DISPLAY STRUCTURE

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Displays the field definitions of the specified table.

Syntax

DISPLAY STRUCTURE
[IN <alias>]
[TO FILE <filename> | ? <filename skeleton>]
[TO PRINTER]

IN <alias>

Identifies the work area of the open table whose structure you want to display rather than that of the current table. For more information, see Aliases.

TO FILE <filename> | ? | <filename skeleton>

Directs output to the text file <filename>, in addition to the results pane of the Command window. By default, dBASE Plus assigns a .TXT 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.

TO PRINTER

Directs output to the printer in addition to the results pane of the Command window.

Description

Use DISPLAY STRUCTURE to view the structure of the current or a specified table in the results pane of the Command window. DISPLAY STRUCTURE displays the following information about the current or specified table:

Name of the table

Type of table (Paradox, dBASE, or SQL)

Table type version number

Number of records

Date of last update (DBF only)

Fields

Field number

Field name (if SET FIELDS is ON, the greater-than symbol (>) appears next to each field specified with the SET FIELDS TO command)

Type

Length

Dec: The number of decimal places in a numeric or float field

Index: Whether there is a simple index on that field

Number of bytes per record (the sum of field lengths; for DBF includes one additional byte reserved for storing the asterisk that marks a record as deleted)

Multiply the total number of bytes per record by the number of records in the table to estimate the size of a DBF table (excluding the size of the table header).

DISPLAY STRUCTURE pauses when the results pane is full and displays a dialog box prompting you to display another screenful of information. Use the TO FILE clause to send the information to a file. Use the TO PRINTER clause to send the information to the printer. In either case, you can use SET CONSOLE OFF to suppress the display of the information in the results pane.

DISPLAY STRUCTURE is the same as LIST STRUCTURE, except that LIST STRUCTURE does not pause with the first window of information but rather continuously lists the information until complete. This makes LIST STRUCTURE more appropriate for outputting to a file or printer.

The index column of DISPLAY STRUCTURE provides information about simple indexes only. When DISPLAY STRUCTURE indicates no index exists for a particular field (N), this does not preclude the possibility that it is included in an existing complex index. Complex indexes are those containing expressions such as "last_name+first_name".

Neither DISPLAY STRUCTURE nor LIST STRUCTURE permit modification of an existing table structure. To alter the structure, use MODIFY STRUCTURE.