To exit help, press ESC. For SQL help, press Shift-F1 instead of F1.
Help screens sometimes have highlighted words and phrases which correspond to additional help screens (see below). You can use the TAB key to move to a highligted area and press the ENTER key to go to that help screen.
Other Topics:
Quick
Start
commands
Text
Editor
File (ALT-F)
Edit (ALT-E)
Search (ALT-S)
Window (ALT-W)
SQL (ALT-Q)
LICENSE
AGREEMENT
Use PgUp and PgDn if a there is more help than fits on the screen. Menus along the top of the screen and highlighted letters in dialog boxes are accessed by holding down the ALT key and tapping the highlighted letter. For example, the "File" menu is pulled down by Alt-F.
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Text Editor
The commands for the file editor are standard to most editors.
Block commands.
Marking, copying and moving blocks. Blocks can be moved/copied from window to window. O
Insert
Delete commands.
Cursor
Movement commands.
Miscellaneous commands.
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Miscellaneous Editor Commands
Menu bar
Save and Edit
New File
Close Active Window
ALT-F3
Find
Ctrl-Q F
Find and Replace
Ctrl-Q A
Repeat last Find/Replace
Ctrl-L
Cancel Operation
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License Agreement for SSQL
You are given a 60-day license to use SSQL. Anything beyond that is as illegal and unethical as using any commercial software.
SSQL is shareware, also referred to as user-supported software. Try it. If you like it and use it, register it. It is well-worth the money. If if doesn't suit your needs, you are not out a lot of money.
Shareware is a marketing concept to keep marketing costs down. The savings is passed on to the user. Please help support it.
CLASSROOM USE. If SSQL is used in a class, each student must be a registered user. Contact SilvaWare for significant volume discounts. (HEY! It may be a good time discuss ethics with your students!)
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Quick Start for SQL
Quick Start: 0
Type the command, e.g.
select *
from branch;
Press F4 to process the command.
The answer will appear in a edit window on the right. You can now edit it, print it, save it - anything you can do with a regular file.
If you want a new query, press ALT-F3 to close the output window on the right, otherwise the "desktop" gets cluttered and you will soon run out of space. i
To quickly erase the existing query, Shift-PgUp (assuming curser is at bottom of query), then Ctrl-Del.
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File (Alt-F)
The File menu offers choices for opening files, changing directories, and exiting the program. G
Open
New
Save
Save
as...
Print
Change
Shell
Exit
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File
Open (F3)
The Open command displays the Open a File dialog box. In this dialog box you select the text file you want edit. &
The Open
File dialog box contains:
an input
box with a history list
a list
box to browse the directory
the standard Cancel button
Open action button
an information panel that describes the
selected file
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File
File New opens up a edit box to start entering new information. When you exit, it will ask whether you want to save it to a file.
Related topic: Editor
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File
Save (F2)
Save the current file. If it is untitled (you selected File|New), you will be asked for a name.
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File
Save As...
Use the Save As... selection when you want to name an untitled file (you selected File|New), or you want to save a file under a different name. The original file will be left unchanged. The command displays the Save a File dialog box. In this dialog box you can select the file name you want to save it under or enter a new name. %
The Save
As... dialog box contains:
an input
box with a history list
a list
box to browse the directory
the standard Cancel button
OK action button
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Press this if you agree with the selection(s) you have made. It is the same as pressing the Enter key.
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File
Change Dir...
Change Dir brings up the Change
Directory dialog box, in which you can change the current directory.
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File
Print
Prints whatever is in the current window and then advances to the top of the next page.
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File
DOS Shell
With the DOS Shell command, you can leave the program temporarily to perform a DOS command or run another program. 9
To return to this program, type EXIT at the DOS prompt.
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File
Exit
(Alt-X)
The Exit command terminates this program.
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The Edit menu conatins commands to undo the previous edit operation, cut a block of text and put it in the clipboard, copy a block of text into the clipboard, paste the most recent block put in the clipboard, show the clipboard which contains ALL previous blocks put in the clipboard, and clear which clears the block from the screen and does not put it in the clipboard. Related topic: Mark
block
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Edit
Undo
The Undo command takes back the last editing command you performed on a line.
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Edit
Cut (Shift-Del)
The Cut command removes the blocked text form your document and puts the text in the clipboard.
You can then move to another location in your document and choose paste to take the cut text out of the clipboard and put it in your document. F
The text stays in your clipboard so you can paste it more than once.
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Edit
Copy (Ctrl-Ins)
The Copy command leaves the selected text intact and places a copy of it in the clipboard.
You can then move to another location in your document and choose paste to take the cut text out of the clipboard and put it in your document. F
The text stays in your clipboard so you can paste it more than once.
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Edit
Paste (Shift-Ins)
The paste command copies the selected text from the clipboard into the document at the cursor.
