Cursor Name Must Be Alias, Not .DBF Name (115108)

SYMPTOMS

The following commands will cause a syntax error:

   CREATE CURSOR 'new cursor' (name c(20))
   SELECT * FROM tutorial\customer INTO CURSOR 'new cursor'

CAUSE

The cursor name specified is a valid .DBF name for FoxPro for Macintosh, but is not a valid alias name. The cursor name must be a valid alias name.

The documentation for the CREATE CURSOR command on page 282 in the "Language Reference" and in the online Help file shows the following syntax:

   CREATE CURSOR <dbf_name>

This syntax is incorrect. It should say "<alias_name>" instead of "<dbf_name>". The SELECT - SQL command does not specify whether a .DBF or alias name must be used when the output is selected into a cursor. If the query is directed into a cursor, a valid alias name must be used. If the query is directed into a table, a valid table name must be used. Selecting into a table instead of a cursor allows the use of spaces within a table name.

RESOLUTION

To avoid this problem, do the following:

Use a valid alias name. A valid alias name can contain up to 10 letters, digits, or underscores, and must begin with a letter or an underscore.
If the output filename must contain spaces, use the CREATE TABLE or SELECT ... INTO TABLE commands.