Topics:

• USE Command
• Specifying a Non-Default File ID
• Identifying New Data Sources to FOCUS
• Accessing Data Sources in Read-Only Mode
• Concatenating Data Sources
• Accessing Simultaneous Usage Data Sources
• Displaying the USE Options in Effect

The USE command specifies the names and locations of FOCUS data sources for the following conditions:

• Default naming conventions are not used.
• You need to protect data sources from change or concatenate several similar data sources.

Note:

• For non-default naming conventions, you may be able to use the DATASET attribute in the Master File instead of the USE command. For detailed information, see Identifying a Data Source.
• You can use an Access File instead of a USE command to concatenate FOCUS data sources. When a FOCUS data source is partitioned, an Access File may be required for efficient retrieval. For more information, see Describing a FOCUS Data Source.
• You must issue a USE command in order to work with an external index.