In this article Barry Mavin, CEO and Chief Software Architect for Recital, details how to work with Triggers in the Recital Database Server.

Overview

A trigger is a special kind of stored procedure that runs when you modify data in a specified table using one or more of the data modification operations: UPDATE, INSERT, or DELETE.

Triggers can query other tables and can include complex SQL statements. They are primarily useful for enforcing complex business rules or requirements. For example, you can control whether to allow a new order to be inserted based on a customer's current account status.

Triggers are also useful for enforcing referential and data integrity.

Triggers can be used with any data source that is handled natively by the Recital Database Engine. This includes Recital, FoxPro, FoxBASE, Clipper, dBase, CISAM, and RMS data,

Creating and Editing Triggers

To create a new Trigger,  right-click the Procedures node in the Databases tree of the Project Explorer and choose Create. To modify an existing Trigger select the Trigger in the Databases Tree in the Project Explorer by double-clicking on it, or select Modify from the context menu. By convertion we recommend that you name your Stored Procedures beginning with "sp_xxx_", user-defined functions with "f_xxx_", and Triggers with "dt_xxx_", where xxx is the name of the table that they are associated with.

Associating Triggers with a Table

Once you have written your Triggers as detailed above you can associate them with the operations performed on a Table by selecting the Table tab.

The Tables tab allows you to select a Trigger procedure by clicking on the small button at the right of the Text field.

Types of Triggers

As can be seen from the Tables tab detailed below, The Recital Database Server handles 6 distinct types of Triggers.

Open Trigger

The Open Trigger is called after is a table is opened but before any operations are performed on it. You can use this trigger to record a log of table usage or provide a programmable means of checing security. If the Trigger procedure returns .F. (false), then the table is not opened. You can use a TRY...CATCH block around the associated command to inform the user.

Close Trigger

The Close Trigger is called just prior to a table being closed. In this trigger you may find it useful to get transaction counts by using the IOSTATS() built-in 4GL function, and record these values in a transaction log.

Update Trigger

The Update Trigger is called prior to a record update operation being performed. You can use this trigger to perform complex application or data specific validation. If the Trigger procedure returns .F. (false), then the record is not updated. You can use inform the user from within the Trigger procedure the reason that the data cannot be updated.

Delete Trigger

The Delete Trigger is called prior to a record delete operation being performed. You can use this trigger to perform complex application or data specific validation such as cross-table lookups e.g. attempting to delete a customer recortd when there are still open orders for that specific customer. If the Trigger procedure returns .F. (false), then the record is not deleted.

Insert Trigger

The Insert Trigger is called prior to a record insert (append) operation being performed. You can use this trigger to perform such tasks as setting up default values of columns within the record. If the Trigger procedure returns .F. (false), then the record is not inserted.

Rollback Trigger

The RollbackTrigger is called prior to a rollback operation being performed from within a form. If the Trigger procedure returns .F. (false), then the record is not rolled back to its original state.

Testing the Trigger

To test run the Trigger, select the Trigger in the Databases Tree in the Project Explorer by double-clicking on it. Once the Database Administrator is displayed, click the Run button to run the Trigger.

One of the attractive features of Linux is the impressive 3D desktop that even works on most older hardware.

You can enabled the 3D Desktop on CentOS5 by installing the compiz package:

yum install compiz 

After you have done this, go to the top panel and click System, then select Preferences > and click 'Desktop Effects.

You will get a new dialog. To test and see if your hardware supports the 3D Desktop, press the button Enable Desktop Effects. If everything works fine, you can select Keep Settings.

In this article Barry Mavin, CEO and Chief Software Architect for Recital details how to Build C Extension Libraries to use with Recital.

Overview

It is possible to extend the functionaliy of Recital products using "Extension libraries" that can be written in C. These extension libraries, written using the Recital/SDK API, are dynamically loadable from all Recital 9 products. This includes:

• Recital
• Recital Server
• Recital Web

Building C Extension Libraries

You can create C wrappers for virtually any native operating system function and access these from the Recital 4GL. Unlike traditional APIs which only handle the development of C functions that are callable from the 4GL, the Recital/SDK allows you to build Classes that are accessible from all Recital products. e.g. You could create a GUI framework for Linux that handles VFP system classes!

To deploy your C Extension Libraries, copy them to the following location:

Windows:

\Program Files\Recital\extensions

Linux/Unix:

/opt/recital/extensions

Please see the Recital/SDK API Reference documentation for further details.

