Changing data in individual records

To change the data in an individual record:

  1. Move your cursor to the position where you want to start editing the text.

    This can be done with your mouse or arrow keys or by using the LOCATE or FIND commands.

  2. Overtype the existing text with your changes or insert or delete characters.
  3. When you change a numeric field by overtyping the existing contents, File Manager performs the following steps to determine the new value of the field:
    1. Scans the contents of the field from left to right.
    2. Ignores leading blanks
    3. Uses the numeric digits present in the field up to either the end of the field, or up to the first embedded blank.
    4. Ignores any characters to the right of an embedded blank.
    For example, File Manager treats the following 8-character numeric field as having the value, 30,123:
    │ │ │ │3│0│1│2│3│
    └─┴─┴─┴─┴─┴─┴─┴─┘
    but treats the following 8-character numeric field as having the value, 30:
    │ │ │3│0│ │1│2│3│
    └─┴─┴──────┘
  4. Press Enter (or any function key except Help (F1) or Cancel (F12)).

    Your changes are saved in memory but not written to the file, and the changed record becomes highlighted. You can change more than one record at a time before entering the changes. Your accumulated record changes are only written to file when you issue a SAVE, FILE, END or EXIT command.

Note: For a field defined to contain date or time values, you can clear field, type in the equals (=) character, and press ENTER to have File Manager store the current date or time in the field.