Loadstar 128 #17/q17.d81/t.mb boot

Text File | 1990-01-01 | 15.3 KB | 312 lines

                            M A S T E R    B A S E

                                by Dick Heckert


     MASTER BASE is a two-part program that will allow you to create and
maintain a huge card file database of information.  Dick Heckert first sent
this program in as a one-part program, which is why the label on this
LOADSTAR 128 says SEARCH MASTER.  Dick added the second part, RBASE MASTER,
for power users who have hard drives, RAMLink or RAMDrive.  For huge files,
a 1541 disk may not be large enough.

     The opening screen of MASTER BASE lets you choose which of the two
modules you'll use.  Once in either module, you can move to the other
without coming back to the opening screen.  Each module has its special
features and uses.

     Use SEARCH MASTER to enter, edit, sort and search SEQuential data
files.  You can search any of the SEQ files on your data disk and load only
the ones that meet your search criteria.  Or, you can search the file in
memory and save only the records you want to another SEQ file.  You can
append files to other files, too.  With SEARCH MASTER, you have complete
control over the data on the disk and in memory, limited by the size of
memory in the C-128.  If every field is completely full (not likely) you can
enter 200 records.  In actual practice the number of records allowed is
closer to 600.  You can save your SEQ files as RELative files, starting at
record #1 or at the end of a current file.

     Use RBASE MASTER to maintain a RELative file database.  This database
is limited only by the size of your storage device.  A 1581 disk can hold
2400 records.  CMD devices can hold even more.  Another big advantage of
RBASE MASTER is that when you change a record, only that one record is
changed.  Obviously this is much quicker than changing and saving a whole
SEQ file.  Also, with RBASE MASTER when you create "index files" that are a
subset of the main data file, any changes to the main file are automatically
made in the index files, since they get their data from the main file.

NOTE: There is no RELative file on the LOADSTAR 128 disk.  You must create
one with SEARCHMASTER on a disk with plenty of room.  Until you do this,
there is no reason to even boot up RBASE MASTER.

     A range of records (or even a complete index file) can be saved from
RBASE MASTER as a SEQ file for use with SEARCH MASTER.  The SEQ file can
also be read and edited with a word processor for formatted printing.

     The recommended way to use MASTER BASE is to use SEARCH MASTER to
create data records to be added to the large, comprehensive RELative file
used by RBASE MASTER for day-to-day maintenance.

     I found that MASTER BASE doesn't work with WarpSpeed installed.  Not
many compiled programs do, I'm afraid.

     Both modules are very similar in style and interface.  In fact, if you
remember Dick's program from LOADSTAR 128 #13, PHONE BOOK, the interface
will be quite familiar.  All of the menu options are listed on the left side
of the screen.  There are two record boxes on the right.  You can switch
between them so that anytime you want to have one record in sight while
working with other records, you can do this easily.

     My original plan was to publish, as a sample file for you to use as you
try these programs out, Dick's incredible list of users' groups.
Unfortunately, his comprehensive RELative file is over 1000 blocks long and
the SEQ file is over 160 blocks.  However, Dick has a list of all of the
LOADSTAR 128s that is small enough to fit on the disk for you to check out.
Just press L in SEARCH MASTER when the directory comes up to load the sample
file, "m.128 loadstar".

     Many of the commands are the same in each module.  SEARCH MASTER is
described below, with RBASE MASTER following.

SEARCH MASTER
-------------

     SEARCH MASTER is set up as an address database with six fields of 40
characters each.  The program has all the key commands displayed on the
screen whenever you need or want them.  You just follow the prompts and soon
you will not even have to refer to these instructions.

     The super feature of this program is the ability to SEARCH.  You can
enter the word or part of a word and have all the records with that word
listed to the screen.  You can then GOTO the ones that interest you.  It is
possible to search files on disk and load only those matching the search
word.  On the other hand, with a large file in memory, you can save only
those records that match your search word.

     SEARCHMASTER allows you to set up a database for any purpose.  It will
print out mail labels if you use the lines as an address book.  Ideas for
other data base subjects are endless: library catalog of your books or VCR
tapes; magazine subject/author files; sports records; home inventory;
software directory; price lists and inventory control; language
translations; stock market data.

     In addition, the files created in SEARCHMASTER are SEQuential and can
be easily loaded into your word processor for formatting.  The program will
print out lists of record Titles, mail labels or complete records and you
can even set the left margin before printing, so you can print in multiple
columns.