Sample code

Listed below is the complete example of a C Extension Library.:

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#include "mirage_demo.h"  
      
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Declare your functions and classes below as follows:
//
//    Recital Function Name, C Function Name, Type (Function or Class)
//
#define MAX_ELEMENTS    7
static  struct  API_SHARED_FUNCTION_TABLE api_function_table[MAX_ELEMENTS] = {
        {"schar",   "fnSamplesCharacter",   API_FUNCTION},
        {"stype",   "fnSamplesType",           API_FUNCTION},
        {"slog",    "fnSamplesLogical",        API_FUNCTION},
        {"snum",    "fnSamplesNumeric",    API_FUNCTION},
        {"sopen",   "fnSamplesOpen",         API_FUNCTION},
        {"myclass", "clsMyClass",               API_CLASS},
        {NULL,      NULL,                   -1}
};

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Recital API initialization. This should be in only ONE of your C files
// **IT SHOULD NEVER BE EDITED OR REMOVED**  
INIT_API;


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// This is an example of passing a character parameter and returning one.
RECITAL_FUNCTION fnSamplesCharacter(void)
{
    char    *arg1;
    
    if (!_parse_parameters(PCOUNT, "C", &arg1)) { 
        ERROR(-1, "Incorrect parameters");
    }
    
    _retc(arg1);
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// This is an example of passing a numeric parameter and returning one.
RECITAL_FUNCTION fnSamplesNumeric(void)
{
    int arg1;
    
    if (!_parse_parameters(PCOUNT, "N", &arg1)) { 
        ERROR(-1, "Incorrect parameters");
    }
    
    _retni(arg1);
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// This is an example returns the data type of the parameter passed.
RECITAL_FUNCTION fnSamplesType(void)
{
    char    result[10];

    if (PCOUNT != 1) { 
        ERROR(-1, "Incorrect parameters");
    }
    
    switch (_parinfo(1)) {
        case API_CTYPE:
            strcpy(result, "Character");
            break;
        case API_NTYPE:
            strcpy(result, "Numeric");
            break;
        case API_LTYPE:
            strcpy(result, "Logical");
            break;
        case API_DTYPE:
            strcpy(result, "Date");
            break;
        case API_TTYPE:
            strcpy(result, "DateTime");
            break;
        case API_YTYPE:
            strcpy(result, "Currency");
            break;
        case API_ATYPE:
            strcpy(result, "Array");
            break;
        default:
            strcpy(result, "Unkown");
            break;
    }

    _retc(result);
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// This is an example returns "True" or False.
RECITAL_FUNCTION  fnSamplesLogical(void)
{
    char    result[10];
    int     arg1;
    
    if (!_parse_parameters(PCOUNT, "L", &arg1)) { 
        ERROR(-1, "Incorrect parameters");
    }
    
    if (arg1) strcpy(result, "True");
    else strcpy(result, "False");

    _retc(result);
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// This example opens a table.
RECITAL_FUNCTION fnSamplesOpen(void)
{
    char    *arg1;
    
    if (!_parse_parameters(PCOUNT, "C", &arg1)) { 
        ERROR(-1, "Incorrect parameters");
    }
    
    if (_parinfo(1) == API_CTYPE) {
        _retni(COMMAND(arg1));
    } else {
        _retni(-1);
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define the MyClass CLASS using the API macros
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
RECITAL_EXPORT int DEFINE_CLASS(clsMyClass)
{
    /*-------------------------------------*/ 
    /* Dispatch factory methods and return */
    /*-------------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_FACTORY();
 
    /*---------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch constructor and return */ 
    /*---------------------------------*/ 
    DISPATCH_METHOD(clsMyClass, Constructor);

    /*--------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch destructor and return */
    /*--------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_METHOD(clsMyClass, Destructor); 

    /*-----------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch DEFINE method and return */
    /*-----------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_METHOD(clsMyClass, Define);

    /*------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY */
    /* method for property NumValue */
    /* then return.                 */
    /*------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, NumValue);
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, NumValue); 

    /*------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY */
    /* method for property LogValue */
    /* then return.                 */
    /*------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, LogValue);
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, LogValue);

    /*-------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY  */
    /* method for property DateValue */
    /* then return.                 */
    /*-------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, DateValue);
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, DateValue);

    /*-------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY  */
    /* method for property TimeValue */
    /* then return.                  */
    /*-------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, TimeValue);
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, TimeValue);
 
    /*-------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY  */
    /* method for property CurrValue */
    /* then return.                  */
    /*-------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, CurrValue);
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, CurrValue);

