I am doing record maintenance on dBase IV files using DTS
packages. (We are updating workstation software package
files with mainframe transactions.)

The insert package works fine, and I have an extract
package that reads the records in the dBase files.

My problem is with the delete package. I use a data
driven query task to delete records. The package runs
successfully, even my extract package shows the deleted
records are gone. But the software package still shows
the deleted record (I checked with a hex editor and they
are indeed still in the dBase file).

It seems like DTS is fooling itself and thinks it has
scratched the records but hasn't.

I tried to add a BEGIN TRAN / COMMIT TRAN in the Delete
Query, but got an invalid systax message, so I don't
think it's supported. (I would like to know for sure if
it isn't though).

Does anyone have any ideas what's going on? Any similar
experiences with Access or Fox Pro?

It's not DTS fooling itself but the nature of how dbase
files work. When you do a delete in dbase, it doesn't
actually remove the row - it just sets an internal flag that
the row is marked as deleted. In dbase, If you want to
recover a deleted row, it's available and the flag just gets
changed. If you want to actually delete and remove the row,
you need to follow with the Pack command which actually
removes the row from the table.
I've seen where some people use ADO to issue the Pack
command...something like the following:
rst.Open "set exclusive on; select * from table; pack"
I don't have any dbase files handy to test it.

-Sue

On Mon, 8 Sep 2003 03:33:54 -0700, "Jim Pokorny"
<jfpokorny (AT) aep (DOT) com> wrote: