Benchmark Factory for Database 8.1 - User Guide

Selects an item from a list. Returns a single item from a comma-delimited file. The item returned depends on the mode selected. The syntax of the statement is also slightly different for each mode. Each virtual user gets a different seed value to generate unique sequences. Each agent machine must have a file with the name and path that is specified in the script function. If $BFFileArray is to return strings, the items in the file must be in double-quotes

File name-The name and path of the source file.

Retrieval Mode:

CURRENT:Select the item in the specified column of the current row.

RANDOM:Select a random item from a given column.

SELECTION:Select an item based on column and row.

SEQUENTIAL:Select each item sequentially.

UNIQUE:Select a non-repeating item from a given column.

nColumn-Which column of values to select. If none is given, a value of 1 is assumed.

nRow-Which row to select for the item.

Note: This value is only needed for the SELECTION mode.

$BFFileArray(FileName, Retrieval Mode[,nColumn][, nRow])

If myfile.dat consists of:

"George Washington", "Martha"

"Franklin Roosevelt","Eleanor"

"Gerald Ford","Betty"

$BFFileArray( "c:\path\myfile.dat", SELECTION, 2, 3)

Returns Betty.

$BFFileArray( "c:\path\myfile.dat", RANDOM,2)

Returns either Martha, Eleanor, or Betty. Will return Martha, Eleanor, or Betty the next time it is run.

$BFFileArray( "c:\path\myfile.dat", UNIQUE,2)

Returns either Martha, Eleanor, or Betty.  Will return Martha or Betty the next time it is run if it returned Eleanor the first time.

$BFFileArray( "c:\path\myfile.dat", SEQUENTIAL, 1)

Returns George Washington then Franklin Roosevelt then Gerald Ford.

$BFFileArray( "c:\path\myfile.dat", CURRENT, 2)

Returns Betty if the previous script function returned Gerald Ford.