This reminds me of a common idiom in the Pick-style databases that I've worked on... READU REC FROM FILE,KEY ELSE REC<1> = 'stuff' * Set ot

This reminds me of a common idiom in the Pick-style databases that I've worked on... READU REC FROM FILE,KEY ELSE REC<1> = 'stuff' * Set other fields as appropriate for a brand new record - this is the 'insert' END REC<1> = 'blah' * Set other fields as appropriate for an update WRITE BLAH TO FILE,KEY ;* Write record and release locks This can, of course, be wrapped in a transaction.