I am wondering if it is normal to use field numbers (such as @record) rather than names (such as {PRICE}). In the application that I have inherited, numbers are always used. The manual says that using numbers improves performance. Is it a significant improvement? Would the code be significantly more maintainable if names were used? Are there any other reasons to choose one method over the other?

Numbers save a dictionary lookup, - with resultant speed gains. Another way is to generate inserts from the dictionaries:

EQU PRICE$ TO 7

* then

somevar=@record

The Sprezzatura Group

World Leaders in all things RevSoft

True that direct access is much faster .. but at the cost of tying yourself to the definition.

With the speed of todays machines and networks I wonder if for the normal user the difference is that great.

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David Tod Sigafoos ~ SigSolutions

Phone: 971-570-2005

OS: Win2k sp2 (5.00.2195)

OI: 4.1.1

PII 300 laptop

Also, in OI forms, this practice can lead you into real troubles since maintaining @record within the context of a form is problematical. If the code is referring to a different table that is not being maintiained within a form, it can be done, just done use @record. You could do something like this within an event:

READ INV_RECORD FROM INVENT,INV_KEY THEN

 INV_REC=INV_REC-{QTY_SHIP}

 WRITE INV_REC .. , etc.

 INV_FLAG=1

END ELSE

 CALL MSG(@WINDOW,'No Inventory Record Found')

 ERR_FLAG=0 ;* Error

END

But @record within a sales form, for example, is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Don Miller

C3 Inc.

Don Miller

Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses!

Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses!

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