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Edit
Show Clipboard
The Show Clipboard command opens the clipboard window which stores the text you cut and copied from other windows. X
The currently selected (highlighted) text is the text SSQL uses when you choose paste.
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Edit
Clear (Ctrl-Del)
The clear command removes the selected text but does not put it into the clipboard. 8
The cleared text is retrievable with the undo command.
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Search
The Search menu contains command to find text in the current file, replace existing text with new text, and search
again for text to find or replace.
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Search
Find (Ctrl-Q F)
The find command displays a dialog box where you enter the text that you want to find. It starts searching where the cursor is to the bottom of the file. If you want to search for the same text again, press Ctrl-L or select Search
Again
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Search
Replace (Ctrl-Q A)
The Replace command combines the Find command with the ability to replace the text it finds with new text. You will be asked to enter the text to find. Remember to press the Tab to get to the entry for the replacement text. Use the SearchAgain option to find and replace the next occurence of text.
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Search
Again (Ctrl-L)
The Search Again command repeats the last Find or Replace.
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Window
(Alt-W)
The Window menu contains commands to close, move and perform other window-management commands.
Most of the windows in this program have all the standard window elements, including scroll bars, a close box, and zoom icons. >
For more about windows and their elements, refer to windows. :
Window-management commands
Size/Move Zoom
Tile Cascade
Next Previous
Close
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Window
Size/Move
(Ctrl-F5)
Choose this command to change the size or position of the active window.
Size
If you press Shift while you use the arrow keys, you can change the size of the active window. Once you've adjusted its size or position, press Enter. Q
If a window has a Resize corner, you can drag that corner to resize the window.
Move
When you choose Window
Size/Move, the active window moves in response to the arrow keys. Once you've moved the window to where you want it, press Enter. F
You can also move a window by dragging its title bar with the mouse.
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Window
Zoom
(F5)
Choose Zoom to resize the active window to the maximum size. If the window is already zoomed, you can choose this command to restore it to its previous size. {
You can also double-click anywhere on the window's title bar (except where an icon appears) to zoom or unzoom the window.
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Window
Tile
Choose Window
Tile to tile all file viewers on the desktop. L
Tiled Windows
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Window
Cascade
Choose Window
Cascade to stack all file viewers on the desktop. A
Cascaded Windows
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Window
Next
Choose Next to cycle forwards through the windows on the desktop.
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Window
Previous
Choose Previous to cycle backwards through the windows on the desktop.
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Window
Close
(Alt-F3)
Choose Close to close the active window. O
You can also click the Close box in the upper right corner to close a window.
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Options
Save Desktop
Saves the state of all open windows to a file call TVDEMO.DSK. This file can be reloaded by selecting Options
RestoreDesktop.
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Options
Restore Desktop
Restore a previously-saved state of all open windows from a file call TVDEMO.DSK. This file is saved via the Options
Desktop menu command.
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The File Dialog Box
The File dialog box contains an input box, a file
list, a file information panel, the standard button Cancel, one other action button (Open if you selected File Open or OK if you selected Save As...), plus a history list that's attached to the Name
inputbox.
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Name
The Name input box is where you enter the name of the file to load, or the file-name mask to use as a filter for the Files list box (for example, *.*).
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Files
FILENM01.QRY
FILENM09.QRY
FILENM02.QRY
FILENM10.QRY
FILENM03.QRY
FILENM11.QRY
FILENM04.QRY
FILENM12.QRY
FILENM05.QRY
..
FILENM06.QRY
\MOREXAMP
FILENM07.QRY
\TOURS
FILENM08.QRY
\ANSWERS.DIR
The Files list box lists the names of files in the current directory that match the file-name mask in the Name input box, plus the parent directory and all subdirectories.
C:\TP\EXAMPLES\*.QRY
HELLO.QRY 52 Jul 14,1990 12:00pm
The File information panel shows the path name, file name, date, time, and size of the selected file. =
None of the items on this information panel are selectable.
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[ Open ]
The Open button opens a new Edit window and places the selected file in that window.
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[ Cancel ]
If you choose Cancel, nothing changes and no action occurs, and the dialog box is put away. M
(Esc always cancels a dialog box, even if a Cancel button does not appear.)
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[ Open ]
In the Open a File dialog box, if you choose the Open button it opens a new file to edit and places the selected file in a window.
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Help on the Change Directory dialog box
The Change Directory dialog box consists of an input box, a list box, the standard OK and Help buttons, and two other buttons (Chdir and Revert). |
Directory Name
The Directory Name input box is where you type in the path of the new directory.
Directory Tree
Drives
C:\
TP
TVISION
The Directory Tree list box enables you to navigate directories by using the selecting bar and pressing Enter.
If you're using the keyboard, press Enter to make the selected directory be the current directory, then choose OK or press Esc to exit the dialog box. +
[Chdir ]
The Chdir button changes the current directory once you've selected or typed in a directory name. +
[Revert]
The Revert button goes back to the previous directory, as long as you haven't yet exited the dialog box.
