SAVE

Topic group Related topics

Stores memory variables to a file on disk.

Syntax

SAVE TO <filename> | ? | <filename skeleton>
[ALL]
[LIKE <memvar skeleton 1>]
[EXCEPT <memvar skeleton 2>]

TO <filename> | ? | <filename skeleton>

Directs the memory variable output to be saved to the target file <filename>. By default, dBASE Plus assigns a MEM extension to <filename> and saves the file in the current directory. The ? and <filename skeleton> options display a dialog box in which you specify the name of the target file and the directory to save it in.

ALL

Stores all memory variables to the memory file. If you issue SAVE TO <filename> with no options, dBASE Plus also saves all memory variables to the memory file.

LIKE <memvar skeleton 1>

Stores in the target file the memory variables whose names are like the memory variable skeleton you specify for <memvar skeleton 1>. Use characters of the variable names and the wildcards * and ? to create <memvar skeleton 1>.

EXCEPT <memvar skeleton 2>]

Stores in the target file all memory variables except those whose names are like the memory variable skeleton you specify for <memvar skeleton 2>. Use characters of the variable names and the wildcards * and ? to create <memvar skeleton 2>.

Description

Use SAVE with RESTORE to store and retrieve important memory variables. Local and private variables are cleared at the end of the routine that created them, while public and static variables are cleared when you exit dBASE Plus. To preserve these values for future use, store them in a memory file with SAVE. Use RESTORE to retrieve them.

If SET SAFETY is ON and a file exists with the same name as the target file, dBASE Plus displays a dialog box asking if you want to overwrite the file. If SET SAFETY is OFF, any existing file with the same name is overwritten without warning.

Note SAVE saves simple variables only—those containing numeric, string, logical, or null values—and objects of class Array. It ignores all other object reference variables. Therefore you can neither SAVE nor RESTORE objects (other than arrays). SAVE also does not save function pointer, bookmark, or system memory variables.