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Help / WLanguage / Managing databases / HFSQL / HFSQL functions
  • Use conditions
  • Automatic reindexing
  • "Zero-downtime" reindexing
  • Calculating statistics
  • Directory of temporary files
  • Managing non-Latin character sets
  • Access rights to the data file
  • Special case: corrupted files after reboot or fatal PC error
  • Previous versions
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Stored procedures
Rebuilds the file index (".NDX" file). You can also reindex:
  • full-text indexes (".FTX" files),
  • spatial indexes (".SDX" files).
A data file can be reindexed even when it is accessed by applications. For more details, see remarks.
Reminder: Re-indexing reorganizes indexes and can free up space left over when deleting records. After the reindex operation, the access to indexes is optimized. Reindexing a data file can become necessary further to the loss or modification of the index file. HCheckIndex is used to regularly check the status of the index file.
IF HIndex(AFile, hNdxNormal) = True THEN
	TableDisplay(TABLE_MyTable, taStart)
END
Syntax
<Result> = HIndex([<Data file> [, <Mode> [, <Progress Bar> [, <Density rate>]]]])
<Result>: Boolean
  • True if the reindex operation was successfully performed,
  • False otherwise. HError returns more details about the problem.
<Data file>: Optional character string
Name of the data file used.
If this name is not specified, HIndex will use the last data file used by the last HFSQL function (function starting with "H").
<Mode>: Optional Integer constant (or combination of constants)
Configure the reindex operation:
hChangeCharsetReindexing with change of character set.
The new character set defined by ChangeCharset will be taken into account during the reindexing. Sorts, searches or other types of operations performed on string keys (strings, characters, date and time) will use the new character set.
hFTXReindexing of full-text indexes.
hMmoCompactCompression and defragmentation of "Mmo" files.

Warning: This constant cannot be combined with the constants hNdxCompact, hVerifyMemo, hFTX, hSDX, hNdxNormal or hNdxSuppression.
hNdxCompactRe-indexing with compaction: only active records are retained. All the other records are permanently deleted. The space left by the deleted records is deleted from the data file and the index (".FIC" and ".NDX" files, respectively).
Note: If records are in transaction, compaction is automatically deactivated..
hNdxMinimalReindexing while taking into account only corrupted keys. This parameter is ignored if the hNdxDelete or hNdxCompact constant is enabled.
hNdxSilentReindexing without display.
hNdxNormal
(default value)
Standard reindexing (with statistics and without compression).
The statistics are used to optimize the queries and the filters (see the Notes). Only active records are taken into account for calculating statistics.
hNdxNoStatReindex without calculating statistics. This constant increases the available space by reducing the size of index files.
Caution: Statistics are very important for obtaining correct execution times when using queries, conditional filters and conditional views.
hNdxDeleteReindex and delete damaged records.
hSDXReindexing of spatial indexes.
hBackgroundTask
HFSQL Client/Server Reindexing performed in background task. The applications are not locked during the reindex operation.
This feature is available in Client/Server mode only.
hCheckMemoStandard reindexing with memo check and correction if necessary (used to retrieve the damaged memos).
WINDEVWEBDEV - Server code Note: Before reindexing memos, you can regularly check their status using the HCheckMemo function.
<Progress Bar>: Optional control or window name, or optional integer
  • Name of the window in which the progress bar will be displayed,
  • Name of the Progress Bar control that displays the reindexing progress,
  • Handle of the window that displays the progress bar.
WEBDEV - Server code This parameter is ignored.
<Density rate>: Integer included between 1 and 100
Density rate of indexes. This rate is set to 60 by default.
The higher this rate is, the denser and smaller the index is. In this case, iterations, searches, filters and queries will be faster. The additions of records and the modifications of records may be slower.
The smallest this rate is, the less dense and the bigger the index will be. In this case, iterations, searches, filters and queries will be slower. The additions of records and the modifications of records will be faster.
Caution: this parameter can only be used on data files in HFSQL format..
Hyper File 5.5 This parameter cannot be used.
Remarks

Use conditions

  • HIndex reindexes an xBase file.
  • HIndex reindexes the files of a cluster. In this case:
    • The reindex operation is performed on the node to which the user is connected.
    • Only a zero-downtime reindexing is available (hBackgroundTask constant).
WINDEVWEBDEV - Server codeReports and QueriesiPhone/iPadUser code (UMC)External languageAjaxHFSQL ClassicHFSQL Client/Server

