Type

Select the file type from the list box. The default file type for newly created files is multiple- key MKEYED.

File Type	Description
INDEXED	A fixed record length file that can contain a dynamic number of records that can be accessed in sequential or random order.
SERIAL	A sequential file with variable length records and a dynamic file size.
DIRECT/SORT	Selecting this file type and setting the Record length to a value greater than 0 creates a DIRECT file. These files have a fixed number of records and fixed record length. DIRECT files have been largely superseded by MKEYED files but are often needed to describe existing files.
STRING	A file that contains a continuous string of characters, has no defined records, and grows dynamically as it is written. Also known as an ASCII file.
DIRECTORY	A DIRECTORY file contains lists of file names. Directory files can only be accessed as read-only sequential-access files. They cannot be created by using the Make command.
MKEYED	A single-key MKEYED file is created if a value is entered in the KeySize field, or a multiple-key MKEYED file is created if the Key Size field is set to 0. Multi-keyed MKEYED files can contain up to 16 indices, composed of up to 48 segments, per record. (These limits are not imposed by DDBuilder but are limitations of MKEYED files.) Although MKEYED files have a fixed record length, the number of records can grow dynamically.
C-ISAM	Keyed files similar to MKEYED files that are compatible with INFORMIX C-ISAM files.