TYPE

Topic group Related topics

Display the contents of a text file.

Syntax

TYPE <filename 1> | ? | <filename skeleton 1>
[MORE]
[NUMBER]
[TO FILE <filename 2> | ? | <filename skeleton 2>] | [TO PRINTER]

<filename> | ? | <filename skeleton>

The file whose contents to display. TYPE ? and TYPE <filename skeleton> display a dialog box from which you can select a file. If you specify a file without including its path, dBASE Plus looks for the file in the current directory, then in the path you specify with SET PATH. You must specify a file-name extension.

MORE

Pauses output when it fills the Command window; otherwise, the output scrolls through the Command window to the end of the file.

NUMBER

Precedes each line of output with its line number.

TO FILE <filename 2> | ? | <filename skeleton>

Directs output to the text file <filename 2>, as well as to the results pane of the Command window. By default, dBASE Plus assigns a .TXT extension to <filename 2> and saves the file in the current directory. The ? and <filename skeleton> options display a dialog box in which you specify the name of the target file and the directory to save it in.

TO PRINTER

Directs output to the printer, as well as to the results pane of the Command window.

Description

Use TYPE to display the contents of text files. All program files in dBASE Plus are text files that you can display with TYPE.

If you TYPE a file TO FILE or TO PRINTER, dBASE Plus adds two lines of output at the beginning of the saved or printed output if SET HEADINGS is ON. The first line is a blank line, and the second line contains the full path name and date stamp of the source file. If you specify NUMBER, these two lines are not numbered; numbering begins with 1 at the first actual line of the source file.

If you specify MORE and cancel output before completion, *** INTERRUPTED *** appears in the results pane of the Command window, but does not appear in the incomplete saved or printed output.

If SET SAFETY is ON and a file exists with the same name as the target file, dBASE Plus displays a dialog box asking if you want to overwrite the file. If SET SAFETY is OFF, any existing file with the same name is overwritten without warning.