Extended Functions of ASF › Creating Indexes › Defining the Storage and Display Sequence

Defining the Storage and Display Sequence

The storage sequence indicates the order in which data will be stored in the database. The storage sequence of a table can be any of the following:

• Next stores a new row after the most recently displayed row.
• Prior stores a new row before the most recently displayed row.
• First stores a new row before the rows already stored.
• Last stores a new row after the rows already stored.
• Sorted stores rows according to a specified key.

You can specify the storage sequence by entering next, prior, first, last or the key number of a specified key in the Storage Sequence field. The storage sequence defaults as follows:

• If no key is defined for the table, the storage sequence is NEXT.
• If a unique key is defined on the Column Definition screen, the storage sequence is according to that key, which displays as the first additional key.
• If additional keys are defined for the table, the storage sequence is according to the key you specify, or it defaults to NEXT.

Display Sequence

The display sequence is the order in which data will be displayed through the online application created by ASF for the table. The display sequence can be either of the following:

• The same as the storage sequence to display rows in the order in which they are stored
• The key number of a defined key to display rows in a particular sorted order

The display sequence defaults to SAME, but you can specify a different display sequence by entering a key number other than that specified for the storage sequence.

Note: A table has only one storage sequence and one display sequence. You cannot specify the display sequence for a table at run time, although it is influenced by run-time selection criteria.