Black Box 4/BlackBox.cdr/database/datamage.arj/HELPFILS.ZIP/FINDRECD.HLP

Text File | 1990-11-17 | 5.4 KB | 135 lines

"FIND RECORD HELP"

"This function finds records in the file without reading  each  record"
"form disk and examining its' content.  To find records in this manner"
"the program uses INDEXES."

"SEARCH TYPES"

"RECORD NUMBERS"

"The user-assigned record numbers are always present.  They are stored"
"in memory and can be found in a hurry.  Since the  DATAMAGE  does not"
"allow duplication of record numbers  they constitute a  unique  index"
"into all DATAMAGE files."



"FILE INDEXES"

"DATAMAGE can index up to five string fields.   The  FILE INDEXES  are"
"stored in their own file on the current  drive, and have ten bytes of"
"data for each  record in the datafile.   These  FILE INDEXES  are not"
"maintained in any order, and are searched from the first to the last."

"BINARY INDEXES"

"DATAMAGE BINARY INDEXES need no file on disk.  To make a BINARY INDEX"
"into any  file on any  field(s) within that file all you do  is  sort"
"the current group of records into order  on that  data.   The  BINARY"
"INDEX will exist in memory,  and the sorting target will be available"
"for the (almost instantaneous) BINARY SEARCH."

"Your binary index may be recorded to disk  for  the purpose of saving"
"time when you need to place the records in order again.   The  BINARY"
"INDEXES are automatic;  when records  are entered or updated the new"
"data is placed into the order where it should go."

"The MARKER FILE (F-10) help screens describe how to maintain a BINARY"
"index. Please see this help screen if you wish to keep BINARY INDEXES"
"on disk for your files."

"To get a more detailed picture of indexing refer  to  the instructions"
"for  THE DATAMAGE.  You do not need to understand file indexing to use"
"the find function; you need only to know the field you wish to search,"
"and the value you wish to find."






"FINDING A RECORD"

"After pressing F-5 to find a record your dialog  box will  offer  your"
"three search modes:  RECORD NUMBERS,  FILE INDEXES and  BINARY SEARCH."
"If you opt for a feature unavailable at the  present  time,  such as a"
"FILE INDEX  search in a file with no indexes or a  BINARY SEARCH  when"
"your group is not in order an error message will appear."

"SEARCHING RECORD NUMBERS"

"When searching the  RECORD NUMBERS  you will be prompted  for only the"
"value for which you are  searching.  If a match is not found a message"
"appears.  If a record is found you are returned to the  BROWSE  screen"
"with your flasher on it."



"SEARCHING FILE INDEXES"

"When you opt to search via the file indexes the program prompts you to"
"enter the desired value in all fields declared  as indexed in the cur-"
"rent datafile. To skip a field simply press return. Enter the value(s)"
"you're searching for in the proper field(s)."

"For each of the indexes you opt to search  you  may  also  select  the"
"matching mode.   You may match on strict equality  or  opt  to  ignore"
"case, spacing and punctuation."

"If a match is found the record is read and displayed.  You  then  have"
"the option of accepting the record that was displayed,  or  continuing"
"the index search.  If you get through the search without finding  your"
"record you may try the same search again and re-enter the search data,"
"or abort the search."

"SEARCHING BINARY INDEXES"

"The binary search will prompt  you for all of the  current levels,  of"
"which there can be up to eight.   You must make an entry to  get  past"
"a level, but, unlike the FILE INDEX search,  it makes no difference if"
"you find a match.  When you bypass a level by entering nothing into it"
"the search is executed on the levels you entered."

"The FILE INDEXES are based upon  finding a record in the file that has"
"a match for the data you entered.  The BINARY INDEXES are  based  upon"
"order, and could care less whether  or  not there is a record that has"
"the search data, though they can be used to find records."

"You may have a file in order on several fields. You may use the BINARY"
"SEARCH function to simply go somewhere in the  BROWSE display.  To the"
"first record for whatever, the rest of which follow in the BROWSE."

"The BINARY SEARCH routine is so frequently used to find a place in the"
"order that it does not enunciate a match. The beep and the four second"
"wait would,  no doubt,  be quite annoying.  The  BINARY SEARCH  always"
"takes you to the place in the order where your entry  should/would be."
"To verify a match just press return and look at the record."

"IGNORING CASE, SPACING AND CONSECUTIVE LETTERS"

"When case and spacing are ignored double letters are also dis-regarded"
"during the search.  If we're looking for Dorothy the ice skating lady,"
"we don't care if it's Hamel, Hammel, Hammell or Hamell. We can find it"
"by searching for Dorothy Hamel."





"BUT IT WON'T"

"The indexes can't find a record containing BOOM CHEMICALS if you enter"
"BOOM or CHEMICALS as the search string. To search on a partial key use"
"F-7, SELECT RECORDS by ALPHA comparison. This function creates a group"
"of all records containing the search string and allows you  to  browse"
"the results, instead if displaying the matches one-by-one."



"WRAP UP"

"Though it seems complicated, finding a record is easy.  Print the con-"
"tents of any record in an indexed file,  then  try the find function a"
"few times.  Just select the index, enter the content, and go."