                Ira J. Perlow
                Computer Systems Design


                CSDA A5 Products
                New - Free CSDA DiagInfo - v1.39, 30 Apr 2013
                CSDA Barcode Functions
                CSDA Code Utility
                CSDA Screen Capture

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: change type of field with code?

                  I am not saying you cannot do it, but just because you could does not mean you should.

                  Perserving the integrity of your data should be number one priority. You could loose your dictionary and rebuild it, loose you indices and rebuild them, loose scripts and rebuild them..etc but loosing data is fatal.

                  I am always reluctant to do anything with the table structure using xbasic for fear of any mishaps. If you have to, make sure you back up first.

                  I have added and deleted fields in test tables, but not in my actual tables. Since I am reluctant to do so in xbasic, I can't profess to have a lot of knowledge or experience in this, but you can add a character field to the table with xbasic and update it with the values from the numeric field.

                  I just think, it would be much more logical and streamlined to maintain the numeric field and convert the data to character in whichever subsequent processes you have to make.
                  Last edited by G Gabriel; 11-06-2007, 04:22 PM.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: change type of field with code?

                    Originally posted by Stan Mathews View Post
                    You made it perfectly clear but there is no way to do that directly.

                    You can add a field (TABLE.ADD_FIELDS()), you can update a field with another field's contents, and you can then delete the original field (TABLE.DELETE_FIELDS()).
                    Originally posted by DaveM View Post
                    we can do it with the table structure, so why not with xbasic???

                    If we cannot, I will live with it for now.

                    Dave
                    If you watch what happens when the table structure is changed after you click save, Alpha does what Stan has described. (I don't know what that is not uncovered, but time and priorities come to mind.)

                    So Dave, write a function that looks like this:

                    chg_field_type(<fieldname>,<new_field_type>)

                    The function would then do what Stan has described.

                    tempf_newtype, update the value in tempf_newtype, remove <fieldname>, rename tempf_newtype to <fieldname>

                    Then post it in the code archive for others to use.
                    :)
                    Al Buchholz
                    Bookwood Systems, LTD
                    Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                    Occam's Razor - KISS
                    Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                    Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                    When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                    "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                    Albert Einstein

                    http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: change type of field with code?

                      If you write such function, by all means, make sure the first line backs up the table.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: change type of field with code?

                        Hi Dave,

                        I reread all the posts but did not notice table.restructure() mentioned. Seems to do what you want.

                        http://support.alphasoftware.com/alp...TRUCTURE().htm
                        Mike
                        __________________________________________
                        It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                        It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                        Henry David Thoreau
                        __________________________________________



                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: change type of field with code?

                          By golly, I think you've got it. Looks to be tedious to construct and later modify if necessary, and certainly overkill, but it should work.
                          There can be only one.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Re: change type of field with code?

                            Mike:
                            Nice research. When I first read Dave's thread, something in the back of my mind tells me I read somewhere about a restructure but couldn't remember it. It's nice to know it's there, but personally, I wouldn't use it and am glad to forget it.

                            Structuring and re-stucturing tables should be something you do very rarely and shouldn't be a matter of routine that requires a script. It's playing with fire.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Re: change type of field with code?

                              thanks to Mike C.

                              that is what I am looking for.

                              gabe, the restructuring of this table is of no consequence to the rest of the db. It is a temp table, but I am having to do the str() more than I should, and already having to change field names. It makes more sense to do it all in one step. If I lose this data, I just reruna function to recreate the table with data included.

                              It is nice to know that no udf will be needed for this one.

                              Dave
                              Dave Mason
                              [email protected]
                              Skype is dave.mason46

                              Comment

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