Erases selected objects (but does not delete any dictionary or object descriptions).

Syntax

ZOMErase object specification [option…]

Options

Comments

This erases the actual Zim objects specified, but not delete the object’s definitions in the application dictionary.It is important to differentiate among erasing an object, deleting an object, and destroying an object. Erasing an object undoes the act of creating an object. Creation takes a Object Dictionary description and uses it as the basis for constructing a system representation of the object in the indicated directory. Thereafter, the object can be used. Erasing an object erases this system representation, but still leaves the Object Dictionary description intact. Deleting an object deletes the object’s description from the Object Dictionary, but leaves its system representation intact. Destroying executes both an erase and a deletion, as well as deleting the registration information from the Object Dictionary. An object can be erased and deleted without being destroyed, if the ZOMErase and ZOMDelete functions are executed separately.This command checks the set of objects to be processed for locked objects prior to executing. If there are locked objects to be processed, the command issues an error and exits. An object is considered to be locked if it is locked itself, or is in a locked directory. For information about setting and clearing locks, refer to ZOMSet.This command touches the objects erased once its action has completed. This results in the object’s status and dependency information being updated. This operation can also potentially affect the status of programs and objects which depend on the erased objects. If ZOM is configured with its Explode Level to be 1, then this command finds the dependent objects and touches them. For more information, refer to ZOMTouch and the discussion of dependencies in Object Dependencies.This action results in the objects affected being keyworded as “changed.” The exact keyword used is determined by ZOM’s configuration. For more information, refer to ZOMConfig.

Examples

The following command erases the object named “Customers.” It is erased from the database environment, but its description in the Object Dictionary is retained.

ZOMErase Customers

The following command erases the objects keyworded by the keyword “To_Erase.”

ZOMErase +k To_Erase