ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)/ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I/APPS/DATABASE/FE50_B.ZIP/FILE.003/CHANGES.DOC

Text File | 1991-09-17 | 7.4 KB | 205 lines

Changes have been made to File Express since the User's Guide was
printed.  Some features have been implemented slightly different and
some new features have been added:


Adding Records

  When you are adding new records, you can call up the previous record
  added or edited by pressing <Alt-L>.  The record displays on the
  screen and "Edit Last Record" flashes at the top of the screen.  When
  the record is exited by either saving with <F10> or pressing <Esc>, you
  are returned to Add Mode.

  When you are adding or editing a record, you can have the record
  recalculated at any time by pressing <Alt-C>.  This will recalculate
  all formula fields and temporary calc fields in the record.


Formulas

  The ABS (Absolute value) and VAL (Value of a string) functions do not
  ignore spaces in a number.  For example, if the argument to either
  function is  "1 23", only the "1" will be seen.

  Three new database name functions have been added:
        DBDRIVE    returns the current data drive      C:
        DBPATH     returns the current data path       \FE5\DATA\
        DBNAME     returns the current database name   PAYROLL

  The formula:   DBDRIVE + DBPATH + DBNAME

  returns:       C:\FE5\DATA\PAYROLL

  One new math function has been added:
        LOGT(x)    returns the base 10 logarithm of the specified
                   number x.

  One new money function has been added:
        SPELLOUT(number)  returns the spelled out monetary amount
                          contained in 'number'.  For example:
                          SPELLOUT(637.29) returns:

                           Six Hundred Thirty Seven & 29/100

                          The 'number' can also be a numeric field
                          or numeric formula.

  The LOOKUP and UPDATE functions will now accept a field number
  containing the name of the database to use.  The previous requirement
  was that the database name (the first parameter) has to be a string
  representing the actual name of the database.
  Example:   Used to be:  LOOKUP(taxtable, F1, <=gross, F2)
             Can now be:  LOOKUP(F7, F1, <=gross, F2)
  where F7 contains the name of the database to use.

  The UPDATE function returns the field value placed in the specified
  database.  For example, the formula:  UPDATE(list,F1,F3,F2,"Sold")
  looks in the LIST database at field 1 searching for a match with
  field 3 in the current database.  When a match is found, field 2 in
  the record in the LIST database is filled with "Sold".  "Sold" is
  also now returned to the current database in the field containing the
  UPDATE function.


  The AGE function now works from 0000 through 9999 instead of 1900
  through 2999.


Import

  When you import records into an existing database, File Express now
  asks you at the beginning of the process if you want to TAG each of
  the newly imported records.  TAGging the new records makes it easier
  to find them after the import process is through and they have been
  inserted into the database in the Primary sorted order.


Letter Writer

  You can now have File Express remove unwanted blank lines by
starting a line with a period.  At print time the period is removed
and if the remainder of the line is blank, the printing of the line
is skipped.  For example:

.[First Name] [Last Name]
.[Company]
Address
[City] [State] [Zip Code]


Memory

  File Express saves 100K of memory for work space and uses the rest for
  swapping in and out program overlays.  You can increase the work space
  and decrease the swapping memory by setting an environment variable.
  This may cause the program to run a little slower because of the increased
  code swapping, but lets you build larger reports.

  To increase the usable work space to 150K, type the following from the
  DOS prompt or include in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

                         SET RTVMCONV=30,150

  You can play with the 150 figure to further increase or decrease the
  work space.  The command:    SET RTVMCONV=30,300     for example, will
  give you the maximum available work space memory and the minimum swap
  space memory.  This will allow the largest reports but File Express
  will run slower.



Open A Database

  When using the <Alt-C> copy command on the Open a Database screen to
  copy the format of a different database, File Express automatically
  copies all the index, report, and label formats from that database.
  The User's Guide indicates that you will have the option to copy
  parts of the other database, but this has not been implemented.


QuickScan

  You can now select up to 20 fields to display, instead of 8.


Report Writer formula

  The LINE function is only available on reports and is only reliable
  on reports that have only one Detail line or reports that will ALWAYS
  print every Detail line defined.  If printing a report results in one
  or more blank lines and you are having File Express remove blank
  lines during the printing process, the LINE function will not be
  accurate.


Sorting

  You can now tag the Deleted Record Index for rebuilding.


Errors in the User's Guide:

  Back of Title Page indicates that a Response Form is included in the back
  of the manual.  The form was left out by mistake.  However, there is a
  User Response form contained on one of the Installation disks called
  RESPONSE.FRM.  This form can be printed on your printer by typing:
                   COPY RESPONSE.FRM PRN <Enter>


Page 346:   The first line of the second paragraph of the COMMENTS section
            should read: If the second time is earlier than the first time...

            The second example, INT(TIMEDIFF("09:00","17:00")) / 60
            should be:          INT(TIMEDIFF("09:00","17:00") / 60)



Page 391:   The first seven date formats should be in the following
            order:
                          1     mm-dd-yy
                          2     mm-dd-yyyy
                          3     dd-mm-yy
                          4     dd-mm-yyyy
                          5     yymmdd
                          6     yyyymmdd
                          7     yy-mm-dd

            Formats 8 through 21 are correct.  Each following group
            of 21 formats should have the first seven rearranged as
            shown above.





Reported Software Conflicts:

  If you are using Quarterdeck's QEMM386 product, you must use the
  NV (NOVIDEOFILL) parameter when loading it when you have a monochrome
  or CGA monitor.  If you don't, File Express hangs when you start it.

  File Express does not work with the Diamond Star Ansi driver
  (EANSI.SYS) installed.

  File Express automatically uses Extended and Expanded memory for
  storing program overlays if memory managers can be detected for
  these types of memory.  If you receive any error messages referring
  to either Expanded or Extended memory, you can turn off this feature
  by including one or both of the following lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT
  file:
                             SET RTVMEXP=0
                             SET RTVMEXT=0

  If you get a DOS error indicating you are out of environment space,
  you can increase it by adding the following line to your CONFIG.SYS
  file:
              shell =c:\command.com /p /e:600



  File Express does not seem to work with the "Above Disk" memory
  manager.