NET/MASTER Network Control Language (NCL) Reference Manual

FILE GET
Verbs
106126 Tandem Computers Incorporated 3–83
After successful retrieval, you can obtain the full key of the record returned
from the &SYS.FILE.KEY system variable. Sequential retrieval is terminated
by use of the FILE GET verb with any operand other than OPT=SEQ, or when
an end-of-file or start-of-file (depending on the direction of retrieval) is
reached. The OPT=END operand can also be used to explicitly terminate
sequential accessing.
UPD
specifies that the record with the specified key in the KEY= keydata operand
is to be retrieved for update processing, and locks that record.
Use of this operand means you obtain exclusive use of the specified record. It
ensures that no other users can access the same record until you have finished
with it by issuing a FILE PUT, a FILE CLOSE, or by specifying the operand
OPT=END.
For multiple users who might be able to simultaneously perform updating of a
record, use this operand to ensure that no overlap in update processing is
possible.
When using this operand it is your responsibility to ensure that exclusive use
of the record is obtained. If another user is already processing the same record
when this request is issued, the request fails with the appropriate return code.
You must then retry the request at a later time.
If exclusive use is not obtained, the &SYS.FILE.RC system variable is set to 8
and the &SYS.FILE.ERROR system variable contains a value of 73.
Note Do not perform processing that results in excessive delays (such as prompting the terminal operator for
input) while you have exclusive use of a record, or while you have locked a record. Other users are
unable to access the record while you have exclusive use.
PATH
determines the path used to retrieve a record from a file or pair of files.
ANY
retrieves a record from a file or either file in a pair or files. In a pair of files, if
an exact key is specified, the first file is searched first; if the record is not
found, the second file is searched.
If more than one record is to be read from the key-sequenced file(s), the
records are read and retrieved in order.
Note In a pair of files, this slows down the retrieval process because records from both files must be read and
compared (to see which of two records is selected).