SheerPower® 4GL
A Guide to the SheerPower Language
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6.7.3 FILEINFO$(str_expr1 [, str_expr2 [, str_expr3]])

FILEINFO$ parses a file specification and returns either a full file specification or specific file specification fields.

str_expr1 is the file specification to be parsed. If no file specification is given, the device and directory you are currently running from are returned.

str_expr2 is a list of field names, separated by commas, which are to be returned. The field names are:

CONTENTS file contents
DEVICE drive name
DIRECTORY directory name
NAME file name
TYPE type or extension name
LOCATION device and directory names
BACKUP_DATE last file backup date
CREATION_DATE date file was created
EXPIRATION_DATE file expiration date
REVISION_DATE date file was last modified
REVISION the number of times a given file has been revised (given that the underlying OS supports this)
SIZE the size of the file in bytes
ALL or "" full file specification

str_expr3 is the default file specification. This parameter is optional.

FILEINFO$ can be used in various formats.

Example 6-153 FILEINFO$ function 

  print fileinfo$('x.y', 'ALL') 
  print fileinfo$('', 'ALL') 
  end
 
 
c:\sheerpower\x.y 
c:\sheerpower

Example 6-154 FILEINFO$ function 

  x$ = 'sheerpower:samples\client' 
  print fileinfo$(x$, 'ALL', '.ars') 
  end
 
 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.ars

Example 6-155 FILEINFO$ function 

  print fileinfo$('sheerpower:\samples\client', 'all', '.ars') 
  print fileinfo$('sheerpower:\samples\client', 'location') 
  print fileinfo$('sheerpower:\samples\client', 'location, name') 
  print fileinfo$('sheerpower:\samples\client.ars') 
  end
 
 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.ars 
c:\sheerpower\samples\ 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.ars

6.7.4 FILEINFO$ Contents Option

The CONTENTS option of FILEINFO$ returns the entire contents of the file 'some_file.xxx' into all_of_file$ (see example below). If the file cannot be found, then returns a null string. A zero-length file will also return a null string.

FORMAT:


  all_of_file$ = fileinfo$('some_file.xxx', 'contents')

Example 6-156 FILEINFO$ function - CONTENTS 

 all_of_file$ = fileinfo$('sheerpower:sheerpower.ini', 'contents') 
 print all_of_file$ 
 end
 
! the specified file contents will display in the console window when the program 
! is run: 
 
 
[license] 
LicenseKey=F0CE-2E43-7583-3130-3030-3030-3131-0003-873F-000A 
Username=non-commercial 
EmailAddress=non-commercial

Example 6-157 Copy a file with FILEINFO$ CONTENTS 

sourcefile$ = 'source.xxx' 
destfile$   = 'destination.xxx' 
contents$   = fileinfo$(sourcefile$, 'contents') 
open file dest_ch: name destfile$, access output, unformatted
print #dest_ch: contents$ 
close #x 
end

6.7.5 FINDFILE$(str_expr [, int_expr])

Given a file name to find, FINDFILE$ returns the complete file specification of the first file found that matches the name given. If no file is found, the function returns a null string.

FINDFILE$ calls can be nested if the inner call has only one argument (i.e., the file specification, but no index number).

  str_expr The name of the file to search for. This can be just part of the full file specification.
  int_expr Which file specification to return if multiple files are found. This parameter is optional. The default is to return the first file found.
  result The complete file specification of the file found.

Example 6-158 FINDFILE$ function 

  print findfile$('sheerpower:\samples\*.spsrc') 
 
 
c:\sheerpower\samples\cdplayer.spsrc

Example 6-159 FINDFILE$ function 

  do
    line input 'File specification': spec$ 
    if  _exit  then exit do         
    for i = 1 to 9999 
      file$ = findfile$(spec$, i) 
      if  file$ = ''  then exit for 
      print file$ 
    next i 
  loop
  end
 
 
File specification? sheerpower:samples\client.*  <---- type this in 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.ars 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.def 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.fdl 
c:\sheerpower\samples\client.str 
File specification? exit

6.8 Debugging and Exception Handling Functions

The following are debugging and exception handling functions that SheerPower performs:

6.8.1 _DEBUG

_DEBUG returns a TRUE or FALSE value. TRUE if DEBUG is on. FALSE if DEBUG is off.

Example 6-160 _DEBUG system function 

  debug on
  if  _debug  then
    print 'I am debugging' 
  end if
  debug off
  if  _debug  then 
    print 'I am still debugging.' 
    else print 'I am no longer debugging.' 
  end if
  end
  
  
I am debugging. 
I am no longer debugging.

6.8.2 _STATUS

_STATUS returns the value given to SheerPower by the operating system for the last operating system request. It also returns the operating exception number for the last exception that occurred. This function is useful when debugging system level errors. The _STATUS function is often used with the SYSTEXT$ function.

Example 6-161 _STATUS system function 

  when exception in
    open #1: name 'c:\stuff\otherstuff\myfile.txt' 
    close #1 
  use
    print 'The error was: '; systext$(_status)
  end when
  end
 
 
 
The error was: The system cannot find the path specified.

6.8.3 _STRING

Upon the completion of an INPUT MENU statement, the concept _STRING contains the menu path taken by the user when selecting the menu item. (i.e., "#2;#3" means the 3rd item of the 2nd submenu.)

Example 6-162 _STRING system function 

  line1$       = '%width 12, %menubar, %autovbar ON,' 
  line2$       = 'file = {new, get_file, save, save_as},' 
  line3$       = 'edit = {cut, copy, paste},' 
  line4$       = 'paragraph = {font, alignment, spacing, tabs, headers, footers},' 
  line5$       = 'options = {ruler = {on, off}, side_bar = {on, off},' 
  line6$       = 'view = {enlarged, normal, small}},exit' 
  test_menu$   = line1$ + line2$ + line3$ + line4$ + line5$ + line6$ 
  the_default$ = '' 
  
  do 
    input menu test_menu$, default the_default$: ans$ 
    if  _exit  then exit do
    message 'Menu path was', _string
    the_default$ = _string
  loop
  end
 
 
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 
|  FILE      |   EDIT      |   PARAGRAPH   |   OPTIONS   |   EXIT             | 
+--------------------------------------------+---OPTIONS---+-------------------+ 
                                             |  RULER    [>| 
                                             |  SIDE_BAR +----VIEW-----+ 
                                             |  VIEW    |  ENLARGED   | 
                                             +-----------|  NORMAL    | 
                                                         |  SMALL      | 
                                                         +-------------+ 
 
 
 
The menu path was:  #4;#3;#2

6.8.4 EXLABEL$

EXLABEL$ returns the routine name and line number executing when the last exception occurred, e.g., DO_INPUT.4

Example 6-163 EXLABEL$ function 

  try_it 
  stop
  routine try_it 
    when exception in
      open #1: name 'xx.yy' 
    use
      print 'Open error at '; exlabel$
      print 'Error was: '; extext$(extype)
    end when
  end routine
  
  
Open error at TRY_IT.0002 
Error was: File not found

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