RE: Based variables

["Sims, Ken" <KSIMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mark -

>>All you really need is the pointer.  Having the data structure could be
>>misleading to someone else looking at the program.
>
>  But what would "field" the pointer point to?  Doesn't ALLOC need a field 
>or DS (and a pointer)?

All ALLOC/REALLOC/DEALLOC need is a pointer.  What you do with the chunk of
memory pointed to by the pointer is strictly up to you.

>>Since I always define all basing pointers explicitly, in my own code it
>>would be more obviously that the data structure is not needed.
>
>  I also defined the pointer explicitly.  My method uses one DS to contain 
>the entire data set. The 2nd DS is defined as an external DS to the input 
>file.  This means that all I have to do is set the pointer, read the record

>and the DS contains the current record.

Your EntireBatch data structure doesn't contain the entire data set.  It is
a single-occurrence data structure which contains the first record of the
data set.  Since you access the data through OneRecord, you don't need
EntireBatch, all you need is EntireBatch@.

Ken
Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada, Inc.
Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of
my employer or anyone in their right mind.

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