Labelling record ranges

In any display format except SNGL, you can limit the number of records affected by the CHANGE, DELETE, EXCLUDE and FIND commands by specifying a record range. A record range consists of a pair of record labels indicating the first and last records to be searched. The string is found if it is contained in a record within the specified range.

To limit editing primary commands using your own labels:

  1. Enter a label in the prefix area of one data record.

    A record label consists of a period (.) followed by one to four alphabetic characters (no numeric or special characters). Labels starting with “.Z” are reserved for the editor (see Editor-assigned labels).

  2. Enter a label in the prefix area of a second data record.

    The order in which you specify the labels is not important.

  3. Enter your primary command and any parameters, followed by two labels in any order.

    When you specify a record range, you must separate the two labels by a blank or comma. A single label is invalid. The labels may be any combination of the editor-assigned labels (.ZCSR, .ZFST, .ZLST) and labels you have assigned yourself.

    Regardless of the order in which you specify the two labels, the label representing the smaller relative line number is used as the start of the range and the label representing the larger relative line number is used as the end of the range.

    Your cursor is positioned on the first instance that occurs within the range.

Note:
  1. When using FIND or CHANGE, all instances of your search string are highlighted, however, only those instances within the range are affected by the command or by the RFIND (F5) and RCHANGE (F6) commands.
  2. Once assigned, a label stays with the record, even if the record is moved.
  3. A label is removed when the record containing the label is deleted.
  4. Overtyping a label with a prefix command does not remove the label. When the command is complete, the record label reappears.
  5. You can move a label to another record by typing the same label on a new record.
  6. If the range you specify includes not-selected or suppressed records that are hidden from display or represented by shadow lines, then those records are not affected by the CHANGE, DELETE, EXCLUDE or FIND command.
  7. If the range you specify includes excluded records and you either use the EX parameter or do not specify an EXCLUDE parameter, the records are affected by the primary command. If an excluded record is affected by a primary command, the record becomes not-excluded.

In the following example, the label .HERE is assigned to record number 16 and the label .THRE is assigned to record number 129:

⋮
00015 This is a data record.
.HERE This is a data record with a label.
00017 This is a data record.
⋮
00128 This is a data record.
.THRE This is a data record with a label.
00130 This is a data record.
⋮

This range can now be used to limit a command:

CHANGE A B .HERE .THRE

The following command excludes all records, excluded or not-excluded, containing the string “where” in the range of records from the label .HERE to the label .THRE:

EXCLUDE C'where' ALL ABC .HERE .THRE

To remove labels from records, do one of the following:

  • For a single label: overtype the label with spaces (or a new label), then press Enter.
  • For all labels: enter the RESET LABEL command.