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HUGE BASE V1.00 =============== READ ME! DOCUMENT ================= ====================================================================== COPYRIGHT ========= Huge Base V1.00 is Copyright © 1996 Matt Cartlidge. This is the very first version of Huge Base so get supporting me! Huge Base V1.00 may be distributed as long as all of the following conditions are true :- * It is the UNREGISTERED version. * All of these files are kept together and remain UNCHANGED. - Huge_Base (actual program) - Introduction (document) - Instructions (document) - Jargon (document) - Read_me! (document) - Example databases, including :- - Address.HB - Tracks.HB - Discs.HB * No fee is charged, only a nominal fee for copying. NOTE that any copy found with altered documents or programs are breaking the guidelines. Distribution of Huge Base V1.00 is fine. I would prefer it if you contacted me before distributing though. The three example databases Address.HB, Tracks.HB and Discs.HB are not copyrighted. You can do whatever you like with these. Note that no data in the Address.HB database file is correct. It is against the law to hold personal information about an individual without their permission. PPMore, ReqTools.library and PowerPacker.library are all Copyright © Nico François. FastView V2.0 is Copyright © 1995 John Hendrikx. FastView can display IFF (.iff), JPEG (.jpg), GIF (.gif), PCX (.pcx) and BMP (.bmp) images. PlaySound is Copyright © 1990-1991 RamScan Software Pty Ltd. PlaySound is freely distributable WITHOUT fee charging. PlaySound can play Stereo IFF, mono IFF, RAW samples, multiple loop files and Aegis Sonix files. ====================================================================== WARNING ======= I don't want to sound mean in this bit but everyone says this in their documentation so, here goes. I cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or any other disruption caused by using Huge Base. This program was perfect at the time of release and any changes could have been made to it by the time you get a copy. The only way to be sure that you have the full unchanged copy (and the latest version) is to register. See the REGISTERING section of this document for details. ====================================================================== SHAREWARE ========= Huge Base is shareware which means if you like it and use it, you should register it. Even though the program is shareware, it is the FULL program and is NOT crippled in any way. I'd rather people use my programs for free than not at all. You can spread this version around as much as you like as it is shareware, but if you register, no one else must receive a copy of your program. Remember about SHAREWARE : Many shareware programs on the Amiga market are extremely good quality and most are as good, if better, than commercial programs - with the obvious exception of a user manual. But hey, who needs a user manual when you've got an ASCII file? Thousands of shareware authors spend hundreds, maybe thousands of hours working on shareware programs, including me. The more support and registrations they receive, the more likely they are to carry on contributing to the shareware side of things. Shareware is a good thing, support it. ====================================================================== WHY WRITE HUGE BASE? ==================== I wrote Huge Base because there wasn't one single database program out there that did all of the things that I wanted it to do. This is normality when talking about shareware - an author hasn't got what he wants, so he makes his own, that's the way it works, and it works very well. That's why the Amiga has such good software nowadays. I also wanted a program in which the author would listen to the users ideas, this is how programs get to be so good as versions increase. Most importantly, I wanted a database program that was updated and supported regularly. And what better author to support it than ME! ====================================================================== REGISTERING =========== When registering you will get the latest version which will be registered exclusively to you. Simply send £5 to the contact address along with a DD disk and a stamped SAE. I will reject all disks that are sent to me that have this version of Huge Base on them. You should keep this copy so that it can be spread around. If one of your mates asks if they can have a copy, give them a copy of this version, not your registered version. Make cheques and PO's payable to M.J. Cartlidge. It is up to you if you send money in the post or not, but personally, I wouldn't. Registered users can get future versions for almost nothing and will receive full support when sending me letters. All registered users will get a mention in my documents so, I hope that I have to type hundreds of names into a document. Get registering .... ! ====================================================================== REQUIREMENTS ============ Huge Base needs the following to run :- * Workbench 2.0 or higher. * 1MB or more of memory. * MED.library to play MED module from within the program. * PPMore in the C: directory to view the documents. * FastView in the C: directory for viewing images. * PlaySound in the C: directory for playing sound samples. * An assign called SOUNDSETS: assigned to where your soundsets are kept. See the section in this document on SoundSets on how to create your own. PPMore requires PowerPacker.library and ReqTools.library to run. FastView requires Asl.library, ILBM.library and the IFFParse.library to operate properly. It also requires IconX in C: to run. * When I distributed Huge Base, all of the neccessary files were included for each operation to work fully. Huge Base requires 50K to be free at ALL TIMES. If memory falls below this value, any operations which require more memory will be disabled. Don't worry, saving does not require any more memory when operating. 50K is 51200 bytes. Huge Base reserves 50K before the program starts for variable space. Huge Base loads PlaySound and FastView into RAM: after the program itself has loaded. They are deleted from the Ram Disk when the program has ended. ====================================================================== SOUNDSETS ========= Huge Base uses soundsets to give itself sound in your preferences. These are actually sample banks created using the AMOS Professional sample bank maker. If you own AMOS then you can create your own. Each sample number in the bank represents the action you take in Huge Base. 1. Key press other than below 2. ESCAPE pressed. 3. RETURN pressed. 4. Draw an inverted box. (Looks pressed in). 5. Draw a standard box. (Looks normal, no action). 