    /*-------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY  */
    /* method for property CharValue */
    /* then return.                  */
    /*-------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, CharValue); 
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, CharValue);

    /*------------------------------*/
    /* Dispatch SET or GET PROPERTY */ 
    /* method for property ObjValue */ 
    /* then return.                 */
    /*------------------------------*/
    DISPATCH_PROPSET(clsMyClass, ObjValue);
    DISPATCH_PROPGET(clsMyClass, ObjValue);

    /*-----------------------------------*/
    /* If message not found return error */
    /*-----------------------------------*/
    OBJECT_RETERROR("Unknown message type");
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define METHOD handlers
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
DEFINE_METHOD(clsMyClass, Constructor) 
{
        struct example_data *objectDataArea;

        /* Allocate memory for objects objectData area */
        objectDataArea = (struct example_data *) 
           malloc(sizeof(struct example_data));
        if (objectDataArea == NULL) return(-1);
    
        /* Assign the default property values */
        strcpy(objectDataArea->prop_charvalue, "Test API object");
        objectDataArea->prop_numvalue = 15.2827;
        objectDataArea->prop_logvalue = 'F';
        strcpy(objectDataArea->prop_datevalue, DATE_DATE());
        strcpy(objectDataArea->prop_timevalue, DATE_DATETIME());
        strcpy(objectDataArea->prop_currvalue, "15.2827");
        strcpy(objectDataArea->object_name, "APIobject");
        objectDataArea->prop_objvalue 
             = OBJECT_NEW(objectDataArea->object_name, "exception", NULL);
    
        /* Set the object objectData area */
        OBJECT_SETDATA((char *)objectDataArea);
    
        return(0);
}
  
DEFINE_METHOD(clsMyClass, Destructor) 
{
        struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

        if (objectData != NULL) {
            if (objectData->prop_objvalue != NULL) 
              OBJECT_DELETE(objectData->prop_objvalue);
            free(objectData);
            objectData = NULL;
        }
        return(0);
}

DEFINE_METHOD(clsMyClass, Define) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct      API_EXPRESSION result;
    char        buffer[512];
    int         rc;

/* Check the object class */
    OBJECT_GETPROPERTY(objectData->prop_objvalue, "class", buffer);
    rc = OBJECT_GETARG(buffer, &result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'C' 
        && strcmp(result.character, "Exception") == 0) { 
        switch (OBJECT_GETARGC()) {
            case 1: 
                rc = OBJECT_GETPARAMETER(1, &result);
                if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'C') {
                    OBJECT_SETARG(buffer, &result);
                    rc = OBJECT_SETPROPERTY(objectData->prop_objvalue,
                         "message", buffer);
                }
                break;
            case 2: 
                rc = OBJECT_GETPARAMETER(2, &result);
                if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'N') {
                    OBJECT_SETARG(buffer, &result);
                    rc = OBJECT_SETPROPERTY(objectData->prop_objvalue,
                         "errorno", buffer);
                }
         }
    }

    result.type = 'L';
    result.logical = (rc == 0 ? 'T' : 'F');  
    OBJECT_RETRESULT(&result);
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define GET property handlers
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, NumValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('N', objectData->prop_numvalue);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, LogValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('L', objectData->prop_logvalue);
}  

DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, DateValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('D', objectData->prop_datevalue);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, TimeValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('T', objectData->prop_timevalue);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, CurrValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('Y', objectData->prop_currvalue);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, CharValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('C', objectData->prop_charvalue);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYGET(clsMyClass, ObjValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();

    if (objectData == NULL) return(-1);

    OBJECT_RETPROPERTY('O', objectData->prop_objvalue);
} 


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define SET property handlers
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, NumValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct API_EXPRESSION result;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;

    OBJECT_GETVALUE(&result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'N') {
        objectData->prop_numvalue = result.number;
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, LogValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct API_EXPRESSION result;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;

    OBJECT_GETVALUE(&result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'L') {
        objectData->prop_logvalue = result.logical;
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, DateValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct API_EXPRESSION result;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;
    OBJECT_GETVALUE(&result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'D') {
        strcpy(objectData->prop_datevalue, DATE_DTOS(result.date));
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, TimeValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct API_EXPRESSION result;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;

    OBJECT_GETVALUE(&result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'T') {
        strcpy(objectData->prop_timevalue, DATE_TTOS(result.datetime));
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc); 
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, CurrValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct API_EXPRESSION result;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;

