Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Data Management:
DataServer for Microsoft SQL Server

Cursors

A cursor is like a pointer that points to consecutive records in a table. The Progress 4GL uses cursors to keep track of where it is in a table; for example, when it processes FOR EACH statements. Suppose that you are reading records from the customer table using the cust-num index, and your current record is customer number 50. This means that the 4GL has a cursor positioned at cust-num 50. Note that the 4GL maintains cursor positioning across queries.

The DataServer allows applications that access MSS data sources to imitate Progress cursor behavior for FIND cursors. FOR EACH and OPEN QUERY statements do not retain cursor position across other queries or against a FIND statement.

This section discusses the following cursor-related activities:

Forward and backward scrolling
Block cursors

For details about firehose and fast forward-only cursors, see the "Firehose and Fast Forward-Only Cursors" section.