>I am constructing an archive utility. As part of this I require to append fields from an existing dbf to a newly created archive file. The dbf is around 8mb with an associated 5mb fpt file. Even when I mark say only 2 of the records to be archived it seems to take an age to append the records fromt the dbf to the new archive file. On inspecting the archive file I find I have my 2 selected records - but the fpt file has come across in it's entirety (5mb); If I pack the new archive dbf it reduces the fpt to a few k in size. I am presuming the append operation is taking so long because of the size of the original fpt file.
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>Is this behaviour normal?
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>Thanks
>Barry Sutton

It depends on exactly what you are doing. I suspect you are doing this:

SELECT Archive
APPEND FROM existing FOR marked = .T.

Best to use SQL to

SELECT * FROM existing WHERE marked = .T. INTO CURSOR c_Temp NOFILTER
SELECT Archive
APPEND FROM DBF('c_Temp')