You will probably get lots of replies to this.  The answer is, "it depends".
 If you have lists that specifically include the items required or requested,
whether by number or by name, the answer is probably not.  I qualify this
simply because if the item is new to the database you add this item in the
middle of the main item list, the item numbers will change, if you use a
numeric list.  If you add the item at the end of the main item list, the
numbers will not change and you are good to go.  If you use an alpha list, you
should be immune to the problem.  However, alpha lists require more processing
time.  (A good technique is to build the required lists at the beginning of the
program, taking the item name and converting it to the numeric value with
DBINFO and subsequently using a combination of numeric and "*;" lists.)

If you use the "@;" list construct you may need to fix and recompile the
program because the receiving buffer may be too small now that there is a new
item.

Kind regards,

Denys. . .

Denys Beauchemin
HICOMP
(800) 323-8863  (281) 288-7438         Fax: (281) 355-6879
denys at hicomp.com                             www.hicomp.com


-----Original Message-----
From:   Timothy Hoefner [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Wednesday, 17 November, 1999 10:17 AM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Settle an image dispute.

I recall hearing that it is not necessary to recompile a program just because a
new item has been added to a dataset.  That is of course that the program
declares each item being accessed and that "all-list" is not used on the
affected set.   The dispute is that you must recompile regardless of how the
list is defined in the program.

Can anyone steer me toward a document that would contain this kind of
information.

Thanks a lot in advance and I hope I made sense!
Tim
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