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- WELCOME TO C-BASE
- -----------------
-
- This README file contains important, last minute information about C-BASE.
-
- - Installing C-BASE
- -----------------
- It no longer necessary to create a directory for C-BASE using the DOS CD
- (Create Directory) command. The install program will now do it. So to
- install or update C-BASE, just insert the C-BASE diskette in drive A:
- (normally your default floppy drive) and type a:install.
-
- - Starting C-BASE
- ---------------
- You can bypass the Opening Screen, sending C-BASE directly into the Main
- Menu Screen when C-BASE is started by typing: cbase DBName, where DBName is
- the database name you wish to start C-BASE with; or type: cbase D, to start
- C-BASE with the default database name defined in the Change Default
- Parameters screen.
-
- - EntryDate
- ---------
- You can now change the EntryDate of records (the EntryDate appears in the
- YYYY/MM/DD format). When you Add a record to the database, the default
- EntryDate is the current system date. Hitting CTRL-END on any date field
- will set this date; CTRL-HOME will set the date back to the original date
- in the field. Also the PGUP key will decrement the date by one day and
- PGDN will increment it by one day. You may also search for records in the
- Special Search Screen using digits entered in the EntryDate field.
-
- - List Records
- ------------
- Now when you list records to screen, file or printer, the total number of
- records listed will be displayed on the screen at the end of the list.
-
- - Screen Display
- --------------
- The top of the screen will now display the following information:
-
- Sort=SortField MinDate=date RefNo: min to max Recs: Usd=usedrecs Tot=totrecs
-
- where:
- SortField is Name, RefNo, EntryDate or Deleted depending on the current
- value (unchanged);
-
- * MinDate is the EntryDate of the first record entered into the database;
-
- * RefNo displays the minimum and the maximum reference numbers in the
- database;
-
- Recs Usd is the total number of records used in the database (unchanged)
- Tot is the total number of records (including deleted records) in
- the database (unchanged).
-
- Note: The asterix signifies new information not documented in the manual.
- If the database does not contain any records, MinDate will be blank
- and the minimum and maximum RefNos will be zero.
-
-
- - List Records and Change Program Parameters Screen
- --------------------------------------------------------
- To change a program or list parameter you may now use the UPARROW and
- DOWNARROW keys or type the corresponding number of the parameter you wish
- to change.
-
- - List Records Screen
- -------------------
- The List Records Screen now displays the Name range, RefNo range and the
- Date range under the Sort field. The default Date range is any dates.
- When setting both min date and max date to blank, records with any entry
- dates will be listed. When setting the max list name or date to blank,
- C-BASE will not check for a maximum name or date. For example: if you set
- the min name to 'M' and the max name to blank, C-BASE will list all records
- where the Customer name field starts with 'M' or greater. When listing
- records, the records listed will be all records which are in the Name range,
- RefNo range and the Date range and will be sorted by the Sort field value
- selected.
-
- - Define List Format
- ------------------
- Defining a list format (DefFmt) can only be done from the List Records
- Screen. You can no longer define a list format from Utility Menu item 3
- (Change Default Parameters).
-
- - RefNo field
- -----------
- When entering a RefNo you need not memorize 65535 as the maximum RefNo;
- pressing CTRL-END on a RefNo field will put this number in the field.
- PGDN will increment the RefNo value by 1 and PGUP will decrement it by 1.
- CTRL-HOME will restore the original reference number in the field.
-
- - The CTRL-HOME key
- -------------
- Pressing CTRL-HOME on any field will set the field back to the original
- value.
-
- - Special Search
- --------------
- The Special Search Screen now allows you the option to continue searching
- from the previous time Special Search was run. If you have made a prior
- successful search and exited from the Special Search Screen, the message
- "(C)ontinue, (N)ew, ESC to exit? " will appear at the bottom of the screen.
- Select "C" if you wish to continue the search from the last record or select
- "N" to reset the record pointer to 0 and begin a new search. Note the start
- record number displayed on the screen. The search will start from this
- record.
-
- A question mark ("?") used in the Special Search Screen will match any non-
- blank character. This can be used to find any fields which are not blank.
- The at sign ("@") character used in the Special Search Screen will match
- any blank character. The asterix ("*") will match any number of characters.
- These templates may be used in combination with each other. Please note
- that use of the asterix ("*") wildcard can take a considerable time
- especially in slower processors such as the XT.
-
-
- Summary:
- '?' matches any non-blank character
- '@' matches any blank character
- '*' matches any number of characters
-
- - Database Menu
- -------------
- All database menus will now display the total number of records of each
- C-BASE database to the right of its name.
-
- - Field Column Displayed
- ----------------------
- When editing any field, the current column number is now displayed at bottom
- right-hand corner of the screen.
-
- - Define List Output Text screen
- ------------------------------
- When selecting the output date format (first row), the following date formats
- are available by pressing the space bar:
-
- 1) day mmm dd, yyyy
- 2) mmddyyyy
- 3) yyyymmdd
- 4) MM-DD-YY or DD-MM-YY or YY-MM-DD
-
- Format number 4 depends on the value set in item 4 (Date format) of the
- Change Default Program Parameters screen. Previously it was set to MM-DD-YY.
-
- - New File Names and Extensions
- -----------------------------
- All client database files now have extension .DBC (Database Clients) instead
- of .DAT. The defined list format files 0-9 (DefFmt) now are in the form
- LSTCFMT(0-9) (instead of LSTFMT(0-9)).
-
-
-