As you work with your application, you will want to know when the AVM creates and updates indexes. The AVM creates a new index entry for a record at the first occurrence of any one of the following:

  • At the end of a statement in which the AVM assigns values to all components of the index entry.
  • At the end of the closest iterating subtransaction block in which the AVM creates the record.
  • When the AVM processes a VALIDATE statement.
  • When the AVM releases the record from the record buffer.
  • At the end of the transaction in which the AVM creates the record.

The AVM updates an index at the end of any statement in which it changes the values for one or more index fields. Because the AVM updates indexes immediately (at the end of an UPDATE statement), the AVM immediately FINDs records in the order of the new index, while the data in the found record is unchanged. The AVM changes the data in the record at the end of the scope of the record or when it releases the record.

Note: The AVM does not update an index if the value you try to assign to the index field is the same as the current value of the index field.

You can change the name of an index at any time. You can also delete nonprimary indexes. However, before letting you delete a primary index, OpenEdge requires that you first designate another index as primary.

If there is only one index, you must create a new index before deleting the existing index. You cannot change any of the component definitions of an index. Instead, you must delete the index and re-create it using the modified component definitions.

Remember that OpenEdge assumes that the first index you create is the primary index, so create your primary index first.