CompuServe Messages

The best method depends on how you are using the file. Your method of resaving the file from the deleted record to the end will work but if the file is long, (or medium size and on a floppy disc) it is likely to be slow. A compromise method is to remember which records have been deleted and do the rewrite once when the file is closed, but this is more complex to program since you have to keep track of 'holes' in the sequence of records before the file is saved. Another method is to have a flag on each record which says whether the record is used. To delete a record simple set it to 'not used'. Your routines for accessing records will have to check if the flags are set. When adding a new record don't go straight to the end of the file but first look for a record set to 'not used'. This makes data access a bit more tricky, and if the file grows large at any time it will never get smaller again just from deleting records. Peter Wade Autopiloting from London, England