HReadFirst (Function)

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HReadFirst (Function)

In french: HLitPremier

Not available with this kind of connection

Positions on the first file record according to a search item. The record is read and the HFSQL variables are updated (Customer.Name for example, which means the Name item of Customer file).

The reading is performed from the lowest value to the greatest value of search item (see the notes for more details).

In most cases, HReadFirst is used to position in the data file in order to perform a read loop with HReadNext.

Several cases may occur after the call to HReadFirst:

the data file is empty or no record corresponds to the filter (defined by HFilter): no reading is performed and HOut returns True.
the function tries to read a record that is already locked in read mode: no reading is performed, HErrorLock returns True and HOut returns True.

This function can be used with the data files, HFSQL views or queries.

Note: From version 19, HFSQL is the new name of HyperFileSQL.

Example

HReadFirst(Customer, Name)
WHILE HOut(Customer) = False
// Process the record
HReadNext(Customer, Name)
END

Syntax

<Result> = HReadFirst([<File Name> [, <Name of Search Item>] [, <Options>]])

<Result>: Boolean

Corresponds to:
False if an error occurred. In this case, HError returns an integer other than 0. HErrorInfo returns more details about the error. The record is not read.
the value of HFound in the other cases (the record can be read, even if <Result> returns False).

<File Name>: Optional character string (with or without quotes)

Name of data file, HFSQL view or query used. If this parameter corresponds to an empty string (""), HReadFirst handles the last data file used by the last function for HFSQL management (starting with the letter H).

<Name of Search Item>: Optional character string (with or without quotes)

Name of item used to browse the data file or view (this parameter is ignored by the queries). If this name is not specified, HReadFirst will use:
For a data file: the last search item used on this file by the last function for HFSQL management (starting with the letter H). If this item does not exist, the best search item is automatically used.
For a query: the ORDER BY of query if it exists, otherwise the last item used.
For a view: the sort item of view (if it exists), otherwise the last item used.

<Options>: Optional constant

Used to configure:
the lock performed on the record read by HReadFirst
whether the filter that was defined must be taken into account.
hLockNo No lock (even if HStartLock was called): the record can be read or modified by another application during the reading.

hLockWrite Lock in write mode: the record currently read can be read by another application but it cannot be modified by another application.

hLockReadWrite Lock in read/write: the record currently read cannot be read or modified by another application.
Lock in write-only. Operating mode equivalent to the hLockWrite constant.

Versions 17 and later
hForwardOnly
New in version 17
hForwardOnly
hForwardOnly
Constant that can only be used with Native Accesses.
Used to speed up the browse of data during a simple browse that does not use the following features:
Reading the previous record.
Modifying a record.
Saving position.
If one of these features is used, the result may differ from the expected one.
This constant can be used for example during a browse used to fill a memory table.
hKeepFilter The filter implemented by HFilter will be taken into account, even if the search key is not optimized for the filter. Reminder: HFilter returns the search key optimized for the filter.
Caution: in this case, poor performance may occur on huge data files.
This constant cannot be used.
hNoRefresh
HReadFirst does not refresh the content of table or query. The query is not re-run if possible. All the saved positions are stored.
The lock options will have no effect if the locks are not supported by the OLE DB provider or by Native Access.
The lock mode specified by HReadFirst will remain effective during the calls to HReadPrevious and HReadNext.
To modify the lock mode, you must use:
HReadSeekFirst or HReadSeekLast,
HReadLast or HReadFirst.
HLockRecNum or HUnlockRecNum.
For Native Oracle Access, a different lock mode can be specified for each record. However, if a transaction was started by SQLTransaction before implementing the lock, the lock will be released at the end of transaction only (SQLTransaction associated with the SQLCommit or SQLRollBack constant).
The lock options are ignored. Use the locking read functions (HReadFirstLock) kept for backward compatibility.

Remarks

Search item

If the search item is a key, HReadFirst reads the record with the lowest key value. The sort order is the one that was specified in the analysis for this key. If duplicates are found, HReadFirst reads the first "duplicate" record according to the sequence of record numbers.

If the search item is not a key, HReadFirst reads the first active record. When browsing the file, the records will be sorted according to their record number.
In this case, the selected search item will appear in red in the code editor and a warning will be displayed in the "Code" pane.

Note: The automatic completion proposes the key items only.

Browsing queries

By default, HReadFirst re-runs the query to refresh the query result. To avoid re-running the query, we recommend that you use the hNoRefresh constant.

Browsing a query run with the hQueryWithoutCorrection constant:

To browse the records in the order returned by the database, there is no need to specify a search item. Example:

HExecuteQuery(MyQuery, hQueryWithoutCorrection)
...
HReadFirst(MyQuery, hNoRefresh)

If a search item is specified, the query result is entirely retrieved and indexed. The browse is performed on the specified item. The initial sort of the query (specified by ORDER BY) is ignored. The created index (in HFSQL format) is sensitive to the case, to the punctuation, to the accented characters and in ascending order.

Example:

HExecuteQuery(MyQuery, hQueryWithoutCorrection)
...
HReadFirst(MyQuery, MyItem, hNoRefresh)

The created index is used to perform searches on the query result.

Locks

By default (<Options> not specified), no lock operation is performed on the record.

If a lock is requested (hLockWrite or hLockReadWrite constant), the record will be read only if this record is not already locked.

There is no need to specify a lock parameter if the data file is locked by HStartLock: the lock specified by HStartLock is automatically taken into account. To ignore the lock specified by HStartLock, use the hLockNo constant.

The lock options will have no effect if the locks are not supported by the OLE DB provider or by Native Access.

Memos

The memos associated with the record can be automatically read (or not) when reading the record. HSetMemo is used to customize this automatic reading.

If the memos are supported, the associated text memos are read when the record is read. The binary memos are read only when they are explicitly used (HExtractMemo).

Password

If HReadFirst is the first function that handles the specified data file, the password is checked when opening the data file. If the password is incorrect, HErrorPassword returns True and HOut returns True.

Native XML access

The behavior of HReadFirst depends on HActivateAutoFilter/HDeactivateAutoFilter.

HActivateAutoFilter is enabled by default.

Therefore, to read the content of XML file, read the content of main file (the parent) then read the content of linked files (the children).

When reading a data file, a filter is automatically applied to the linked data files in order to only read the records corresponding to the main file.

For example:

The email of this person can be retrieved when browsing the Person file.

To do so, all you have to do is position on the "Person" file and apply HReadFirst to the "Email" file.

In this case, the record read in the "Email" file will correspond to the first email associated with the current record in the "Person" file.

If this mechanism is disabled (HDeactivateAutoFilter), the record read in the "Email" file will correspond to the first record found in the Email file (and not to the child of the record read in the "Person" file).

Various

The current record number is returned by HRecNum.
HChangeKey is used to modify the search key while being positioned on the current record.
To optimize the time of the first browses performed on a file, use HOptimize on this data file.

Component : wd240hf.dll