    OBJECT_GETVALUE(&result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'Y') {
        strcpy(objectData->prop_currvalue, CURR_YTOS(result.currency));
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, CharValue)  
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    struct API_EXPRESSION result;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;

    OBJECT_GETVALUE(&result);
    if (result.errno == 0 && result.type == 'C') {
        strcpy(objectData->prop_currvalue, result.character);
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc);
}

DEFINE_PROPERTYSET(clsMyClass, ObjValue) 
{
    struct example_data *objectData = (struct example_data *)OBJECT_GETDATA();
    OBJECT  objvalue;
    int rc = OBJECT_ERROR;

    if (OBJECT_GETTYPE() == 'O') {
        objvalue = OBJECT_GETOBJECT(); 
        objectData->prop_objvalue = OBJECT_ASSIGN(objvalue, objectData->object_name);
        rc = OBJECT_SUCCESS;
    }

    return(rc);
}

This article discusses the features in Recital that allow data to be imported and exported between platforms in Microsoft® ADO XML Format.

Overview

Extensible Markup Language, XML, is widely regarded as a lingua franca for the interchange of data. XML's text-based, platform-independent format and its integration of data and the schema to define and describe that data, make it the ideal import/export medium. Recital software provides the functionality to output the data from Recital - and other supported table formats such as FoxPro and FoxBASE - into XML file format and to import XML data into those tables' formats. Such import/export operations provide the means to exchange data with third-party applications and can also facilitate the transfer of data between Recital installations on binary-incompatible platforms.

The features examined in this article are available in Recital Terminal Developer and in the Recital Mirage and Recital Database Servers on all Recital supported platforms. Both the Recital/4GL and Recital/SQL provide XML import and export capabilities. The XML files discussed are in Microsoft® ADO XML format.

Microsoft® ActiveX® Data Objects XML Format

The ADO XML format is primarily designed for ADO Recordset persistence and ADO XML files created by Recital can be used in this way and loaded directly into ADO Recordsets. The format can, though also be used for more generic data transfer. An ADO XML file is self-contained, consisting of two sections: a schema section followed by a data section. The schema conforms to the W3C XML-Data specification and defines the data structure.
For additional information on the Microsoft® ActiveX® Data Objects XML Format, please see Appendix 1.

NOTE: The Recital XMLFORMAT setting should always be in its default setting of ADO for ADO XML Format operations.

set xmlformat to ADO

SQL

Recital/SQL offers the ability to export data into XML files using the SELECT and FETCH statements and import from XML using the CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements.

SQL: Exporting

The SELECT...SAVE AS XML statement allows the complete result set from a SELECT statement to be saved as an XML file. This could be a complete table:

open database southwind
  SELECT * from orders SAVE AS XML orders.xml

or a more complex multi-table query:

open database southwind
SELECT orders.orderid, orders.customerid,;
    employees.employeeid, employees.lastname, employees.firstname,;
    orders.orderdate, orders.freight, orders.requireddate,;
    orders.shippeddate, orders.shipvia, orders.shipname,;
    orders.shipaddress, orders.shipcity,;
    orders.shipregion, orders.shippostalcode, orders.shipcountry,;
    customers.companyname, customers.address, customers.city,;
    customers.region, customers.postalcode, customers.country; 
    FROM orders INNER JOIN customers;
    ON customers.customerid = orders.customerid,;
    orders INNER JOIN employees;
    ON orders.employeeid = employees.employeeid;
    SAVE AS XML orderinfo

The resulting XML file can then be further processed within the same or a different Recital environment or transferred to a third party product.

