START statement

• START statement is used to position the file pointer at a specific record location within indexed or relative file for subsequent sequential record retrieval
• This statement can be used only for Indexed and Relative files which are opned either in INPUT or I-O mode.
• Access mode of file must be sequential or dynamic. It cannot be coded for Random access
• It establish the current location in the cluster for a READ NEXT statement.
• It does not retrieve record; It only sets the current record pointer
• Basic Syntax:-
  START file-name   [KEY IS  {IS EQUL TO/           IS = /           IS GREATER THAN /           IS >  /           IS NOT LESS THAN  /           IS NOT <  /           IS GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO /           IS >=  }       key-data-name]   [INVALID KEY imperative-statement-1]   [NOT INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2] [END-START].

• Where,
  • file-name is logical file name
  • KEY IS used to position file pointer at logical record in file whose key field satisfy the comparison
  • INVALID KEY imperative-statement-1 : This becomes true when record is not found for specified key and thus causes execution of imperative-statement-1
  • NOT INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2: This is used to specify statements to be executed when START operation succeeds

Example of START statement:-