RE: Update a table from EXTNAME-defined data structure using search argument

Look holistically at the thread.

1 - Using a view tailored to that program, or reasonably close to it, may reduce the need for recompiling.
2 - Using a ds that's not tied to all columns in the database (not EXTNAME), and not using 'select *...' type of sql is also applicable.
3 - But if you're the type of shop that's going to recompile everything anyway then it will get the EXTNAME ds.
4 - You also have to consider auto generated and auto updated columns.

I believe that data structures have their place. I avoid the logic that all reads, SQL or RLA, should be into data structures although there are those who believe that it is an inviolate principle.

When we had a bolt on application which had to support multiple versions of the package it was bolted on to and the file structure changed we did it this way.
Picked one to compile against with EXTNAME. Normally the newest one.
But we did not use 'select *'. Instead we would use 'select colA, colB, colC... into :ds.colA, :ds.colB, :ds.colC...' type of logic.
Now if the attributes of ds.colA changed you would normally have the most recent by compiling against the newest one. Let me explain further. Let's say item number increased from 15 to 35 characters (true example) this would still work

Rob Berendt