S Search (Multiple Search Arguments))

S [-] [n] , ( s-fil | lib ( [t/] elem) ) [, A] Multiple Search - Format 4

s-fil | lib ( [t/] elem )

Name of the file (Fcbtype=SAM), or library element in which the search argument is stored. If the element type is not specified for a library element, then S/ will be supplied, if the library is in PLAM format.

Using the CFS Search mask (see page 8-), multiple search arguments to a maximum length of 15*80 characters may be specified. There is no such restriction for the Search file, s-fil. The size and number of the search arguments in this file are limitless.

Format of the s-fil file:

Each record in s-fil represents a search argument that is linked to the argument in the next record. If none of the ,/+/* logical operators are specified at the end of a record, then, as standard, the records will be "or"ed with each other. Within each record, multiple search arguments can be linked with or, and, wildcard operators. A maximum length of 250 bytes per record is allowed.

A This option has the same effect as in Format 1 of the Search command, described above.

Example:

S,(NAMES)

All records of the file currently displayed are searched for an occurrence of at least one of the search criteria contained in the file NAMES (Fcbtype=SAM). A search argument is created in a record of the specified file.

The file NAMES has the following format:

'ALBERT'
'ANDREAS'
'AMADEUS'+'THEODOR'+'ERNST'
........
'CARL'*'PHILIP'*'EMANUEL'

And combination ( + ): A record containing the string 'AMADEUS' will only be flagged as a hit, if the same record also contains the strings 'THEODOR' and 'ERNST'. The sequence of the individual items in the search is irrelevant when linked with the '+' operator. For example, a record containing the string 'ERNST THEODOR AMADEUS' will fulfill the search criterium.

Wildcard combination ( * ): A record containing the string 'CARL' will only be flagged as a hit if it also contains the strings 'PHILIP' and 'EMANUEL'.

It is possible to restrict the search of each individual argument to a specific column range.

In the example above, the quotation marks before and after the search strings may be omitted, since the string does not contain any blanks or special characters.

Any hexadecimal string can be sought using X' '.

Search items containing lowercase letters can be entered in the form L'...'. In this case, the string between the quotation marks is not converted to uppercase.

For a full description of the syntax and the various abbreviations, see page 8-.