Automatic reindexing

Reindexing a data file can become necessary further to the loss or alteration of index file. An automatic reindex operation can be implemented for the data files.
To implement an automatic reindex operation, you must:
  • configure the value of the H.AutoIndexingLimit variable.
    Indeed, if the data file contains less than H.AutoIndexingLimit records, the reindex operation is automatically performed if an index error occurs.
    The H.AutoIndexingLimit variable is set to 10000 by default. The automatic reindex operation is disabled if this variable is set to 0.
  • configure the value of the H.VisibleAutoIndexing variable.
    If this value is set to True (default value), a window is automatically displayed as long as the automatic reindex operation is not completed. This window contains a progress bar used to follow the progress of the current reindexing. This window can be customized. For more details, see HFSQL error handling help.
    During the reindex operation, the different applications that use the file data (read or write records) will be temporarily stopped and/or locked until the end of the reindex operation.
    HFSQL Client/Server If the hBackgroundTask constant is used, the reindex operation is performed in background task and the applications that use the data file are not stopped.
If an error occurs during the automatic reindex operation (lock error on the data file or on the record for example), the automatic reindex operation is stopped and a fatal error (corrupted index) is displayed. This operating mode is similar to the one without automatic reindexing.
Remarks:
  • During the automatic reindexing, the reindex operation is performed in normal mode (hNdxNormal constant).
  • No automatic reindexing is available for data files in Hyper File 5.5 format.
  • If an automatic reindexing is performed, the applications that use the data files currently reindexed are temporarily locked. A message is displayed, indicating that the file is currently maintained.
  • At the end of the reindex operation, the current HyperFileSQL context is automatically restored (except if a reindex operation with memo check was performed).
WINDEVWEBDEV - Server codeReports and QueriesAndroidAndroid Widget iPhone/iPadJavaUser code (UMC)AjaxHFSQL ClassicHFSQL Client/Server

"Zero-downtime" reindexing

A data file can be reindexed even when it is accessed by applications.
During the reindex operation, the different applications that use the file data (reading or writing records) will be temporarily stopped/locked until the end of the reindex operation.
WINDEV A window is displayed, indicating that the data file is currently reindexed (also called reorganization). This window is displayed during the entire reindex operation and it cannot be closed. A progress bar indicates the status of reindex operation.
You can customize this window and/or not display it anymore. For more details, see HFSQL error handling help.
To avoid flashing effects, the indexing window is displayed only if the indexing operation may exceed 2 seconds. In this case, this window is displayed after 0.7 seconds.
Remark: "Hot" re-indexing cannot be performed if records are locked in read/write mode in the data file to be re-indexed.. If the records are locked in write mode only, the zero-downtime reindexing can still be performed.
HFSQL Client/Server If the hBackgroundTask constant is used, the reindex operation is performed in background task and the applications that use the data file are not stopped.

Calculating statistics

Statistics are used to optimize the queries and filters on the data file. Only active records are taken into account for these statistics. HStatCalculate also returns the results of this calculation.
Remark: For statistics to be calculated efficiently, it is necessary to perform the calculation on all data files (e.g. in the case of a multi-file query).

Directory of temporary files

Temporary files can be created during the reindex operation. By default, these files are created in the Windows temporary directory, or in the current directory if there isn't enough space.
The H.TemporaryDirectory variable allows you to configure the directory used to save these temporary files. This variable is recommended when reindexing large data files.
HFSQL Client/Server The directory used to store the temporary files on the server can be defined:

Managing non-Latin character sets

To modify the character set used for the searches, the sorts:
  1. Specify the character set to use with ChangeCharset.
  2. Reindex the data file with HIndex. Use the hChangeCharset constant to use the character set specified by ChangeCharset.
For more details, see Managing specific character sets in the data files.

Access rights to the data file

The reindex operation provokes the recreation of the data file on disk. In an allocation system that manages permissions at file level (NTFS, etc.), the reindexed data file will have the permissions of the directory to which it belongs.
Before the reindex operation, if the data file had specific rights different from the rights of the folder, they must be redefined in Windows after the reindex operation.

Special case: corrupted files after reboot or fatal PC error

The data files may be corrupted when the computer is unexpectedly rebooted. In this case, the data files contain invalid data (unreadable characters for example). To fix this problem:
  1. Perform a reindexing with deletion.
  2. Free all records held by a transaction with HTransactionFree.
  3. Delete the incorrect records with WDMAP.
WINDEV

Previous versions

This function replaces HIndex_55, which is kept for compatibility with WINDEV 5.5.
Business / UI classification: Business Logic
Component: wd300hf.dll
Minimum version required
  • Version 9
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Last update: 09/30/2024

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