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dBMENU dBASE III + Menu Application Generator Version 4.0 - 01/07/88 (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 BTSOFT Systems, Inc. MicroTek Consulting Group, Inc. Post Office Box 95 Hewlett, New York 11557-0095 dBMENU Table Of Contents I. Acknowledgments...........................................1 II. Introduction/Background...................................1 III. ShareWare.................................................1 IV. Registration..............................................1 V. Programming Conventions...................................2 VI. Environment...............................................2 Disk Space Requirements.................................2 VII. Technical Information.....................................2 VIII. License Agreement.........................................2 IX. Running...................................................3 A. Loading Options:.....................................3 1. dBMENU [?] [filename] [/C] [/Q]..................3 B. Program Name.........................................3 C. Author (Optional)....................................4 D. Purpose (Optional)...................................4 E. Notes (Optional).....................................4 F. Menu Number..........................................4 G. Upper Right Corner (Optional)........................4 H. Menu Title...........................................5 I. Menu Subtitle (Optional).............................5 J. LightBar/Straight Menu...............................5 K. Color Selection......................................5 L. Force Selection Highlight............................5 M. Level Letter.........................................5 1. Company Name (Optional)..........................5 N. Options - Yes/No Selectors...........................6 1. Return to Previous Menu..........................6 2. Return to Master Menu............................6 3. Exit to DOS......................................6 4. Option Explanation ..............................6 5. dCode ...........................................6 O. Number of menu Options...............................6 P. Include Left Arrow Trap..............................7 Q. Screen Information...................................7 1. dVariables.......................................7 2. dBytes...........................................7 3. Option Number....................................7 4. Options Remaining................................7 5. Option Selector..................................7 6. Escape to Abort..................................7 R. Selection Letter/Number..............................7 S. Menu Option..........................................7 T. Option Message ......................................8 U. dCode ...............................................8 V. DO [.PRG file] ......................................8 X. Advanced Options.............................................8 A. Merged Code..........................................8 License Agreement (Form) .......................................9 (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU dBASE III + Menu Application Generator Version 4.0 - 01/07/88 (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 BTSOFT Systems, Inc. MicroTek Consulting Group, Inc. Post Office Box 95 Hewlett, New York 11557-0095 ----- (516) 599-1158 (Eastern Standard Time) I. Acknowledgments dBASE, dBASE II, dBASE III, and dBASE III PLUS are registered trademarks of Ashton-Tate (Torrance,CA); FoxBASE and FoxBASE + are trademarks of Fox Software (Perrysburg, OH); Clipper is a trademark of Nantucket Corporation (Los Angeles, CA); dBCOMPILER and QuickSilver are trademarks of WordTech Systems, Inc. (Orinda, CA); MS-DOS is a registered trademark of MicroSoft Corp.; and PC-DOS is a registered trademark of IBM Corp.; IBM PC/XT/AT & PS/2 are products of International Business Machines Corp. (IBM Corp.); Turbo BASIC is a registered trademark of Borland International (Scotts Valley, CA) II. Introduction/Background This program was developed to save countless hours of development time when working in a dBase III+ environment. A key factor in developing a database system is the ease of use to the end-user. dBMENU will produce uniform application menus in dBASE III+ code which is easily read, and will run error-free. When dBASE II, and later the dBASE III series of databases were introduced, I used to spend many hours coding my menus and various other routines. Over the course of time, I found fast efficient ways of writing my code. The biggest problem I found, was either to copy the code and change the variables, or to rewrite the module I was working on. The most complex menu this generator can produce would take a good programmer a minimum of a half hour to write, never having seen the code before. The dBASE III+ menu application generator was developed to cut down the programming time while creating menus. Even without the use of this instruction manual, you should be able to create a full blown menu within 3-5 minutes; assuming you have all the