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Main Chapter Getting Started Manual Programmer Manual

Transferring File Entries


Comparing Entries

You can use the Compare/Merge File Entries option as a simple tool to compare entries. To do this:

  1. Identify a file.

  2. Identify the two entries to be compared.

  3. Answer NO to the "MERGE ENTRIES AFTER COMPARING THEM?" prompt.

In this example below, two similar entries in the SCHOLAR file are used.

Select TRANSFER OPTION: COMPARE/MERGE FILE ENTRIES
COMPARE ENTRIES IN WHAT FILE: SCHOLAR 
COMPARE SCHOLAR: RU

VA FileMan responds to this abbreviated response with the matching entries in the list that follows:

1   RUSSELL,BERTRAND A.
    2 RUSSELL,BERTRAND W.
CHOOSE 1-2: 1
   WITH SCHOLAR: RUSSELL,BERTRAND W.

NOTE: Use this option ONLY DURING NON-PEAK HOURS if merging entries in a
file that is pointed-to either by many files, or by large files.

MERGE ENTRIES AFTER COMPARING THEM? No// 

Here you choose whether to simply compare entries or to actually merge them. If you are merging, the process of repointing entries in other files from the merged-from entry to the merged-to entry can be time-consuming or may create many tasked jobs. This is more likely if the file is pointed to by many files or if the files that point to it have many entries. In these situations, consider merging at times when your system is not busy.

DO YOU WANT TO DISPLAY ONLY THE DISCREPANT FIELDS?  NO// 
DEVICE:                 RIGHT MARGIN:     80// 
 
 
COMPARISON OF SCHOLAR FILE ENTRIES           FEB 14, 1991  11:59    PAGE 1
SCHOLAR             RUSSELL, BERTRAND A.         RUSSELL,BERTRAND W.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
*** NAME            RUSSELL,BERTRAND A.          RUSSELL,BERTRAND W. 
 
*** SSN             999-99-9999                  888-88-8888
 
*** SUBJECT AREA    PHILOSOPHY                   MATHEMATICS 
 
*** DATE OF BIRTH   1872 
 
Press RETURN to continue or '^' to exit:

The asterisks ("***") appearing in front of the field label indicate the entries contain different data in those fields. This simple report compares the data in each field in the two entries.


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Reviewed/Updated: March 4, 2007