Software 2000

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Software 2000 / Software 2000 Volume 1 (Disc 1 of 2).iso / utilities / u303.dms / in.adf / instructions < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1990-11-07 | 10.7 KB | 234 lines

*********************** * BomBase version 1.0 * * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * Written in AMOS * * By * * Gareth Lancaster * *********************** NOTE:- There is an example database on this disk called AMOS_DISKS. What is BomBase? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bombase is a database program written entirely in AMOS. What is special about this program, and what makes it different from other low cost programs, is that the number of records in the database is not limited to the amount of memory you have but instead you can have as many as will fit onto your disk! This is because the records are written and read whilst you are inputting or manipulating the records. You may be thinking this sound a very slow way of using a database but you are wrong! Try it and see. The Menus ~~~~~~~~~ BomBase is mostly menu driven (or you can use keyboard shortcuts - see the bottom right of the screen for these). Below are descriptions of the menus; PROJECT menu - New Open Delete UnLoad Quit (quit BomBase - perish the thought!) About (no need to describe this one) EDIT menu - Add Records Amend Records Delete Records Edit File Data OUTPUT menu - Print all records View Records (this then proceeds to a sub-menu) VIEW submenu - Next Record Previous Record First Record Last Record Print Record Quit to main (go back to main menu - quit viewing) MANIPULATE menu - Sort Records Search Database List on field UTILITIES menu - Validate The PROJECT MENU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New: Creates a new database file.Prompts you for the name of the database along with the path eg. AMOS:test. The two files that are created have your name (AMOS:test) plus extensions .DBF and .IDX. If the file name you have chosen already exists then you will be told so. Next you are prompted for the number of fields - the maximum is 10 (this should be more than enough). You can then input a File Note (a small text note that will be saved along with the database) + a creation date.After this has been completed you will be able to edit the field names - maximum of 15 characters each. When you have finished this you will have the option to re-edit the names by typing in the field number and pressing RETURN - or you can just press RETURN to continue. The program will then create your database files and return you to the menu. The window entitled FILE INFORMATION (top right) will now contain information about the currently loaded file and this window is constantly updated as you update your database. OPEN: This re-opens a saved database. A file selector will appear and you can choose your file in the normal way. If you choose a wrong file or make a mistake the program will return you to the menu. If you choose correctly the program will inform you that it is loading the database and the FILE INFORMATION window will be updated. You will then be returned to the main menu. DELETE: This deletes any file on a disk. A file selector will appear and you can choose a file to delete. You will be asked if you really want to delete the file before it goes away and deletes it! UNLOAD: This clears the memory and saves the currently loaded database. This option must be executed before leaving the program as it updates the index file and closes all the files. Wierd things will happen if you don't do this and, for example, switch off the computer instead of unloading the file. When you choose this option it will ask you if you are sure, go away and unload the database and return you to the menu. QUIT: Quits the program and returns you to WorkBench. You will not be able to quit the program if there is a file in memory which has not been unloaded. When you choose this option it will ask you if you want to continue and if you answer yes you will quit to WorkBench. The EDIT menu. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADD RECORDS: This option allows you to add more records to your currently loaded database. You will be asked if you want to continue and if you answer yes you will be taken straight into editing. Whilst you are editing the records you can press ESCAPE to return to the menu. When you have added a record you will be given the chance to amend the data by inputting the field number and typing in the information again. If all is correct when you get to this point then press RETURN to go to the next record. AMEND RECORDS: This option allows you to amend information in a record in your currently loaded database.You will be prompted for a record number and shown the current information for this record. You can then type in a field number and edit the information. If all is correct after you have amended the record then press RETURN when it asks you for a field number to edit. DELETE RECORDS: This part lets you delete unwanted records. When you choose this you will be asked, as in all the menu options, if you want to continue and if the answer is yes then you will be prompted for a record number to delete. When you input the number the information will be displayed on the screen for this record. You will then be asked if you want to continue with the deletion of the record, if you answer yes it will then proceed to delete the record. When you are prompted for the record number if you just press RETURN you will be returned to the main menu. EDIT FILE DATA: This will allow you to re-enter the File Note and Creation date.You will simply be asked to enter the two pieces of data one after the other(you will see your old text). The OUTPUT menu. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PRINT ALL RECORDS: This option will ask you if you want to continue and then ask you to press RETURN when the printer is ready. It will then proceed to print all the records in the database to the printer, when it has finished it will return you to the main menu. VIEW RECORDS: This will take you into a sub-menu and show the first record on the screen. You can then (by use of either the menu or the keyboard shortcuts) do the following; NEXT RECORD - shows you the next record in the database PREVIOUS RECORD - shows you the previous record in the database FIRST RECORD - displays the first record in the database LAST RECORD - displays the last record in the database PRINT RECORD - prints the current record to the printer QUIT TO MAIN - return you to the main menu.Quits viewing Simple, eh? The MANIPULATE menu. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SORT RECORDS: This lets you sort you database file records into order on one of the fields. It will first ask you which field to sort on (you can press RETURN at this point to return to main menu). The prgrm will then proceed to sort the database into the order of that field eg. A first, Z last. SEARCH DATABASE: This allows you to interogate the infrmation in the database. You will be shown a list of fields and asked to choose a field to search for text in. You can just press return at this point to quit to the main menu. You will then be prompted for the text you want to search for and then the type of search; FULL = the text entered must match the whole of the text in the record PARTIAL = the text entered can occur anywhere within the text in the record eg. FULL - You enter text ABC and it comes across a record with text ABCD. It will ignore this record but if the record's text was ABC then it would include the record. PARTIAL - You enter text ABC and it comed across a record with text ABCD. It will include this record as ABC occurs within it. You will then be asked if you want to show the records on the screen of print to the printer, and then asked if you would like a Case Sensitive search or Ignore case. eg. CASE SENSITIVE - You enter text to search for AbcD and it comes across a record with text ABCD. It will ignore this record but if it came across the text AbcD it would include it. IGNORE CASE - You enter text to search for ABCD and it comes across a record with text AbcD. It will include this record as it ignores which case the characters are in! You will finally be asked if you want to execute the search. If you print to the screen you will be expected to press RETURN after each record to continue the search. When it has finished it will return you to the main menu. LIST ON FIELD: This allows you to list all the text in a field for all the records. You will be shown a list of all the fields and asked to make a choice on which field to show the text for.You can press RETURN at this point to go back to the menu. You will then be asked where you want to output to, the screen or the printer. If you choose the screen you will be asked how the program is to wait after each record; PAUSE = the computer pauses for a short while then prints the next record. MOUSE CLICK = the next record will not be displayed until you press the left mouse button. The next record will be displayed below the previous one and the window will scroll if needed.You will be asked if you want to execute the list and if you press Y the list will commence. You can press ESCAPE during the listing to quit and return to the main menu. If you wanted the output on the screen you will be asked to press return when the list has finished to return to the menu. The UTILITIES menu. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VALIDATE: This will make sure there are no funnies in your database. You will be asked if you want to continue and told that it could take a long time to finish this option (depending on the size of the file). If you answer yes the program will validate your files and return you to the main menu once it has finished. NOTE:- If you have deleted a lot of records off your database the program will automatically tell you to validate the database and this must be performed before you delete any more records. You will notice that once you have validated you database it will run slightly faster. The Closing Comments..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope you find this database useful but if you have any ideas (or encounter and bugs within it) then please send them in to me! I will reply to any letters I recieve on the subject of this database or, indeed, on any AMOS related subject. I am keen to know other AMOS programmers whether they be new to programming or old hats at it! Send all your mail too; Gareth Lancaster, 40, Appleby Gardens, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 3DB, ENGLAND. or Tel:(0582) 666680 Thanks for buying this product......