     The program can be booted from any drive number.  It reads the last
drive used and sets it as the active drive.  Any drive from 8 to 16 can be
used as data storage.

     Once the program is run, you will see three windows: the command window
along the left side of the screen and two data box windows to the right.
Between the data boxes is an area used to provide prompts, give you
alternative choices and keep you up to date with information.  The lower
data box shows the Help descriptions for the current data.  Press B and the
record in the top box is copied into the bottom box.  Press B again and
you're back in the top box.  You can use this feature to compare records.
You can get the Help back in the bottom box at any time by pressing H.

     The directory of data files is loaded and shown in the left window.
You have four choices:

 (1) LOAD by moving the cursor to the file you want and press L, or

 (2) APPEND (add a file to the one already in memory) by pressing A, or

 (3) SEARCH load from one or more files according to your specified search
word, or

 (4) ESCape without loading by pressing the ESC key.  This is the way to
create a new file from scratch.

     For a SEARCH LOAD you mark the files you want searched by pressing the
SPACE BAR over the files.  The number next to the filename shows the order
of the search load.  Press RETURN when complete and you will have a chance
to abort or start the search, which will load only records that have a match
with the keyword you give.

     You can move through the records with +, -, A, and Z, which represent
forward, backward, first record, last.  You can move to DIRECTORY mode by
pressing F or L.  You can insert record cards or delete them with the arrow
keys.  Change to another active drive with U.  Press D to send disk commands
to open a partition, format a disk, or scratch a file.  (use the Basic 2
commands without the "open15...close15 stuff).  The P key gets you to the
PRINTER mode and S changes to SAVE mode.  Prompts in the info window will
tell you your options.  After printing a range of records, the data of the
ending record will be displayed although the pointers will be to the
starting record.  Just press + or - to get them to agree.

     TITLE mode is where the fun begins.  Press T and you have a choice of
seeing all the titles (the first line of data), or searching for records
containing your search word (anywhere in the data or limited to a particular
line).  The title window will open and the list will start.  You can stop
the scroll with the NO SCROLL key and abort the listing with the ESC key.
At the end of the listing, the number of files found is given and you have
the option of printing the list or returning to COMMAND mode.  Any part of
the searched line will result in a find and the title will be listed.  The
search in case-sensitive, which means that you MUST enter uppercase and
lowercase exactly.  It is highly recommended that you settle on a convention
and enter all of your data consistently.

     ENTER DATA by pressing E from command mode.  You can enter data on
existing records or press Z to move to the end of the file and press + to
get a blank card.  Then press E and refer to the INDEX box for the location
of the data on the 6 lines.  If you press RETURN without any other keys, the
line will stay as it was.  To erase a line just press SPACE and then RETURN.
If you have the same line on a series of records, press = and RETURN and the
line from the previous record will be entered for you.  When you press
RETURN on line 6, the data will be shown as completed.  To correct any
entry, just press E and return to the line.  Enter the whole line as you
want it and complete the card by pressing RETURN for the rest of the lines.
You can enter punctuation marks.

     Do not press Q in command mode unless you have saved your files.

     The Help descriptions shown in Box Two can be revised for your custom
database by pressing R and entering the new Help descriptions just as you
enter data.  This can then be saved to disk where it will be loaded as the
file is loaded.   When you change to another file, the Help for that file
will be loaded.

     GOTO (Search) with G.  You are asked for the search word or partial
word, and then all records in memory are searched for the word.  The search
word must have the correct upper/lower case.  When found, the record is
shown and you can press return for COMMAND mode or press SPACE to look for
the next record containing the word.  All lines are searched in GOTO mode.

     Press H for HELP and the title window (if showing) is replaced with the
commands listing and the INDEX is replaced in Box Two.  The commands window
also shows the current disk drive number.  To DELETE a card, press UP ARROW.
To INSERT a blank card press the LEFT ARROW.

     The FILE DIRECTORY is available by pressing F.  Just as in LOAD, you
can abort by pressing the ESC key or load, append or search load a file.
You can change the file name by pressing N and entering the new name.  It is
not necessary to enter the "m." identifier to the beginning of the name
(except when scratching with DISK COMMAND).

     SAVE a file by pressing S in COMMAND mode.  You then have a choice of:

 (1) saving all records

 (2) saving only those records containing a search word.

