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Table names

The query software uses a table structure: a search of the Observations Catalogue copies selected records, in similar format, into an output `query table', which itself becomes the input table for the next operation.

Most ARCQUERY commands operate on an input table and many produce an output table. In a simple (interactive) query session the user does not need to worry about table names because by default a simple numerical sequence will be used (see below). In more complicated sessions, however, the user can and indeed may have to specify input and/or output table names through the usage of the qualifiers /INPUT_TABLE and /OUTPUT_TABLE (see e.g. section and section ). An existing table can also be renamed (see section ).

The following rules apply to the nomenclature of query tables:

• A table name is an alphanumeric string of up to 8 characters.
• The default original input table is `0', i.e. the Observations Catalogue.
• The specification OUTPUT_TABLE=0 is invalid.
• The default input table is the output table of the previous operation (producing a new query table); the default input table name is always shown before the ARCQUERY prompt.
• The default output table derives from the input table name as follows: names ending with a number will have that number incremented by 1, while names ending with a character will have the next character substituted. Examples: