Msg: 2804 *Conference*

06-22-92 09:54:20

From: MIKE NICHOLS

To : DREW BLANCHAR

Subj: RANDOM FILES

Hi, Drew!  I've had time to play the the programs you sent me, and again many
thanks.  The VARPTR command is interesting, but it doesn't do what I was hoping
it would.  However, I was able to modify the little DIR program so that it
reports back the starting address of whichever file you ask it for.  So it
looks like I can include it in my "random access" trivia program.  It may not
be as elegant as a one-line BASIC command, but it works.
  
Yes, I realize I could just use LINE INPUT# from a BASIC program on an opened
file, but that would force me to treat the file sequentially, i.e. to read in
the entire file until I get to the record I need.  And that could take a long
time with a file as big as the one I want to use.
  
The whole point of my query was to find some way to go *directly* to the record
I want.  And now I can.  If each record is the exact same length, and I know
the starting address for the file itself, then simple math will get me to the
beginning of any particular record in memory.  Then I PEEK memory at that
location and VOILA!
  
So, I guess I'm now at the point of writing the rest of the code and
investigating extra memory.  Have you got any ideas/suggestions for where I
could get the most extra memory for my 102 with the least possible $$$ (I'm
working on a tight budget, alas).
  
Again, thanks for all your help thus far.