6. DELETE or BACKSPACE pressed. You must store your SoundSets in an assign called SOUNDSETS: and you must assign this to wherever the soundsets are kept. E.g. If you are keeping them on your hard drive in a directory called SOUNDSETS then you should have this in your startup sequence :- Assign SOUNDSETS: DH0:SOUNDSETS Huge Base will then look in DH0:SOUNDSETS for all of your soundsets. You must name your soundsets Set1.abk, Set2.abk etc. There are a limit of 15 soundsets, any numbers higher than this will be ignored. Also, if there are more than 6 samples in your soundset file, they will be ignored. PlaySound is not required to use soundsets in Huge Base. Five soundsets are included with Huge Base so if you make your own, they should be named Set6.abk, Set7.abk and so on. ====================================================================== WARNING ======= There is a SECURE function in Huge Base which allows you to save your databases with a password. I strongly recommend that you make the password easy to remember or write it down somewhere just in case as you CANNOT get your database back if you do not know the password in which you saved it. ====================================================================== IMPORTING AND EXPORTING ======================= I have tried until my pants blew off to get import and export functions working in Huge Base but I just don't know database formats at all. If someone would like to tell me various formats for different database programs then I would love to write conversion routines. I really don't want you to type a whole database into Huge Base just because you can't convert your files. ====================================================================== DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND ===================== A lot of programs on the Amiga will not run on a basic Amiga 500+ with 1MB of RAM. There are even programs and games (and a lot due for release) which will not even work properly using 2MB of RAM. Amiga users that have been with the Amiga for a long time will have learned that the Amiga has moved forward a long way since the A500. If you're still using a 7.14MHz Amiga 500 with only 1MB of RAM then I'm afraid you're in at the deep end. Most companies and software distributors have abandoned WorkBench 1.3 completely and not much new software will run on WorkBench 1.3, commercial or shareware. If you want to keep up with the Amiga, you MUST move forward to at least the A1200 standard. Some authors are even forgetting about WorkBench 2.0 and this will be next on the gravestone. If you get left behind, you're not getting anything out of the Amiga. ====================================================================== THE HUGE BASE DATABASE FILE =========================== I advise that you don't tamper with your database files manually using any program whatsoever. This can cause a lot of problems. I have made every effort to stop database files loading if they have got an error in them. Once, I changed ONE CHARACTER in a database file, it loaded into Huge Base fine, without any errors. I typed in a few records and the system crashed. This is NOT bug in Huge Base. If you change the database file manually, what else would you expect? ====================================================================== BUG REPORTING ============= Huge Base has been tested for weeks on end for bugs and faults. There are no known bugs in Huge Base but I can't guarantee it. If you do spot a bug, please do not keep quiet about it, it is most important that my programs are completely bug free. If possible, state what you were doing at the time and what you have already done. Be as detailed as you can. If it is something simple like a spelling mistake, then don't bother with detail. Just use common sense. ====================================================================== CONTACT ======= If you have suggestions, comments or new ideas then please send me a letter explaining it all. If you're thinking "if only it did that" and "it should do this as well" then tell me about it. Matt Cartlidge. 3 Cotterill Grove, Burslem, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 3DT. ENGLAND. If you are sending a disk that you want me to return or you want me to reply, include a stamped SAE. I WILL reply to every letter if a stamped SAE is included. If you are registering, give me your name, address, a stamped SAE, a DD disk, your machine type and of course £5. ====================================================================== SUPPORT ======= Programs are perfect because it is what YOU want. I don't know what you want unless you tell me. Huge Base is far from being the ultimate program, but it is very good for the first version. There are hundreds of things that could be added and a lot could be improved. Point them out to me by writing a letter, then look at the contact section above. Huge Base can only be successful if there are a lot of users. Come on, switch to Huge Base! I will continue to support Huge Base as long as you support me by using it! ====================================================================== THANKS ====== Thanks loads to ... Gaz Knight for testing the balls of Huge Base. Gill Wilson for being Gill Wilson. ====================================================================== FUTURE ====== Here are just a handful of what is already planned for the future of Huge Base. * Importing and exporting * Various screens, not just the one * Larger amount of records (if enough people ask for it) * Larger amount of fields (also, if anyone wants it) * Database file crunching * Save search criteria's as files * Autosave facility * Find and replace functions * Documents converted to AmigaGuide format * Faster (well, I'm working on it) * Change each colour independently * Modify or replace my messages with your own * Your suggestions !!! * And lots more !!! Remember that I don't promise to get all of these in the next version but they all will be available eventually. Also, each and every one of your suggestions is taken into account. V2.0 will have been created by the time you read this. Huge Base users who register will receive V2.0 of Huge Base. If you are sending in a suggestion, be quick! A lot of the code has already been written for new functions of Huge Base and it is being written as you read this. There will be a point when your suggestion won't make it into the latest version, so hurry! ====================================================================== ABOUT ===== Huge Base was written in AMOS Professional. Europress have now abandoned AMOS and all knowledge of the Amiga (gits), but AMOS lives on, and so does the Amiga! So WE don't want you back either, Europress! Software used to create Huge Base :- * AMOS Professional V2.0 * Deluxe Paint IV by Dan Silva - Used to create the title/about screen. * Text Engine V5 by Nicholas Harvey - This was used to create and spell check these documents. * Ordering V1.05 by Julien Torres - This was a great help in compiling the disks and testing the output files created by Huge Base. ====================================================================== BYE === Huge Base comes to a close. See you next time. I'll be back ... ====================================================================== Matt Cartlidge.