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Block Commands
Mark A Block
Move the cursor to one end of the block. While holding down the shift key use the arrow keys to move to the other end of the block. Now it is marked. F
Or...
Begin mark Ctrl-K B
End mark Ctrl-K K
Mark word Ctrl K T
Once a block is marked, you can use the following: E
Copy Ctrl-K C
Move Ctrl-K V
Delete Ctrl-K Y or Ctrl-Del
Or you can use the edit commands: v
Ctrl-Ins Copy block to clipboard
Shift-Del Cut block and put in clipboard
Shift-Ins Paste block from clipboard
Previously cut and copied blocks are stored in the clipboard.
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Cursor Movement Commands
Character left
Left arrow or Ctrl-S
Character right
Right arrow or Ctrl-D
Word left
Ctrl-Left arrow or Ctrl-A
Word right
Ctrl-Right arrow or Ctrl-F
Line up
Up arrow or Ctrl-E
Line down
Down arrow or Ctrl-X
Page up
PgUp or Ctrl-R
Page down
PgDn or Ctrl-C
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Insert & Delete Commands
Insert mode on/off
Ins or Ctrl-V
Delete line
Ctrl-Y
Delete to end of line
Ctrl-Q Y
Delete character left
Backspace or Ctrl-H
Delete character
Del or Ctrl-G
Delete word right
Ctrl-T
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SQL
This menu contains SSQL specific options such as:
Process F4
Form
Report
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File
Process (F4)
The Process command takes the text that is displayed and sends it to the SSQL engine to be processed. If it is a query, the response will be in a text file called QUERY.TXT that is opened to the right of the query. Other commands will have a response in a box to describe what occurred.
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Form
The Form program allows you to insert, update, view and delete in a much more user-friendly environment than standard SQL offers. It will generate a standard form for a table that can then be modified - or you can start from scratch. You have full data editing capabilities and you can easily move from prompt to prompt to make changes.
You can retrieve rows of information from the form based on simple search criteria and then page through the rows retrieved.
SUMMARY OF KEYS WITHIN THE FORM 5
UP/DOWN ARROWS will move you from prompt to prompt. S
LEFT/RIGHT ARROWS, HOME, END, INSERT, DEL are the same as they are in the editor. R
PAGEUP (used in Update/View mode) will display the previous row of information. P
PAGEDOWN (used in Update/View mode) will display the next row of information. 6
ESC will cancel the entry and exit the form program.
ENTER will move you from prompt to prompt. At the last prompt, it will accept the form and insert the information into the table.
F2 Takes the information you have already entered in the form and searches the table for a match. All rows that match are retrieved. You can use the PAGEUP/PAGEDOWN to display the other rows.
F4 Displays the column value entered in the previous row. $
ALT-I Puts you in INSERT mode. B
ALT-V Puts you in VIEW mode and turns off column validation. *
ALT-U UPDATEs what is on the screen. 3
ALT-D DELETEs based on what is on the screen.
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Report
SSQL Report allows you to produce a formatted report. Use the SSQL editor to describe the report.
***SYNTAX OF REPORT FILES***
All lines begin with a command. All commands are two characters long. The first character after the command corresponds to column one on the report. The following example shows you a basic report.
-- RPT1.FRM (With 3 tables and no indexing, it is slow on an
-- old PC)
HT SALES REPORT
HT DATE CUST NAME PROD DESCRIP QTY
HT ******** *************** *************** ***
DT XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 999
ET**** END OF REPORT ****
DC date, name, descrip, qty
TA sales,cust,prod
WH cc = cust.code and
WH pc = prod.code
** -- (COMMENTS)
** HT (HEADING optional)
** DT (DETAIL TEXT)
The detail represents the placement of information for each row retrieved from the table. The information can be placed on more than one line. It corresponds to the rows requested in the Detail Columns (DC) line. It may contain text, but Xs (character data) and 9s (numeric data) have special meaning.
** FT (FOOTER optional)
The footer is placed at the bottom of every page sent to the printer. 8
** ET (END OF REPORT optional)
** DC (DETAIL COLUMNS)
There must be a column for every format described under DT. The format follows the syntax for the select statement in SSQL.
** SUBTOTALS (optional) **
Actually, subtotal is a misnomer because you can use any aggregate function (count, avg, min, max, sum) - not just sum. See RPT2.FRM for an example.
** GRAND TOTAL (optional)
See RPT3.FRM for an example.
** TA (TABLE(S))
This correponds to one or more tables that you want selected. There can be only on TA line in a report. Anything valid after the first FROM in SQL is valid here. #
** WH (THE WHERE CLAUSE optional)
Anything valid after the first FROM in SQL is valid here including subqueries with the following exception: You cannot have a GROUP BY or an ORDER BY if you have also specified subtotals. Make sure that the DC, TA, and WH lines go together to form a valid statement as in: G
(.txt)