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**PACK(**//file//**)**

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| **PACK** | Removes deleted records from a data file and rebuilds its keys. |
| //file// | The label of a FILE declaration. |

The **PACK** statement removes deleted records from a data file and rebuilds its keys. The resulting data files are as compact as possible. PACK requires at least twice the disk space that the file, keys, and memos occupy to perform the process. New files are created from the old, and the old files are deleted only after the process is complete. PACK requires exclusive access to the file. Therefore, the file must be opened with //access mode// set to 12h (Read/Write Deny All) or 22h (Read/Write Deny Write).

PACK will generate events to the currently open window if you assign a value (an integer from 1 to 100) to PROP:ProgressEvents for the affected FILE before you issue the PACK. The larger the value you assign to PROP:ProgressEvents, the more events are generated and the slower the PACK will progress. These events allow you to indicate to the user the progress of the PACK. This can keep end-users informed that PACK is still working while building large files (so they don't re-boot thinking the machine has locked up).

It is not valid to make any calls to the //file// being built except to query its properties, call NAME(//file//), or CLOSE(//file//) (which aborts the process and is not recommended). Issuing a CYCLE statement in response to any of the events generated (except EVENT:BuildDone) cancels the operation. During the PACK operation, //file//{PROP:Completed} returns the percentage completed of the re-build and you can use //file//{PROP:CurrentKey} to get a key reference then either //key//{PROP:Name} or //key//{PROP:Label} to return the name of the current key being built.

**Errors Posted:**

63  Exclusive Access Required

**Events Generated:**

| EVENT:BuildFile | PACK(//file//) is rebuilding the data portion of the //file//. |
| EVENT:BuildKey | PACK(//file//) is rebuilding the keys in the //file//. |
| EVENT:BuildDone | The PACK is complete. |

**Example:**

**OPEN(Trans,12h)    !Open the file in exclusive mode**

**PACK(Trans)        ! and pack it**

**See Also:**

[[open  open a data structure .htm|OPEN]]

[[share  open data file for shared access .htm|SHARE]]

[[build  build keys and indexes .htm|BUILD]]

[[prop progressevents.htm|PROP:ProgressEvents]]

[[prop completed.htm|PROP:Completed]]