The SET family is documented as an engine feature, not just a collection of shell conveniences. src/cli/cmd_set.cpp is the general dispatcher, and specialized cmd_set*.cpp handlers own path, index/order, filter, relation, locale, and unique-state behavior.
Dispatcher boundary
SET with no arguments reports usage. SET USAGE is read-only. Mutating forms change session/runtime state but should not directly rewrite table records unless the delegated command explicitly performs data work.
Important delegated forms include:
SET INDEX ...
SET ORDER ...
SET FILTER ...
SET RELATION ...
SET PATH ...
SET CNX ...
SET CDX ...
SET LMDB ...
SET UNIQUE ...
Output and session presentation
The dispatcher covers command-output behavior:
SET CONSOLE ON|OFF
SET PRINT ON|OFF
SET PRINT TO <file>
SET DEVICE TO SCREEN|FILE <path>|PRINTER|NULL
SET ALTERNATE ON|OFF
SET ALTERNATE TO <file>
SET TALK ON|OFF
SET ECHO ON|OFF
SET PAGING ON|OFF
SET WRAP ON|OFF
The settings registry also includes presentation and runtime flags such as SET STATUS, SET TIME, SET TIMER, SET CLOCK, SET BELL, SET TYPEAHEAD, and SET REPROCESS.
Data and editing behavior
Current documented surfaces include:
SET TABLE BUFFER ON|OFF|ON ALL|OFF ALL
SET DELETED ON|OFF
SET CASE ON|OFF
SET NEAR ON|OFF
SET SAFETY ON|OFF
SET EXACT ON|OFF
SET ESCAPE ON|OFF
SET CARRY ON|OFF
SET CONFIRM ON|OFF
SET EXCLUSIVE ON|OFF
SET MULTILOCKS ON|OFF
SET TABLE BUFFER toggles buffering for the current area or all open areas. COMMIT and ROLLBACK remain the commands that finish or discard buffered edits.
Paths
SET PATH and SETPATH route named filesystem slots:
DATA
DBF
XDBF
INDEXES
LMDB
WORKSPACES
SCHEMAS
PROJECTS
SCRIPTS
TESTS
HELP
LOGS
TMP
SETPATH RESET returns slots to defaults. Path validation warns when needed, but assignment is still explicit state.
Index and order
The index-related SET family is flavor-aware:
| Area flavor | Default order container | Accepted SET INDEX containers |
|---|---|---|
| V32 classic/MS-DOS/FoxPro-like | .cnx | .inx, .cnx |
| V64 VFP/x64 | .cdx | .cdx |
SET ORDER 0, SET ORDER PHYSICAL, SET ORDER NATURAL, and SET ORDER PHYS clear the active order. SET ORDER TAG <tag> activates a tag in the flavor-appropriate container. INX remains a single-order SET INDEX attachment path.
Filters and relations
SET FILTER installs the current expression filter used by navigation and list-style commands.
SET RELATION manages parent-to-child relation state:
SET RELATION TO <expr> INTO <child>
SET RELATION TO <expr> INTO <child> ADDITIVE
SET RELATION OFF ALL
SET RELATION OFF INTO <child>
Relation state belongs with areas and workspaces, so documentation should describe it as part of the object-oriented runtime state.
Locale and formatting
The SET family also carries presentation and formatting settings:
SET LANGUAGE TO <locale|DEFAULT>
SET LOCALE TO <locale|DEFAULT>
SET LANGUAGE CHECK
SET LANGUAGE REPORT
SET LOCALE CHECK
SET LOCALE REPORT
SET CENTURY ON|OFF
SET DATE TO <format>
SET DECIMALS TO <n>
SET FIXED ON|OFF
SET MEMOWIDTH TO <n>
SET MEMOERROR ON|OFF
SET EDITOR TO <value>|DEFAULT|OFF
Locale currently has explicit command paths and message-manager integration work; public wording should stay proof-labeled by command.