>>>I need to set up an index to sort records using a mix of ascending and descending orders, using character fields.
>>>
>>>I recall this could be done using the SYS(15) function ("included for backward compatibility"). I've done it before, but now do not remember how! Apparently, the list of fields in the sort order would include something like "SYS(15, "ZYXW...", field)". This would cause the field to be sorted in descending order by substituting each character--a "Z" for an "A", "Y" for "B", and so forth.
>
>>sys(15) was for char. translation table but at the end what would you get ? You just try to have a descending index ?
>>AAAAAA
>>BBBBBB
>>CCCCCC
>>sorted as :
>>CCCCCC
>>BBBBBB
>>AAAAAA ? If what you want is this simple then index has a keyword descending. OTOH you can use any index descending by using "descending" keyword of "set order".
>>Cetin
>
>Thanks for writing, Cetin.
>
>I figured it out! I went back to some old code that did what I needed. I could not simply use the DESCENDING keyword, because the sort I am doing must contain _both_ ASCENDING and DESCENDING field orders.
>
>The trick is to create a variable having the entire ASCII character set in backwards order:
>
> PUBLIC gcRevSort
> gcRevSort = ''
> FOR lnPtr = 255 TO 1 STEP -1
> gcRevSort = gcRevSort + CHR(lnPtr)
> ENDFOR
>
>Next, in the INDEX expression, use the following:
>
> INDEX ON field1, field2, SYS(15, gcRevSort, field3) TAG SortName
>
>This expression allows both FIELD1 and FIELD2 to be ASCENDING sorts, while FIELD3 is a DESCENDING sort. It came in handy when I was asked to a seniority listing of employees, alphabetically by name and by seniority date, with dates listed into the past (backwards).
>
>Michael Reynolds
Michael,
I can't say I understood :( With dates I mimic descending by subtracting a future date from recorded.

index on name+str(sdate-{1/1/9999}) tag NameDate

Cetin