# Online ADABAS Maintenance **URL:** \ **Category:** Forum\ **Tags:** Adabas-Natural, Adabas, Adabas-on-Linux, Adabas-Utilities-on-Open-Systems\ **Created:** [August 26, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/online-adabas-maintenance/57772 "2005-08-26T22:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert\_E\_Bevis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Robert\_E\_Bevis](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Robert_E_Bevis)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/online-adabas-maintenance/57772/1 "2005-08-26T22:47:32Z")
When will ADABAS for Open Systems have the ability to add/drop/change fields and release/invert descriptors while the file is in used? We run ADABAS 24x7, but have to lock a file just to add a new field, which of course terminates all users sessions. Essentially shutting down our systems. Given the abilities of other database management systems, ADABAS is behind the times. Robert ---
**Author:** ![Matthias1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Matthias1](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Matthias1)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/online-adabas-maintenance/57772/2 "2005-08-31T13:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > When will ADABAS for Open Systems have the ability to add/drop/change fields and release/invert descriptors while the file is in used? add fields → You’re right. There’s no reason for it from my point of view. drop fields → Is impossible anyway. change fields → It should be possible to lengthen the field. Good question… descriptors → Hmmm. And how should the system handle concurrent changes on a descriptor? ---
**Author:** ![Robert\_E\_Bevis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Robert\_E\_Bevis](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Robert_E_Bevis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/online-adabas-maintenance/57772/3 "2005-09-01T01:06:43Z")
Dropping a field is now a feature of ADABAS for Open Systems to suport SQL. It basically just marks the field as dropped. As for Inverting On-Line, the utility could make a final pass through the buffer pool/protection log to capture any updates in progress. It would be nice if I could lock the file for update and allow read-only access. The problem is NATURAL opens all files for update and keeps them open for update until the session ends. As soon as I lock the file, the NATURAL users receive a 3009 even when they are not currently access/updating the file. Maybe the solution would be to add a WAIT option to the utilities so they can slip in between user transactions to apply any changes. Robert ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/original/3X/c/d/cd19967bb605d28a72d77eb83a1cae22f3df2eb8.svg) [@system](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 2:38pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/online-adabas-maintenance/57772/4 "2021-04-02T14:38:51Z")