KAM.covad wrote:

> I have a table with a date field: dDate and thousands of records.

>

> The dates are scattered over time including the future. I need to find the record with the max date that is =< required date.

>

> How would you do this with sql select and also with Locate?

* sql select

* I use 2 statements because the first one will execute really fast without needing

* to pull in irrelevant records. Make sure you have an index on dDate.

* Note the final result could contain multiple records; you didn't specify how to

* determine the *one* record you need other than the specified date.

select max(dDate)

from <table>

where dDate <= ?

into array atemp

dDate = atemp[1]

select *

from <table>

where dDate == m.dDate

* locate

select <alias>

* index on dDate descending tag dDate_desc

set order to tag dDate_desc

set near on

locate for dDate = ?

* you are now on the first record with the date <= to the specified date.

Note my fox is rusty. I see I forgot the semicolons, for instance. So consider this

pseudocode.

Paul