Which dBASE command deletes all records from a database file while retaining…

Concept

In dBASE, record-level commands can change the rows stored in an open table without necessarily removing the table definition itself.

The distinction is between removing the file, marking or purging selected records, and clearing every record while keeping the table structure available.

Application

The required operation must act on every record in the open table and leave the field definitions intact. The ZAP command performs that table-wide record removal, so the empty database file can still be used with the same structure.

Cross-check and contrast

• ERASE is a file-level command that removes the named file rather than preserving its structure.

• DELETE marks records for deletion within the current scope; it does not by itself perform the immediate table-wide purge described here.

• ZAP acts on all records in the open table without requiring individual deletion marks.

• PACK physically removes records that were previously marked for deletion.

Result

Therefore, the command is ZAP.