The softcoupling clause of the search-criteria defines the files to be softcoupled with the main file along with the descriptors that are used by the softcoupling facility. These files also appear after the COUPLED clause. The softcoupling facility is available for Adabas users who want to find records in the main file according to descriptor values from other files that are not physically coupled with the main file. Since this facility may result in long duration of the @FIND command, the database administrator may inhibit the use of it with the SOFT parameter of the @OPTIONS statement.

The relationship between the files should be pre-defined in the relationship entity in Predict with relationship-type of S. If the relationship type in Predict is C, physical coupling is assumed and Adabas Pre-Compiler does not generate the softcoupling conditions in the search buffer.

The following is an example of softcoupling:

The example defines the buffers for finding all personnel that are in a specific age and have a specific car. Files EMPLOYEES and VEHICLES are not physically coupled and the softcoupled clause defines that the descriptor PERSONNEL-ID is used with PERSONNEL-ID in VEHICLES to connect the two files.