titles and module names set aside. III. ShareWare dBMENU is distributed through a unique marketing approach called shareware. Shareware does not mean free software. Shareware is just a distribution concept. All that this means is that we are allowing this piece of software to be distributed freely. You can copy it for your friends or associates, and conversely you can receive a copy from them. You are allowed to try/Evaluate this program to see if it meets your needs. If it does, and you use this product, you should become a registered user. Shareware makes it basis on the honor system. (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # IV. Registration A. Single User License You can register this program by sending a check or money order in the amount of Twenty-Five US Dollars ($25.), along with your name, address, and daytime telephone number to the address mentioned throughout this manual, or in section IV C. B. Site License A site license is also available for this product, a site license allows for unlimited copies of this program to be run on multiple machines at a given site. This license can be obtained by sending a check or money order in the amount of One Hundred Fifty US Dollars ($150.), along with your name, company, address, and business telephone number to the address mentioned throughout this manual, or in section IV C below. C. Registration Address BTSOFT Systems, Inc. dBMENU Registration Post Office Box 95 Hewlett, New York 11557-0095 Upon receiving your payment, you will be placed on our mailing list for all future revisions and new product announcements. You will also be sent the latest release of dBMENU with your own serial number. You will be informed about undocumented software switches. Finally, for every copy of your dBMENU which is registered, you will receive a $5.00 rebate. V. Programming Conventions A. No Double Quotes (") are acceptable as inputted text. B. All Data to be entered is alphanumeric. C. An Audible Beep is used to alert you to an error in input. VI. Environment This program requires the following to work properly: A. IBM PC/XT/AT (or 100% Compatibles) B. 256K Random Access Memory (RAM) C. MS-DOS 2.1+ -or- PC-DOS 2.1+ D. Disk Space Requirements 1. Maximum Output File Size a. LightBar - 28k b. Straight Menu - 24k E. One of The Following dBASE type Environments: 1. dBASE III PLUS Ver: 1.1 (or compatible operating environment) 2. FoxBASE or FoxBASE + 3. Clipper 4. dBCOMPILER or QuickSilver VII. Technical Information The dBMENU generator was written in BASIC and compiled using Borland's Turbo BASIC compiler. There is no 80x87 support for this program. Due to file size limitations (Borland), this system really can not be enhanced any more than its present state. (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # The menu generator was written on an IBM AT (8MHz) w/80287 and has been tested on most of the major brand and clone PCs (processors ranging from 8088 to 80386 and machines from original PCs to the IBM PS/2 line) with out fault. This doesn't mean that the program won't fail; however this program does not use any special BIOS calls which would limit its use to a particular brand or type of PC. VIII. License Agreement BTSOFT Systems, Inc. and MicroTek Consulting Group, Inc. (herein referred to as BSI/MCGI), grants to the Purchaser and Purchaser accepts a nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use, on a single computer (unless the product is site licensed), dBMENU and accompanying materials provided to Purchaser by BSI/MCGI. Purchaser is hereby licensed only to read the program from its medium into the memory of a single computer solely for the purpose of executing the program. BSI/MCGI shall have the right to terminate this license if purchaser violates any of its provisions. Purchaser agrees that dBMENU and accompanying materials are the property of BSI/MCGI and that BSI/MCGI shall maintain title to and ownership of dBMENU at all times. BSI/MCGI warrants that all disks provided constitute an accurate duplication of dBMENU and BSI/MCGI will replace any disks found to be defective within 30 days from date of purchase. BSI/MCGI will not honor this warranty where a software product disk has been subjected to physical abuse, or used in defective or non-compatible equipment. BSI/MCGI makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, performance, accuracy, or fitness of dBMENU for any particular purpose. BSI/MCGI assumes no responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken on the part of the Purchaser because of the use of dBMENU. In no event shall BSI/MCGI, or any of its representatives, be liable for any loss of profit or any other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other damages, arising out of the use or inability to use this product - even if BSI/MCGI or an authorized agent of such has been advised of the possibility of such damages - or for any claim by any other party. BSI/MCGI reserves the right to make changes, enhancements and improvements to dBMENU at any time and without notice. Acceptance (registration) of this software, or