<x-ml xmlns:z="#RowsetSchema" xmlns:rs="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:rowset"
 xmlns:dt="uuid:C2F41010-65B3-11d1-A29F-00AA00C14882" xmlns:s="uuid:BDC6E3F0-6DA3-11d1-A2A3-
00AA00C14882">
 <s:schema id="RowsetSchema">
  <s:elementtype rs:updatable="true" content="eltOnly" name="row">
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="orderid" rs:basetable="orders.dbf" rs:write="true"
 rs:nullable="true" rs:number="1" name="orderid">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" rs:precision="14" rs:scale="0" dt:maxlength="10"
 rs:dbtype="numeric" dt:type="number">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="customerid" rs:basetable="orders.dbf" rs:write="true"
 rs:nullable="true" rs:number="2" name="customerid">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" dt:maxlength="5" rs:dbtype="str" dt:type="string">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="employeeid" rs:basetable="orders.dbf" rs:write="true"
 rs:nullable="false" rs:number="3" name="employeeid">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" rs:precision="20" rs:scale="0" dt:maxlength="10"
 rs:dbtype="numeric" dt:type="number">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="lastname" rs:basetable="orders.dbf" rs:write="true"
 rs:nullable="false" rs:number="4" name="lastname">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" dt:maxlength="20" rs:dbtype="str" dt:type="string">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="firstname" rs:basetable="orders.dbf" rs:write="true"
 rs:nullable="false" rs:number="5" name="firstname">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" dt:maxlength="10" rs:dbtype="str" dt:type="string">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="orderdate" rs:basetable="orders.dbf" rs:write="true"
 rs:nullable="true" rs:number="6" name="orderdate">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" dt:maxlength="10" rs:dbtype="Date" dt:type="Date">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
   <s:attributetype name="freight" ...

Click image to display full size

Fig 1: Microsoft® Office Excel 2003: orderinfo.xml.

For data accessed through a Recital Database Gateway, such as Oracle, MySQL or PostgreSQL, the FETCH command can be used to save a cursor results set into an XML file:

// Connect to MySQL Database 'mydata' via Recital Database Gateway
nStatHand=SQLSTRINGCONNECT("mys@mysql1:user1/pass1-mydata",.T.)
if nStatHand < 1
  dialog box [Could not connect]
else
  DECLARE cursor1 CURSOR FOR;
      SELECT account_no, last_name, first_name FROM example
  OPEN cursor1
  FETCH cursor1 INTO XML exa1.xml
  SQLDISCONNECT(nStatHand)
endif

SQL: Importing

The CREATE TABLE statement allows a new table to be created based on the structure defined in an XML file. The data from the XML file can optionally be loaded into this new table if the LOAD keyword is included. For example, a new 'orderinfo' table can be created and populated with data from the orderinfo.xml file created by the SELECT...SAVE AS XML statement shown earlier:

open database southwind
SELECT orders.orderid, orders.customerid,;
    employees.employeeid, employees.lastname, employees.firstname,;
    orders.orderdate, orders.freight, orders.requireddate,;
    orders.shippeddate, orders.shipvia, orders.shipname,;
    orders.shipaddress, orders.shipcity,;
    orders.shipregion, orders.shippostalcode, orders.shipcountry,;
    customers.companyname, customers.address, customers.city,;
    customers.region, customers.postalcode, customers.country; 
    FROM orders INNER JOIN customers;
    ON customers.customerid = orders.customerid,;
    orders INNER JOIN employees;
    ON orders.employeeid = employees.employeeid;
    SAVE AS XML orderinfo

CREATE TABLE orderinfo FROM XML orderinfo LOAD

The INSERT statement can be used to load data when the table structure already exists. Taking our earlier orderinfo.xml file again, the data can be loaded using INSERT:

open database southwind;
SELECT orders.orderid, orders.customerid,;
    employees.employeeid, employees.lastname, employees.firstname,;
    orders.orderdate, orders.freight, orders.requireddate,;
    orders.shippeddate, orders.shipvia, orders.shipname,;
    orders.shipaddress, orders.shipcity,;;
    orders.shipregion, orders.shippostalcode, orders.shipcountry,;
    customers.companyname, customers.address, customers.city,;
    customers.region, customers.postalcode, customers.country; 
    FROM orders INNER JOIN customers;
    ON customers.customerid = orders.customerid,;
    orders INNER JOIN employees;
    ON orders.employeeid = employees.employeeid;
    SAVE AS XML orderinfo
CREATE TABLE orderinfo FROM XML orderinfo

INSERT INTO orderinfo FROM XML orderinfo

The examples above show the export and import in a single piece of code. To transfer data between binary-incompatible platforms, the export phase using SELECT...SAVE AS XML would be carried out on the source platform, the resulting XML file would be transferred to the target platform, then the import phase using CREATE TABLE...LOAD or CREATE TABLE + INSERT would be run on the target platform.

Recital/4GL

The Recital/4GL offers the ability to export data into XML files using the COPY TO ... TYPE XML command and import from XML using the XMLFIRST() and XMLNEXT() functions.

