•  Preface
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Organization
  •  Using this manual
    • References to ABL compiler and run-time features
    • References to ABL data types
  • Typographical conventions
  •  Examples of syntax descriptions
    • Long syntax descriptions split across lines
    • Complex syntax descriptions with both required and optional elements
  • Example procedures
  •  OpenEdge messages
    • Obtaining more information about OpenEdge messages
•  Introducing ABL
  • About the sample database
  •  In the beginning . . . FOR EACH CUSTOMER
    • Starting your OpenEdge session
    • Writing your first procedure
  •  Basic characteristics of ABL
    • ABL is procedural
    • ABL is block-structured
    • An ABL procedure consists of statements
    • ABL combines procedural, database, and user interface statements
  • Saving your test procedure
•  Using Basic ABL Constructs
  •  Refining the data selection with a WHERE clause
    • Comparison operators
    • Using quotation marks
  • Creating nested blocks to display related data
  • Changing labels and formats
  •  Using program variables and data types
    • Defining formats
    • Other variable qualifiers
    • Variable naming conventions
    • Placement of variable definitions
  •  Defining an IF-THEN-ELSE decision point
    • Using the ABL Unknown value
    • Using built-In ABL functions
    •  ABL Functions
      • Date functions
      • List functions
      • ABL string manipulation functions
  •  Putting a calculation into your procedure
    • Arithmetic expressions and operands
    • Arithmetic built-in functions
  • Getting to online help
  • Saving and compiling your test procedure
•  Running ABL Procedures
  • Running a subprocedure
  • Using the Propath
  •  Using external and internal procedures
    • Writing internal procedures
    • Assigning a value to a variable
    • When to use internal and external procedures
    • RETURN statement and RETURN-VALUE
  • Adding comments to your procedure
•  Procedure Blocks and Data Access
  • Blocks and block properties
  • Procedure block scoping
  •  Language statements that define blocks
    •  DO blocks
      • Looping with a DO block
      • Using a DO block to scope records and frames
    •  FOR blocks
      • Sorting records by using the BY phrase
      • Joining tables using multiple FOR phrases
      • Alternatives to the EACH keyword
      • Using indexes to relate and sort data
      • Using the USE-INDEX phrase to force a retrieval order
      • Using the LEAVE statement to leave a block
      • Using block headers to identify blocks
      • Using NEXT, STOP, and QUIT to change block behavior
      • Qualifying a FOR statement with a frame reference
    •  REPEAT blocks
      • Using the PRESELECT keyword to get data in advance
    •  Data access without looping: the FIND statement
      • Index cursors
      • Using the FIND statement in a REPEAT block
      • Switching indexes between FIND statements
      • Using a USE-INDEX phrase to force index selection
      • Doing a unique FIND to retrieve a single record
      • Using the CAN-FIND function
•  Record Buffers and Record Scope
  • Record buffers
  •  Record scope
    • Self-contained references to a buffer
    • Generating a procedure listing file
    • Nested, weak-scoped references to the same buffer
    • Weak-scoped blocks and free references
    • Scoping buffers
    • Strong-scoped references and containing blocks
•  Using Queries
  •  Why you use queries in your application
    • Queries versus block-oriented data access
    • Using queries to share data between procedures
    • Using queries to populate a browse
  •  Defining and using queries
    •  OPEN and CLOSE QUERY statements
      • Using an outer join in a query
      • Sorting the query results
    •  GET statements
      • Using the QUERY-OFF-END function
    • Closing a query
    •  Determining the current number of rows in a query
      • Using a DOWN frame and the DOWN WITH statement
      • Retrieving query results in advance
    •  Identifying the current row in the query
      • Using INDEXED-REPOSITION to improve query performance
      • INDEXED-REPOSITION and field lists
      • Factors that invalidate CURRENT-RESULT-ROW and NUM-RESULTS
    •  Repositioning a query
      • Using a RowID to identify a record
      • Positioning details with the REPOSITION statement
  • Summary
•  Defining and Using Temp-tables
  •  Using temp-tables in your application
    • ABL ProDataSets
    • ABL work-tables
    • The temporary database for temp-tables
    •  Defining a temp-table
      • Defining fields for the temp-table
      • Defining indexes for the temp-table
      • Temp-table scope
      • Temp-table buffers
  • Using a temp-table to summarize data
  •  Using a temp-table as a parameter
    • Temp-table parameter syntax
    • Passing a temp-table by value
    • Passing a temp-table by reference
    • Passing a temp-table parameter by binding
    • Defining a procedure to return Order Lines
    • Using BUFFER-COPY to assign multiple fields
  • Using include files to duplicate code
  • Adding an Order Line browse to the Customer window
  • Summary
•  Defining Functions
  • User-defined functions
  •  Defining a function
    •  Making a forward declaration for a function
      • Making a local forward declaration
      • Making a declaration of a function in another procedure
      • Making a declaration of a function IN SUPER
    • Making run-time references with DYNAMIC-FUNCTION
•  Handling Data and Locking Records
  • Overview of data handling statements
  •  Record locking in ABL
    •  Record locking examples
      • Using EXCLUSIVE-LOCKs
      • Using and upgrading SHARE-LOCKS
      • Using the NO-WAIT Option with the AVAILABLE and LOCKED functions
      • Reading records with NO-LOCK
    • Making sure you release record locks
    • Lock table resources
    •  Optimistic and pessimistic locking strategies
      • Using FIND CURRENT and CURRENT-CHANGED
•  Managing Transactions
  •  Controlling the size of a transaction
    • Making a transaction larger
    • Making a transaction smaller
    • Transactions and trigger and procedure blocks
    • Checking whether a transaction is active
    • The NO-UNDO keyword on temp-tables and variables
  •  Using the UNDO statement
    •  Using the UNDO statement in the sample procedure
      • Using UNDO, LEAVE on a block
    • Subtransactions
    • Transaction mechanics
    • Using the ON phrase on a block header
    •  Handling the ERROR condition
      • ERROR-STATUS system handle
      • Error handling
      • RETURN statement and ON . . . RETURN phrase
    • ENDKEY condition
    •  STOP condition
      • System and software failures
    • QUIT condition