LSET¶

Syntax¶

LSET <string variable> = <string expression>

Versions: Disk

Purpose¶

To left-justify a string in a field for random file I/O operations.

Remarks¶

LSET is used with random access files to prepare data for writing with PUT. It assigns the string expression to the string variable, left-justified in the field.

If the string is shorter than the field defined by the string variable, the string is padded on the right with spaces.

If the string is longer than the field, the extra characters on the right are truncated.

LSET is typically used with field variables defined by the FIELD statement to prepare data for writing to random access files.

Example¶

10 OPEN "R", 1, "DATA.DAT", 32
20 FIELD #1, 20 AS N$, 10 AS A$
30 LSET N$ = "JOHN DOE"
40 LSET A$ = "25"
50 PUT #1, 1
60 CLOSE #1

' N$ will contain "JOHN DOE            " (padded with spaces)
' A$ will contain "25        " (padded with spaces)

Notes¶

LSET does not write to the file - use PUT to write the record
The string variable should be a field variable defined with FIELD
Trailing spaces are added for padding, leading spaces are not