use of dBMENU for any period beyond the thirty day (30) ShareWare agreement constitutes your assumed acceptance of this agreement and subjects you to its contents. IX. Running This program can be run, stand-alone directly from DOS by typing "dBMENU", or it can be run from within dBASE III PLUS by typing "!dBMENU" at the dot prompt. A. Loading Options: 1. dBMENU [?] [filename] [/C] [/Q] Typing dBMENU at the DOS prompt will invoke the menu generator without any special functions. a. [?] By typing dBMENU ? at the DOS prompt, you will get a list of the current options available when running the program. b. [filename] The filename is any 8 characters which results in a legal DOS file. No extensions are permissible. This filename is the (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # output file which dBMENU will write the code to. c. [/C] This option will eliminate the bulk of the programming comments in the .PRG file. d. [/Q] This option will quit out of the Sample Menu which is displayed when running dBMENU. e. Combination Choices: These switches can be run alone or in combination with one another. For example, you might want to shut off the sample display and have the output sent to TEST dBMENU Test /Q B. Program Name This is the output filename to which the dBMENU Generator will store the dBASE III+ code. 1. The name must be a valid DOS filename with up to eight (8) Characters Maximum. 2. Do not include ".PRG" extension, as dBMENU will do this for you automatically. If you want the program file to have any other extension, at DOS you will have to rename it. a. If the program name exists in the current directory you have two (2) options: (1) Yes Which will backup then existing file (.BAK), and create a new file. (2) No Which will allow you to re-enter the Program filename. C. Author (Optional) 1. This option is useful for identifying person or group or team who used the dBMENU program to setup this menu. You are allowed to enter up to 40 alphanumeric characters in this field. 2. Input File If you want a particular Author's name to appear in each file that this program generates, it is possible to write the person (team) name to a file called AUTHOR.DBM and include it in the current directory where dBMENU is being executed. D. Purpose (Optional) This option is useful for identifying purpose for creating this menu. You are allowed to enter up to 40 alphanumeric characters in this field. E. Notes (Optional) 1. This option allows up to ten (10) lines of programming notes. Each Line allows for 60 alphanumeric characters. Depressing the Enter Key on a blank line will terminate this function and proceed to the next. 2. Input File If you have certain notes which you want to appear in each file that this program generates, it is possible to write the notes (up to 30 lines) in a file called NOTES.DBM and include it in the current directory where dBMENU is being executed. (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # F. Menu Number (Optional) This option allows for up to 7 alphanumeric characters. This will be displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the menu, next to the word "Menu". Example: Typing "1.23" will produce "Menu 1.23" on the Menu. Typing "Test" will produce "Menu Test" on the Menu. G. Upper Right Corner (Optional) This will display 12 Alphanumeric characters in the upper right-hand corner of the menu application. If you want, you can have certain dBASE functions (such as date or time) displayed here. 1. Regular text should just be typed as such. 2. dBASE Code starts with a backwards accent mark (below the tilde "~" key). Example: `DATE() -or- `TIME() H. Menu Title 1. This required text will be Centered and Displayed in the upper center of the Menu Application, will be double boxed, and can be a maximum of 48 Characters in length. 2. Input File If you want a particular Title to appear in each file that this program generates, it is possible to write the title to a file called TITLE.DBM and include it in the current directory where dBMENU is being executed. I. Menu Subtitle (Optional) This section allows for two optional text lines which will be Centered and Displayed in the upper center of the Menu Application, along with the title, and will be included in the title box. If only one Sub-Title is selected, it will be displayed two (2) lines below the main menu title. If both Subtitles are used, they will be listed one below the other, with no blank lines separating them. Each of these subtitles can be a maximum of 48 Characters in length. J. LightBar/Straight Menu 1. LightBar will allow you cursor control as well as direct letter/number selection of an option. A Bar of light will display the current menu selection in reverse video (in the colors you selected). 2. The straight menu takes up less memory, and only allows the user to make a choice by selecting the letter or number for the given option. The cursor keys are disabled. K. Color Selection Since certain colors conflict with one another, the program has been modified so that once a Background color is selected, it will be impossible to make the Foreground, Boarder, or LightBar colors the same as the background. 