Re[2]: finding a suitable key

>chronus@mole.slip.net wrote:
>> I guess my main concern here is that you're creating a loop here
>> when you can just do a *LOVAL SETLL and READ the last record.  Your
>> file is already keyed.  Why are you chaining to every record in your
>> file?   (Very costly performance wise, particularly if you have a
>> large number of records in this file later on.)   If I understand the
>> intent of your programme (and I guess I'm not understanding
>> completely why you would want to do this...), you only need the last
>> record in the keyed physical..
>
>       Well, actually, Ian, all I want is a key which had one feature - no
>record with a key like that would be in the file Fil already..
>       I'm starting to think that I really don't understand a lot here 'cause
>that's the only explanation I can think of why nobody here understands
>what I'm after :-)..
>       I wouldn't want to chain to every record, but that's the only thing I
>can think of to make sure that this key is unique and therefore suitable
>to be in the file for which it has to be a primary keys..
>       Once again, everyone - sorry for not being able to express myself clear
>enaugh. Thanks a lot for Your help, I really appreciate it..

Juris,
        I think that the confusion comes from the underlying assumptions
we're making.  It appears to me that you want to fill in gaps caused by
deleted records.  Most of the replies to your question are assuming
that you just need any unique key. 
        If you really want the lowest available gap, there are few
alternatives to your method; all involve looping.  RPG has a simple
way to find a record, but no simple way to find a "no record."
        If you really want any old key (just so you can be sure that
you are not getting duplicate keys when you add a new record,)
then you can use the technique advocated by many posters:
*HIVAL SETGT followed by READP to get the highest key, 
increment that and you have a new, unique, high key.

Buck Calabro
Commsoft, Inc
Rensselaer, NY

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