LIST.INDEX

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The LIST.INDEX command reports details of one or more alternate key indices.

 

 

Format

 

LIST.INDEX filename  field(s)  {STATISTICS | DETAIL} {LPTR {n}} {NO.PAGE}

 

LIST.INDEX ALL {LOCAL} {STATISTICS | DETAIL} {LPTR {n}} {NO.PAGE}

 

where

 

filenameis the name of the file to be processed

 

field(s)are the names of the fields to be reported. The keyword ALL can be used instead of a list of fields to report all indices on the file.

 

STATISTICSreports additional statistical data.

 

DETAILreports statistical data and key reference detail information.

 

LPTRdirects the report to the default printer (printer 0). The optional n qualifier directs the report to an alternative printer.

 

NO.PAGEsuppresses pagination for a report directed to the user's screen.

 

 

The first form of the LIST.INDEX command reports information about alternate key indices in the filename for the named field(s). If no field(s) are specified on the command line, the user is prompted to enter the indexed field name.

 

The second form with the ALL keyword in place of the filename produces a composite report of all files in the account that have alternate key indices. The LOCAL qualifier omits files referenced via Q-pointers.

 

 

The basic report appears as below.

 

Alternate key indices for file ORDERS

Number of indices = 1

 

Index name...... En Tp Nulls SM Fmt NC Field/Expression

DATE              Y  D  Yes   S  R  N  17

 

The columns following the index name show:

EnY if the index is enabled (built and active). N if it requires building. B if the index is being built.
TpA, C, D, I or S corresponding to the dictionary entry type use to define the index.
NullsYes or No depending whether records with null values of the indexed field are included in the index.
SMS or M corresponding to the single/multivalued nature of the indexed data.
FmtL or R corresponding to left or right alignment of the indexed data.
NCY if index is case insensitive, otherwise N.
Field/ExpressionThe field number or evaluated expression. Where an index is built on an A or S type dictionary item that has a conversion code in field 8, the expression shown by LIST.INDEX appears like an A-correlative conversion expression. Thus, a conversion code of MCU applied to field 1 of the data record would be shown as

1(MCU)

 

 

Use of the STATISTICS (short form STATS) keyword extends the report to include statistical information about the index showing the number of index entries (different field values) and the minimum, average and maximum number of records per index entry. A warning message is displayed if over 20% of the index entries are for the null value as this may indicate poor choice of indexed data. If the application does not need to be able to locate the null items, modifying the index to use the NO.NULLS option may improve performance.

 

Use of the DETAIL keyword shows the statistics and also shows up to 63 characters of each key value and the number of records for that key value.

 

 

See also:

BUILD.INDEX, CREATE.INDEX, DELETE.INDEX, DISABLE.INDEX, MAKE.INDEX, REBUILD.ALL.INDICES