1. Background 2. Foreground 3. Border Lines Lines surrounding titles and options. (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # 4. LightBar (Not Available with Straight Menu Selection) L. Force Selection Highlight (Not Available with Straight Menu) There will be times where the on screen instructions for cursor movement will be inappropriate if displayed in the LightBar Colors, or you just might want black letters on a white background (white letters on black background if the background is white. M. Level Letter Since the majority of the generated application menu is based on variables each menu, and sub-menu (nested menus) should have different nesting letters. 1. Duplicate nesting letters will cause previous menus to fail. 2. A-Z are the only valid selections for this option. a. If Nested Level letter "A" is selected: (1) Company Name (Optional) a) You will be allowed to enter 40 alphanumeric characters for a company name. This information will be centered on the bottom line of the menu application. Example: BTSOFT Systems, Inc. -will be displayed as- (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987 The year that follows the copyright notice is obtained from the system date/clock. b) If you want a particular Company's name to appear in each Nested Level "A" file that this program generates, it is possible to write the company name to a file called COMPANY.DBM and include it in the current directory where dBMENU is being executed. N. Options - Yes/No Selectors 1. Return to Previous Menu This option should be selected if the menu you are generating is a sub-menu. This option uses the dBASE III+ command to return to the previous routine. a. If you select this option in your main menu, you will be dropped at the dBASE III+ dot prompt. 2. Return to Master Menu This option should be selected if the menu you are generating is a sub-menu. This option uses the dBASE III+ command to return to the main program routine (top of the menu nest). a. If you select this option in your main menu, you will be dropped at the dBASE III+ dot prompt. 3. Exit to DOS This option should be selected if the menu you are generating is either the main menu or if it is a sub-menu. This option uses the dBASE III+ command to Close All Databases and files, and Quit to DOS. 4. Option Explanation (Optional if Selected) This part of the User Interface will display a box in the lower center of the menu, and displays the text you wrote to describe this option. The text changes with the cursor movement only. (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # 5. dCode (Optional if Selected) Up to nine lines of dBase III+ executable code. O. Number of menu Options The number of menu options is based on whether you selected Exit to DOS, Return To Previous Menu, and Option Explanation. If you select none of these options you can have up to 26 selections in your menu application. Depending on how many selections you made, your choices will be limited between 16 and 26. 1. This screen will inform you what is the maximum number of options to remain in the single column format (information is on bottom of this menu screen). P. Include Left Arrow Trap If you selected enough options that requires the menu to be in a two column format, you will be asked if you want to include a left arrow trap. As stated in the April 1987 issue of the Ashton-Tate's TechNotes (Page 16), "In dBASE III PLUS version 1.1, the INKEY() function does not trap Leftarrow." 1. For this reason, say <Y>es if you are using Runtime Module or Compiler other than dBASE III+. (Compilers such as Clipper, FoxBase, QuickSilver, etc.; and Runtime Modules/Replacements such as FoxBase Plus, etc.) 2. If you are only running under dBASE III PLUS say <N>o to this question, or whenever the leftarrow is depressed, the results will be unreliable. Q. Screen Information When entering the Option Information, there is certain screen information that you should be aware of, and they are: 1. dVariables This information is located in the upper left corner of the menu generator. "dVariables" are the amount of dBASE III+ variables that will be used by your ".PRG" file. 2. dBytes This information is located in the upper right corner of the menu generator. "dBytes" are the amount of dBASE III+ bytes that will be used by your ".PRG" file. 3. Option Number This is the number of the option you are currently working on. (This number will increase as you enter more options.) 4. Options Remaining This is the number of the remaining options, that the user will select from. (This number will decrease as you enter more options.) 5. Escape to Abort This function can be performed at any time during the dBMENU operation. This will abort the program and return you to DOS. If and when you select this option, the filename you were working on will be deleted. R. Selection Letter/Number This is the keyboard character that the user must depress to select the associated text option. This is only one character in length. All (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # alphabetic characters will be converted Upper to Lower and Lower to Upper. What this means is that if the user selects EITHER the upper or lower case character, this option will be selected. REMEMBER: Only Alphabetic characters will be converted. S. Menu Option This is the description that will appear next to the Letter, Number, Character that the user must depress to select this option. 1. If this is a single column format that you can type up to 50 Alphanumeric characters. 2. If this is a two (2) column format then you can only type up to 22 characters. T. Option Message (If Selected in section N #4 above) This section allows for up to 50 alphanumeric characters which will describe or explain the associated Menu Option. Even if you select this option, you do not have to type text. When the LightBar is moved to the associated menu option the explanation box will be blank. U. dCode (If Selected in section N #5 above) This section allows for up to 60 text (alphanumeric) characters which you would want your menu to execute from dBase. This section is also optional, and will allow for a maximum of 9 lines of executable code. Depressing <ENTER> on a blank line will terminate the function of this option. V. DO [.PRG file] This is the program file which would be executed should the associated option be selected from your menu. This would be any VALID dBase III+ program filename (any legal DOS filename) without the extension, since dBASE assumes .PRG, and FoxBase assumes .FOX, etc. X. Advanced Options A. Merged Code This system provides the user the ability to incorporate standard or "Canned" text into your menu application. You might, for example, have a security routine which applies to all the menus you create. This routine can be inserted/merged into the menu at certain merge points. The code you wish to have merged into the menu must reside in a file called: MERGEx.DBM (x is the merge level) There are eight (8) merge locations and, as mentioned above, the information would be extracted from MERGE1.DBM through MERGE8.DBM. If you run the dBMENU generator without using the switch settings [/Q, /C], the menu generator will commend out the positions for the merged text; however, the list below should help you get an idea where the merged text will appear. Level Location: MERGE1.DBM After Header Comments MERGE2.DBM Before Program Title Display (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # MERGE3.DBM After Program Title Display MERGE4.DBM During Display Option Messages MERGE5.DBM During Keyboard Trapping MERGE6.DBM After Valid Key Selection MERGE7.DBM Before Performing Selected Menu Item MERGE8.DBM Last Line Before ENDDO of Menu Loop (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988 dBMENU Ver: 4.0 Page # License to Use Agreement BTSOFT Systems, Inc. and MicroTek Consulting Group, Inc. (herein referred to as BSI/MCGI), grants to the Purchaser and Purchaser accepts a nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use, on a single computer, dBMENU and accompanying materials provided to Purchaser by BSI/MCGI. Purchaser is hereby licensed only to read the program from its medium into the memory of a single computer solely for the purpose of executing the program. BSI/MCGI shall have the right to terminate this license if purchaser violates any of its provisions. Purchaser agrees that dBMENU and accompanying materials are the property of BSI/MCGI and that BSI/MCGI shall maintain title to and ownership of dBMENU at all times. BSI/MCGI warrants that all disks provided constitute an accurate duplication of dBMENU and BSI/MCGI will replace any disks found to be defective within 30 days from date of purchase. BSI/MCGI will not honor this warranty where a software product disk has been subjected to physical abuse, or used in defective or non-compatible equipment. BSI/MCGI makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, performance, accuracy, or fitness of dBMENU for any particular purpose. BSI/MCGI assumes no responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken on the part of the Purchaser because of the use of dBMENU. In no event shall BSI/MCGI, or any of its representatives, be liable for any loss of profit or any other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other damages, arising out of the use or inability to use this product - even if BSI/MCGI or an authorized agent of such has been advised of the possibility of such damages - or for any claim by any other party. BSI/MCGI reserves the right to make changes, enhancements and improvements to dBMENU at any time and without notice. Purchaser whose signature appears below agrees to the terms of the above License. However, even if you fail to return this agreement, use of dBMENU for any period beyond the thirty day (30) ShareWare agreement constitutes your assumed acceptance of this agreement and subjects you to its contents. Accepted by: Date: Return within 30 days to BTSOFT Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 95, Hewlett, NY 11557-0095 insure support of your purchase. (c) BTSOFT Systems, Inc. - 1987, 1988