Tech Tip: Getting a list of field names from a table name

PRODUCT: 4D | VERSION: 14.x | PLATFORM: Mac & Win

Published On: June 17, 2015

SQL system tables can be used to determine the field names of a certain table. Below is an utility method using SQL's system tables to obtain a list of a table's fields given the table name.

//Method name: GetFieldsFromTable
//Determines if character specified in string is a vowel
//$1 - Table name
//$2 - Array to contain resulting field names

C_TEXT($1;$tablename)
C_POINTER($2;$arrFields)
If(Count parameters>=2)
  $tablename:=$1
  $arrFields:=$2
  Begin SQL
    SELECT COLUMN_NAME
    FROM _USER_COLUMNS
    WHERE TABLE_NAME=:$tablename
    INTO :$arrFields;
  End SQL
End if

Example:

Given the following table:

Run the utility method above:

ARRAY TEXT($arrFields;0)
GetFieldsFromTable("Table_1";->$arrFields)

The resulting array of fields are listed: