Support for LIKE/EXCEPT Clauses Incorrectly Documented

• Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, version 2.6
• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, version 2.6

SUMMARY

The online Help file for FoxPro 2.6 for Windows and FoxPro 2.6 for MS-DOS contains incorrect information about commands that support the new LIKE and EXCEPT clauses. The Help file incorrectly indicates that certain commands can accept the LIKE and EXCEPT clauses. The Help file also fails to document certain commands that do accept these clauses. This article explains the differences between the documented and observed behavior for these commands.

MORE INFORMATION

According to the Help file, the following commands can accept LIKE or EXCEPT clauses. The Help file is incorrect. These commands do not support the LIKE and EXCEPT clauses:

   APPEND FROM
   CREATE REPORT - Quick Report
   CREATE SCREEN - Quick Screen
   LIST
   TOTAL

   BLANK
   REPLACE FROM ARRAY
   SET FIELDS

   ARTICLE-ID: Q114702
   TITLE     : How to Use the LIKE and EXCEPT Clauses

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Use the following code to create a table that can be used to test the behavior of the commands:

         CREATE TABLE 'test' (afld  C(5), bfld  C(5))
         INSERT INTO test (afld, bfld) VALUES ('afld', 'bfld')
         COPY TO test2
   

2. Execute the following commands. According to the Help file, each of these commands should support the LIKE and EXCEPT clauses. Each line of code shown below, however, will produce a "Syntax Error" message.

        CREATE REPORT test FROM test FIELDS LIKE a*
        CREATE SCREEN test FROM test FIELDS LIKE a*
        APPEND FROM test2 FIELDS LIKE a*
        LIST FIELDS LIKE a*
        TOTAL TO testx ON IIF(afld="A",1,2) FIELDS LIKE a*
   

3. Execute the following commands. According to the Help file, none of these commands should support the LIKE and EXCEPT clauses. Each line of code shown below, however, will accept the LIKE and EXCEPT clauses:

        BLANK FIELDS LIKE b*
        PUBL ARRA atest[2,2]
        atest = "TT"
        REPLACE FROM ARRAY atest FIELDS LIKE a*
        SET FIELDS TO ALL LIKE a*