Subject Re: Modify database structure in a program From <rich@autotraker.com> <<rich@autotraker.com>> Date Tue, 9 Apr 2019 09:35:05 -0400 Newsgroups dbase.getting-started Don't forget modistru.cc by Marc Van den Berghen I believe its in the dUFLP. I regularly use it to change field widths, types, etc No reordering of the fields, no coping from field to field, and easy to use. Rich... "Mervyn Bick"  wrote in message news:C#QYMtq7UHA.2848@ip-AC1E04A7... On 2019-04-08 10:02 PM, Dave Cornelson wrote: > Is there a code I can put in a program to change the type and width in a > database file with out using the command Modify Structure and do each one > at a time.  I have many tables to modify and like to create a program to > run to do this... > The short answer is Yes.  Actually doing it may present some challenges but it isn't rocket science. :-) Changing the width of a field, especially if increasing it, shouldn't present a problem.  Changing the type of the field could well result in the loss of data depending on the change made.  This can be overcome but it would need a different approach with quite a bit more work The scheme suggested by Ken is certainly "do-able" and is probably the least complicated way of doing this.  It does, however, change the order of the fields in the table.  After the work is complete the changed field will be the last one in the record.  This could be a problem if you display data in a grid unless you have used the grid's columns property to select columns. If you need to keep the fields in the original order a possible solution is to use COPY TABLE to move the data to a temporary table.  Use cretabl7.prg from the dUFLP which will create a text file containing the code to re-create the table.  Use a file object to read the text file line by line and write it out to a new file.  Change the line for the field in question to reflect the new field specification before writing it out to the new file.  DROP the original table and execute the new text file to create a new table.  Append from the temporary table. Needless to say, make sure you have a complete up-to-date back-up of all your tables before you try to make any changes. If you give us more details of exactly what you need to do you may get further suggestions.  For instance, do you need to make the same change in all tables or only in some tables?  What change do you need to make to the field specification?  Do you need to change one field or several fields in a table?  Is the fieldname of the field you need to change the same in all the tables?  Does a field with the same fieldname exist in tables which don't need to be changed.  Would it cause problems if such a field were to be changed? Mervyn.