The KISAM API allows for direct access to named columns with functions to retrieve and replace the value in the column in various forms. It supports datatypes for characters, integers, doubles and VB dates. If the internal KISAM data type cannot be coerced into the required type an error results.
The following routines can be used to get the values of columns
| Function | returns |
| KISAMGetString | null terminated string |
| KISAMGetLong | 32 bit integer |
| KISAMGetDouble | 64 bit double |
| KISAMGetDate | VB date as a double |
The function will attempt to coerce the actual column datatype into the type required. If it cannot do this it will return an error.
These routines are passed the name of the column as used in the dictionary and the record buffer from an earlier read.
The Rev7 data dictionaries permit arrays of columns using the occurs attribute. To reference an element of such an array the nOcc parameter should be set to a non-zero value within the range permitted. This parameter is only examined if the dictionary marks the column as an occurs field.