 (3) saving a range of records by entering the first and last record number.

     ORDER (Sort) permits you to sort the entire file by the line number you
enter.  I always use line 6 to set up a sort code with lower case letters.
For example, my library file uses the number used by the library on the
cover of the book (a subject sort system).

     PRINT mode is entered by pressing P and then choosing an option:

 (1) Title (first line only)

 (2) Label (first three lines)

 (3) All (six data lines)

You may print out All of the file or a Range of records.  Press ESCape to
abort once the printing starts.

     DISK COMMANDS can be sent to your disk drive by pressing D and then
entering the command.  Use the Basic 2 commands such as s0:filename to
scratch a file, v to validate and n0:filename,ID to format a disk.  SEARCH
MASTER supplies the "open15,8,15" and the "close15" for you.  To open a
partition on a 1581 disk, enter /0:file where file is the name of a
partition.  To change partitions on RAMLink, enter cp# where # is the number
of the partition you would like.

     MEMORY can be checked by pressing M.  This shows the space left for
more records.  You cannot enter more records when the free bytes are fewer
than 2000 or the number of records is 600.


RBASE MASTER
------------

     RELative files of 1000 blocks or more in size can be quickly accessed
and updated.  Each record uses one block.  The size of your storage medium
(disk) is the only limitation on the size of your file.

     You cannot create a RELative file with RBASE MASTER; you can only
create SEQ files.  Use SEARCH MASTER to create the RELative files for RBASE
MASTER to use.  The menu items found in RBASE MASTER not found in SEARCH
MASTER are the index commands.  You access these with the 1, 2, 3 and 4
keys.

 1 CREATE INDEX

     You get a choice of ALL or SEARCH.  If you choose ALL, the program will
start at record #1 and read line 1 and the record number into an index in
RAM.  This will continue until an empty record is found.  The index should
be given the same name as the full file to indicate that it contains ALL of
the records.  When you append records to the end or overwrite any records
with SEARCH MASTER, you must create a new ALL record index and save it to
disk.

     Choose SEARCH and you can create a special subset index that contains
only matches for a word or character that you specify.  Using this special
index file speeds things up since you only search matching records.  For
instance, you may have a RELative file of all of your friends' and
relatives' addresses.  You may have line 6 say R for relative and F for
friend.  If you search for R you can create an index file that contains only
relatives.

     It is also possible to search for two separate words with a SECONDARY
SEARCH.  Only those records that contain BOTH words will be added to the
index.  If you want the search limited to a particular line, enter the line
number at the prompt.

 2 SAVE INDEX

     This saves the index in RAM as a file on disk.  As you ADD RECORDS the
RAM index is updated, but you must save it to disk before you quit the
program or it won't be updated on disk.

 3 LOAD INDEX

     You choose the file to load from a highlight bar directory.  If you
want to create a SEARCH INDEX of the whole file, load the index created with
ALL before creating a new SEARCH INDEX.  When creating a SEARCH INDEX, the
program only looks at records in the current index.

 4 SAVE SEQUENTIAL

     This saves the active index as a SEQ file for loading into SEARCH
MASTER.  This is a good way to back up your large RELative file.  Remember
that the SEQ file cannot be much larger than 500 records so if your REL file
is larger, split it into two or more sections before saving as SEQ files.

     A stands for Add in RBASE MASTER.  Although the numbers at the top of
Box One may not agree at first, anything you add to a RELative file will be
added at the end.  The order of records is not important when using REL
files.

NOTE: Since RBASE MASTER automatically looks for a RELative file when you
change disk drives by pressing U, it's a good idea to have a disk (any disk)
in each of your active drives.  If you have an empty drive active, it's
light will blink when you cycle through it with U.

OVERVIEW
--------

     Any program as powerful as MASTER BASE requires some use before you
become an expert with it.  Use Copy It to put all of the MASTER BASE files
on a blank, formatted disk.  Then play with the sample file "loadstar 128".
Create subsets of the list, perhaps containing just the ones you have.  The
complete file is always there so there's little chance of losing anything.

     It won't be long before you are in complete control of whatever lists
you make.  For years MS-DOS computers have been touted as the only computers
capable of keeping up with a company's data.  Well, move over Big Blue,
MASTER BASE and a CMD device will do the job as well as any of your $2000
systems.

FT

                    **** R - Run     RETURN - Menu ****