> Date:    Wed, 21 May 2008 20:28:44 -0700
> From:    "Walter J. Murray" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: TurboIMAGE: Adding an item to a data set
> 
> When adding an item to a data set using one of the fine TurboIMAGE
> maintenance programs, you have a choice of where to add it.
> 
> Do you:
> 
> 1.  Generally always add it at the end, on the theory that it is least
> likely to cause a problem there?  Or,
> 
> 2.  Insert it wherever would seem most logical, maybe even keeping your
> items in alphabetical order within the data set?
> 
> I'm just curious about common practice.
> 

In our case this decision must consider whether the dataset is an 
ordered detail or not.  The sort order of sorted paths in Image detail 
sets depends upon the contents of all of the fields that are positioned 
after the item declared as the sort item. If the sort order of the 
ordered path might be altered unpredictably by the contents of the new 
item then it is always positioned before the sort item.

Items that are logically connected are usually grouped together; as in 
transaction activity dates, address elements, or pricing and costing 
data blocks.  Otherwise we usually place stand alone items in datasets 
in alphabetic order by name as this makes finding them a tad easier when 
one is in a hurry.  For the same reason we usually keep the datasets 
ordered by master/detail types and then by alphabetic name within types 
and keep the root item list ordered by alphabetic name as well.

Fortunately for us, Adager makes doing this sort of housekeeping 
relatively painless and trivial.

Regards,

-- 
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