Command SET ALTERNATE Foundation
Writes screen output to a text file.
SET ALTERNATE TO [<cFileName> [ADDITIVE] ]
SET ALTERNATE on | OFF | <lToggle>
The command SET ALTERNATE opens an ASCII file to record screen output. Only screen output performed using commands like ? or LIST and functions like QOut() and QQOut() is written into the file. Commands containing the option TO FILE work like SET ALTERNATE. Screen output performed using @...SAY is not written into a file by SET ALTERNATE. To accomplish this, the output device must be defined by SET DEVICE TO PRINTER and the print output directed to a file using SET PRINTER TO <cFileName>.
The alternate file (the ASCII file <cFileName>) is not tied to a single work area, but can be used from all work areas. Output to the file is turned on or off by the options ON | OFF or the logical value of <lToggle>. An alternate file is defined by including a file name in the command SET ALTERNATE. When SET ALTERNATE TO is called without a specified file name, the currently open alternate file is closed and recording screen output to a file is no longer possible. The alternate file is also closed by the commands CLOSE ALTERNATE and CLOSE ALL.
If you see anything in the documentation that is not correct, does not match your experience with the particular feature or requires further clarification, please use this form to report a documentation issue.