The File Commands
The DataFlex Language supports a number of commands that allow you to directly access tables outside of Data Dictionaries. Those commands are:
When using Data Dictionaries, you will normally not need to use these commands. In some of the Data Dictionary events, you may use these commands to handle custom low-level operations. For example, you may wish to perform some kind of customized find in a relate process in Relate_Main_File. In that case, you may use these commands.
Additionally, you can use these commands to bypass the use of a Data Dictionary. You are most likely to do this when finding records. Using direct commands to save or delete records is not recommended because you are bypassing all of the validation rules that the DDOs enforce.