The behavior of the Sort method at runtime is influenced by:
The category of extract file (Temporary, Permanent, or Existing). Refer to Extract File Categories for more information on extract file categories.
Whether the extract file has previously been accessed.
An extract file access is defined as the execution of any Determine Actual, Extract, or Match logic statement, or Sort method invocation for a specific extract file, either in the logic of the report, or following a SetTitle or Restart logic statement.
The Sort method sorts the extract file as listed in the following table.
| File Status | Temporary File | Permanent File | Existing File |
|---|---|---|---|
| File exists, accessed | Sorted | Sorted | Sorted |
| File exists, not accessed. Windows or MCP | (report becomes a waiting entry) | (report becomes a waiting entry) | Sorted |
| File exists, not accessed | Report aborts | Report aborts | Sorted |
| File does not exist | Created | Created | Cleared |