Re: Questions about DS arrays

[Scott Klement <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 1.  Can an individual field within a data structure array be sorted
> using the BIF %SUBARR and the SORTA op code?

Depends on what you mean by "data structure array".  If you've got a
qualified data structure with the DIM keyword on the DS definition (i.e.
an "array of qualified data structures") then no, you can't sort it with
SORTA (with or without %SUBARR)

You could sort it with qsort(), which is faster, anyway.

If you're referring to an array that's located inside a data structure, or
a field that overlays an array field that's inside a data structure, then
you can sort it with SORTA.  (But you can't have data structures or
sub-arrays inside that...)


> 2.  What is the best way to clear or initialize a large data structure
> array (over 5000 elements)?  I have found that using the CLEAR opcode
> takes a long time.

Is there a good reason to clear it?  Maybe you should keep track of how
many elements you've used in a separate variable, and then only refer to
those elements.  That way, there's no need to clear it.