Recital/4GL: Exporting

The COPY TO command can be used to export data from Recital and other natively supported tables out to a wide range of formats. This includes exporting to an XML file. The '.xml' file extension is added automatically. The COPY TO command can be used to export an entire table:

open database southwind
use orders
copy to orders type xml

or, using the FIELDS clause and the FOR or WHILE clauses, restrict the field list and export only those records which match a particular condition:

open database southwind
use orders
copy to orders type xml fields orderid for year(orderdate) = 1996

Only the orderid field from those records which match the condition is exported:

<x-ml xmlns:z="#RowsetSchema" xmlns:rs="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:rowset"
 xmlns:dt="uuid:C2F41010-65B3-11d1-A29F-00AA00C14882" xmlns:s="uuid:BDC6E3F0-6DA3-11d1-A2A3-
00AA00C14882">
 <s:schema id="RowsetSchema">
  <s:elementtype rs:updatable="true" content="eltOnly" name="row">
   <s:attributetype rs:basecolumn="ORDERID" rs:basetable="ORDERS" rs:write="true" rs:nullable="true"
 rs:number="1" name="ORDERID">
   <s:datatype rs:fixedlength="true" rs:precision="10" rs:scale="0" dt:maxlength="10"
 rs:dbtype="numeric" dt:type="number">
   </s:datatype></s:attributetype>
  </s:elementtype>
 </s:schema>
 <rs:data>
 <z:row orderid="10248">
 <z:row orderid="10249">
 <z:row orderid="10250">
 <z:row ...

Recital/4GL: Importing

Data from an XML file can be extracted one record at a time using the XMLFIRST() and XMLNEXT() functions. XMLFIRST() reads the first record from an XML file and loads information from the file into a series of memory variables and arrays. The record data is loaded into a one-dimensional array which is created automatically. Each element in the array contains the data for its corresponding field in string format. The field names are loaded into another automatically-created array. The XMLNEXT() function works in a similar way to deal with all the subsequent records in the XML file. The XMLCOUNT() function can be used, as in the example below, to determine how many data records the XML file has.

The Recital/4GL includes a vast range of functions for manipulation and conversion of arrays and their individual elements. In the example program below, the XMLFIRST() and XMLNEXT() functions are used to sequentially extract each record from an XML file, whose name is passed to the program as a parameter. Once loaded into an array, the data is converted to the correct Recital data type then appended into a table. The table name is also passed as a parameter.

procedure replaceit
  append blank
  for i = 1 to numfields
    if type(field(i)) = "N"
      replace &(field(i)) with val(data[&i])
    elseif type(field(i)) = "D"
      replace &(field(i)) with stod(data[&i])
    elseif type(field(i)) = "T"
      replace &(field(i)) with ctot(data[&i])
    elseif type(field(i)) = "L"
      replace &(field(i)) with iif(data[&i]="T",.T.,.F.)
    elseif type(field(i)) = "Y"
      replace &(field(i)) with val(data[&i])
    else
      replace &(field(i)) with data[&i]
    endif
  next
return
 
procedure starthere                    
  parameters cTable, cFile
  numfields=xmlfirst(cFile,targ,trans,where,fldnames,data)
  if numfields < 1
    dialog box [No records in XML file]
  else
    use &cTable
    replaceit()
  endif
  numrecs = xmlcount(cFile)
  if numrecs > 1
    numleft = numrecs -1
    for i = 1 to numleft
      xmlnext(trans,where,fldnames,data)
      replaceit()
    next
  endif
return

Alternative Import/Export Methods

Other features exist in Recital to facilitate the import and export of data:

RDDs

The RDDs, Replaceable Database Drivers, are available on Windows, Linux and all supported 32-bit UNIX platforms. They allow for the use and creation of database tables and indexes in FoxPro, dBase and Clipper formats. The file format is the same across all the platforms that support the RDDs, allowing the tables and indexes to be transferred as required. The formats are also supported by a wide range of third-party products as well as their originating database systems. For more information on the RDDs, please see the online documentation on Xbase migration and the SET FILETYPE command.

BUILD/INSTALL

These are Recital/4GL commands for the export (BUILD) and import (INSTALL) of Recital tables and their associated memo, dictionary and multiple index files in ASCII format to allow them to be transferred across binary incompatible platforms. For more information, please see the online documentation on Recital/4GL commands.

COPY Commands

The COPY TO, COPY STRUCTURE, COPY STRUCTURE EXTENDED and CREATE FROM commands can all be used to enable data to be transferred between different formats and different platforms. For more information, please see the online documentation on Recital/4GL commands.

Appendix 1: Microsoft® ActiveX® Data Objects XML Format

For detailed information on the Microsoft® ActiveX® Data Objects XML Format, please consult the following Microsoft documentation: