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FishBase ][ Version 3.0
By Richard Olsen
Olsen Outdoors
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The ShareWare Concept...............................1
FishBase ][ Support.................................2
Registration........................................2
Introduction to FishBase ][.........................3
Versions Prior to 2.5...............................4
Converting Old FishBase Files.......................4
What You Need To Run FishBase ][....................5
Getting Started.....................................5
The SAMPLE Data Base................................7
Entering Information................................7
Entering LENGTH and WEIGHT..........................7
Entering Data (The INPUT Form)......................8
Special Keys........................................9
Searching For Information..........................10
The Statistics Option..............................12
The Print Menu.....................................13
Printing The Entire Data Base......................13
Displaying The Entire Data Base....................13
Display Speed......................................13
Additional Comments About Printing.................13
Editing Forms......................................14
Editing Individual Forms...........................14
Editing Forms GLOBALLY.............................15
Wild Cards.........................................16
The GOODIES Menu...................................17
Fishing Area Information...........................17
Individual Angler Information......................17
Lure Type Information..............................18
Water Temperature Chart............................18
Moon Phase Dates...................................18
Sort Data Base.....................................19
Changing To Another Data Base......................20
Deleting Forms.....................................20
Ending A Session...................................21
Using HELP Screens.................................21
A Few Words About Data Bases.......................22
Disclaimer Of Warranty.............................23
Association Of Shareware Professionals.............23
REGISTRATION FORM..................................24
< 1 >
The SHAREWARE Concept
FishBase ][ is distributed under the concept of ShareWare. Under
this novel idea, you are free to distribute copies of this
software to your friends without charge. You are required to
distribute this document along with the software, being sure that
this notice remains attached. You are NOT permitted to sell this
software under any circumstances. Under the concept of ShareWare,
all rights to the software remain with the author. By using this
software, you have the unique opportunity to "try before you buy".
If, after a reasonable length of time, you find this software
useful, you are expected to register with the author. Some of the
best software available today is obtained through ShareWare. Let's
keep it coming!
Registered users will receive a disk containing the newest version
of FishBase ][, free of charge. Registering also entitles you to a
prompt reply to any correspondence regarding FishBase ][, and
telephone support if necessary. Registered users also have the
satisfaction of knowing they are helping to support the efforts of
the author, which encourages more ShareWare to be made available
to all of us. For the rest of you, I'll answer your questions and
provide help as time permits. Along with any correspondence,
please indicate what version of FishBase ][ you are using, what
type of computer you have, and what kind of option cards you have
installed. To satisfy my own curiosity, please indicate how you
obtained your copy of FishBase ][.
We've all got much to learn about fishing, and maybe if we share
our ideas, and even our data, we can take some of the mystery out
of the sport and improve our success!
< 2 >
FishBase SUPPORT:
FishBase, like all of my other programs, is well supported. This
support is available whether or not you are a registered user. If
you have a problem or a question regarding FishBase, you can
obtain assistance in one of the four ways listed below. However
you seek help, make sure you provide me with information regarding
your computer, and what version of FishBase you have.
1. TELEPHONE. I do not publish my telephone number for lots of
reasons. It is listed, and you can obtain it by calling the
telephone company information service. If you must call, please be
considerate by not calling after 10:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
If I'm available, I answer all calls personally. If I'm not there,
please leave a message stating (clearly please) what your name is
and the phone number where you can be reached. It's also helpful
if you specify the best time for me to call. Since the
registration fees for my programs are low, expect any return calls
to be COLLECT.
2. MAIL. This is the slowest but most reliable way to obtain
support. In any correspondence, please specify what program you
have a question about, and include the information about your
machine configuration as requested on the previous page. I answer
all mail personally, but tend to reply to registered users first
since I feel they deserve preferential treatment.
3. COMPUSERVE. Leave messages on CompuServe via CMAIL to my PPN,
70031,534. I check in there almost daily and answer messages as
soon as I get them.
4. XEVIOUS BBS. My 'home BBS' is Xevious in Framingham, MA. The
phone number is (508) 875-3618. Leave messages to DICK OLSEN. I
check into Xevious several times a week, so allow a day or two for
a reply to appear.
REGISTRATION:
To register your copy of FishBase ][, please use either the
registration form at the end of this document, or print the file
REGISTER.DOC from your disk. Fill out the form and send it
together with $15.00 (U.S., cash, check or money order) to the
author:
Richard Olsen
Olsen Outdoors
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, Ma. 01460
< 3 >
Introduction to FishBase ][ vers. 3.0
Welcome to FishBase ][! FishBase ][ was written by a fisherman
because it was needed. Like many other fishermen, I kept a diary
of all of my fishing trips noting such things as weather
conditions, water temperature, size of fish caught and what lures
I used to catch them. After a few years of this, I began to try to
decipher all of the data and to derive some sort of pattern or
reason for the success or failure of my exploits.
It quickly became apparent that I wasn't very consistent with my
record keeping and that it was difficult and time consuming to
determine the things I wanted to know about my fishing activities.
For example, I wanted to know what kind of lures accounted for the
most fish. What color lures caught the biggest fish? What water
temperature seemed to bring the most success? Did the phase of the
moon really have anything to do with the willingness of the fish
to strike? What week seemed to be the most likely time for the
bass to be spawning?
These questions and many others were hard to answer from the
information contained in my fishing log. The information was
mostly there, but it sure took a long time to dig it out. I then
decided to use my personal computer to help me find out what I
wanted to know. At first, I used a commercially available data
base program to enter most of the data from my fishing diary. It
was a big help, but it fell short when it came to providing me
with all the statistics I was looking for. While it was easier to
find out how many bass of four pounds or greater that I had
caught, it still took a long time to figure out what lures
were the most productive or if the most fish were caught during
the full moon or at other times.
Then I decided to write my own program to do exactly what I
wanted. After many hours of work, FishBase ][ was created. Over
many months, it underwent change after change, and improvement
after improvement. Features were added. Speed was increased. Some
fancy windows were included. Pretty soon, my friends convinced me
that it might be useful to other fishermen as well. Even
professional fishermen could benefit from it. Clubs could use it
for their tournament record keeping. After all of this prodding, I
decided to make FishBase ][ available to all fishermen, in the
hopes that it will improve their catches.
I've tried to make it easy to use, and as bug-free as humanly
possible. If you do find a bug, or have a suggestion for improving
it, drop me a line and I'll do what I can to fix or improve the
program. In return, I'll send you a free updated copy. I'd also be
interested in hearing any comments you may have, good or bad,
about the program.
Good luck!
Dick Olsen
< 4 >
**** Important Information For Users of FishBase ][
Versions Prior to Version 2.5:
Beginning with version 2.5 of FishBase, two new data entry fields
have been added and the COMMENTS field has been expanded to allow
up to three comment lines. These additions were made at the
request of registered users. Because of these new features, data
bases created with older versions of FishBase are no longer
compatible with version 2.5 and up. The newly added fields are
TIME and TIDE.
The distribution disk has a program on it called CONVFB.EXE, which
will quickly update older data bases so they are compatible with
version 2.5 and up. Since new data fields have been added, data
base size will be about 38% larger than those created with older
versions of FishBase. This is important since a data base that
used to fit on a 360k floppy may not fit anymore. With versions of
FishBase prior to v2.5, about 800 forms would fit on a standard
360k floppy. Now only about 640 forms will fit. The program,
however, will still handle data bases as large as 1000 forms.
Users of older versions of FishBase will quickly notice some major
changes in this new version. Some of them are:
* The ability to sort the active data base by any field.
* Greatly improved graphing capabilities that now support
EGA, VGA, and Hercules displays, as well as the original CGA.
* The ability to completely delete a form.
* Improved data base selection capability.
* Improved forms editing.
Converting old FishBase data files to the new format:
A program is provided on the version 3.0 FishBase diskette that
makes it easy to convert your old FishBase data files to a format
compatible with version 3.0. To use this conversion program, copy
it from the FishBase diskette into the directory where your data
base files are stored. In most cases, this will be the FBASE
directory. Then, type CONVFB and press ENTER. A list of the data
base files (those with the .DAT suffix) will appear on your
screen. Use the UP or DOWN arrows to move the pointer to the file
you want to convert, then select it by pressing ENTER. The convert
program will save a copy of your original data base with the .OLD
suffix, then it will modify your data base so that it is
compatible with the file format used by versions 2.5 and up.
Repeat this process until all of your data base files have been
converted. Be careful because the names of those files already
converted will still appear in the list on your screen, and trying
to convert them again will make a mess of them. If everything
looks good after the conversion process, you can delete the files
with the .OLD suffix. Don't delete them though until you have
looked at each data base file with FishBase and determined that
they are okay.
< 5 >
For floppy disk users, please read the README.DOC file on the
FishBase ][ distribution disk.
What You Need To Use FishBase ][
FishBase ][ requires an IBM PC, XT, AT or compatible with at least
256k of memory. A color display makes it nicer, but is not
necessary. If you have a hard disk, FishBase ][ will run much
faster and will be easier to use. Remember that if you are using a
hard disk, you should make frequent back-up copies of your data
file so that in the event of a computer problem or power failure,
your data will not all be lost. These things DO happen, so use
some common sense and protect your investment in time. If you do
not have a hard disk based computer, FishBase ][ will run on
either a one or two floppy machine. Floppy disk users should also
get in the habit of making backup copies of their data base. It is
highly recommended that you read this manual in its entirety
before using FishBase ][. This doesn't take very long, and it will
give you a much better understanding of what's happening on the
screen.
Getting Started
The FishBase ][ diskette contains an installation program to help
you get it up and running on your machine. This install program is
only needed if you intend to run FishBase ][ on a hard disk.
To install the program on your hard disk, insert the FishBase ][
diskette into one of your floppy drives. Make that the "active"
drive by typing A: or B: (depending on where your're installing
from). Next, type INSTALL (then press the ENTER key). Choose item
1 from the install menu. See the README.DOC file on your diskette
for more INSTALL information.
The install program does not need to be run again unless you want
to install the program on another computer, or use it to print any
of the documentation files. Once the installation program has
finished, simply typing 'FB2' while in the main (root) directory
will run the program.
After the title screen appears, pressing any key will cause the
title screen to clear, and you will be presented with a list of
FishBase ][ data bases that are in your FBASE directory. These
data bases end with the suffix '.DAT'. If this is the first time
you have run FishBase ][, only the SAMPLE.DAT data base that is
supplied with FishBase ][ will be listed. A small arrow will be
visible to the left of the file names. Use the up and down arrow
keys to move the arrow to the data base file you want FishBase ][
to use. If you want to create a new data base, or use a data base
from another disk or directory, select the last item in the list,
CREATE/SELECT DATA BASE.
< 6 >
When you select CREATE/SELECT DATA BASE, FishBase ][ will attempt
to use the data base you have specified, or if you just pressed
'ENTER' it will use the default data base file called
FISHFILE.DAT.
If the data base you have specified cannot be found, FishBase ][
will create it. After the data base is created (or an existing one
is found), the main menu will be displayed and FishBase ][ is
ready to use.
If you are going to run FishBase ][ from floppy disks, first make
a copy of the program disk. Always use the copy and store the
original diskette in a safe place. If your computer has only one
floppy disk drive, insert the program disk into the drive and type
"FB".
This will start FishBase ][ running. and soon the title screen
will be displayed. Once the title screen appears, press any key to
begin. You will be asked to select the name of the data base you
want to use. At this point, remove the program disk from the drive
and insert a blank, formatted disk. Once you've done this, choose
the last item listed, CREATE/SELECT DATA BASE.
If you just press 'ENTER' in response to the request for a file
name, FishBase ][ will check the disk drive for a file called
FISHFILE. If FISHFILE does not exist, FishBase ][ will create it
for you. If FISHFILE already exists, it will become the active
data base used by FishBase ][.
You can also enter the name of some other data base you have
created and FishBase ][ will use it as the active data base if it
exists on your floppy. If it does not exist, FishBase ][ will
create it for you. You should see the light on your disk drive
come on for a moment or two while FishBase ][ checks for the
presence of the data base. After this business is completed, the
main menu will be displayed, indicating FishBase ][ is ready to
use.
If your computer has two disk drives, insert the program disk into
drive A: and insert a blank, formatted disk into drive B:. Next,
type "A:FB". Once the title screen has appeared, press any key to
proceed. When you are asked to select what data base you want to
use, choose the CREATE/SELECT DATA BASE option. Then type
"B:FISHFILE", or the name of whatever data base you want to use.
FishBase ][ will then run just as described above. If you need
help copying or formatting disks, refer to the operating system
manual supplied with your computer. A 360k diskette will hold
about 640 fish forms.
< 7 >
The SAMPLE Data Base
The FishBase ][ diskette contains a sample data base, called
SAMPLE.DAT, for you to experiment with. This data base contains
information on more than 200 fish. Although the angler's names and
the fishing spots are fictitious, the data is genuine. It is
highly recommended that you "play" with this data base before you
start your own. You can try adding new forms, searching, and
editing with this data base. To use the sample data base, just
position the arrow at SAMPLE.DAT when you are asked to select a
data base.
Entering Information
It cannot be over stressed just how important it is to be
consistent when you are entering information on an input form.
When entering the date, it is MANDATORY that you use the format
'YY/MM/DD'. For example, July 14, 1987 should be entered as
'87/07/14'. There is good reason for this. When you run the
statistics portion of FishBase ][, a great deal of sorting is
done, and if the dates are entered in some other format, the
results of the sorting may not be what you'd expect. When you are
entering the date, FishBase ][ will check for the proper format.
If the format of the date is invalid, FishBase ][ will beep and
display a message near the bottom of your screen. Likewise, when
entering things like lure type or lure color, it pays to be
consistent.
Entering LENGTH and WEIGHT
When you enter the length and weight of your fish, don't use
fractions. Enter fractions as decimal values. For example, a 15
1/2 inch fish that weighed 2 3/4 pounds should have 15.5 entered
for the length, and 2.75 entered for the weight. The statistics
produced if you enter fractions will not be correct.
The program contains several help windows to assist you in being
consistent. If you flub up, and do something silly like enter
'SPINNER BAIT' for a lure type during one input session and then
enter 'SPINNERBAIT' during another input session, the program will
consider them both different lure types, and the statistics that
are generated will not be accurate.
The program contains powerful editing features which will allow
you to clean up your data base and eliminate inconsistencies. The
editing features, the HELP windows and the statistics routines
will be discussed in greater detail elsewhere in this document.
It should also be noted that word processing programs or editors
cannot be used to edit your data base. This is because the data
base is a random file in compressed format.
< 8 >
Entering Data....The Input Form
Once you have selected a data base to use, the MAIN MENU will be
displayed. Selecting item 1 will bring up a blank input form,
which is the main vehicle used to enter new data. Pressing 'ENTER'
after you have typed in the data for a particular field will cause
the cursor to advance to the next field. Pressing 'ENTER' by
itself (without actually having entered data) will cause the field
to remain blank and the cursor will move to the next field.
The 'TAB' key can also be used to advance to the next field and
the 'BACK TAB' key (shift-tab) will move the cursor to the
previous field. You can use the 'TAB' keys to move around the form
to fix errors or to skip over fields. The 'TAB' keys will not
change the data in a field, but the ENTER key will.
Remember that pressing the ENTER key when the cursor is at the
first character position of a field will cause the the field to be
blanked. The 'TAB' keys merely retain the data currently in a
field.
You can also use the ARROW KEYS to move up, down left or right on
a form. They function in the same manner as the TAB keys. Each of
the fields has a maximum number of characters that can be entered
into it. If you try to enter too many characters, FishBase ][ will
beep, the excess characters will be ignored and the cursor will
remain at the last character position for the field.
Any field can be left blank, but it's always best to enter data in
as many fields as you can. Blank fields, particulary in the LENGTH
and WEIGHT fields can cause misleading statistics to be produced.
There are times when most of the fields will be blank. One example
of this would be when you've been 'skunked', or caught nothing
(ugh!) on a particular outing. Just as it's important to know why
you caught fish, it's equally important to know why you didn't!
< 9 >
Special Keys
When filling out new forms, there are a few special keys that you
should know about. One key is the '/' key. This key will cause all
data entered on the form up to the point at which the '/' key is
used to be saved to the data base, and you will be asked if you
wish to enter another. The '=' (equals) key is another special key
you need to know about. This key acts like a ditto key, in that
whatever data was entered in that field on the previous form will
be popped into the same field on the current form. This is
especially handy when you have to enter a bunch of fish that were
caught on the same date or at the same place. It saves a lot of
typing and makes filling out the forms a lot faster. Each of these
keys only works when used as the FIRST character of a field. If
they're used after the first character, they're treated just like
any other character.
Another special key to be aware of is the ' " ' key (double
quote). This key is only responded to in a special way when the
message 'Would you like to enter another ?' is displayed near the
bottom of your screen after you have entered a new form. If you
press the ' " ' key at this time, the form currently displayed
will be duplicated in it's entirety. This is handy if you have
lots of fish to enter that are the same size, caught on the same
bait, at the same place etc. A message will appear with a count of
the number of forms you have duplicated. Use this key ONLY if all
information is identical.
The last special key is the ESC key. Pressing this key will
usually bring you back to the main menu. It's handy if you want to
abort an operation such as entering a new form, or searching your
data base. Sometimes, you will need to press the key several
times.
< 10 >
Searching For Information
Selecting item 2 from the MAIN MENU will cause a blank form to be
displayed. This is the form you use to enter your search criteria,
or the information you'd like FishBase ][ to find for you. We call
it the FINDER FORM.
This is a very powerful function, and when properly used, can be
very useful. Only the fields in which you enter something will be
used to conduct the search. Obviously, the more information you
enter on the form, the more specific your search will be. Entering
search criteria works just like entering new information, except
that entering a "/" at the start of a field will cause the search
to begin immediately, based on the information you've entered up
to that point. The ditto function is not available in the search
mode.
An example might be that you want to find all of the fish
you have caught that were equal to or greater than 15 inches in
length during the year 1984. Furthermore, you want to see only
those caught on a black plastic worm by you, and only you. Here is
where some of the features of the search mode really come into
play.
On fields that normally contain numerical data, like length,
weight, water temperature etc. you can specify things like '='
(equal) or '=>' (equal or greater than) or '<=' (less than or
equal to) and the program will only locate those.
In this example, we want to find fish caught during the year 1984.
So, in the DATE field, we would enter '84'then press the ENTER key
to move to the CAUGHT BY field. Here we would enter your name, or
at least most of the letters of your name. FishBase ][ will use
only the information you enter. If your name was John, and you
entered only the letters 'JO' in the CAUGHT BY field, someone
whose name was Joe would also be included in the search.
After entering your name in the CAUGHT BY field, pressing ENTER
will cause the cursor to move to the SPECIES field. Since we don't
care what kind of fish it is in this example, just press ENTER to
leave that field blank.
We have now moved to the LENGTH field, which is another one we
care about. Here we are interested in fish that are equal to or
greater than 15 inches long, so we would type '=>15' in this
field.
< 11 >
Use the ENTER key to move the cursor down to the LURE TYPE field.
In this field, we want to enter 'PLASTIC WORM'. Using the ENTER
key again, move to the LURE COLOR field. Here we would enter 'BLK'
or 'BLACK' depending upon the way you've decided to enter your
color information. Consistency, remember? (One of the help windows
contains some suggestions for consistent color abbreviations.)
At this point, we have entered information in those fields we care
about, and the cursor should be in the first character position of
the LURE SIZE field. Since we don't care about any of the rest of
the fields, we are ready to begin the search. Typing '/' then
pressing ENTER will now start the search.
You will be asked if you would like to stop on each form found. If
you answer with a 'y' or 'yes', each form found that matches the
search criteria you've specified will be displayed, and will
remain on the screen. The search can be abandoned at any point by
pressing 'ESC'. If you answered 'n' or 'no', each form found will
be displayed, but the program will automatically start looking for
the next matching form. Again, pressing 'ESC' will abort the
search and return to the MAIN MENU.
As you can imagine, the search possibilities are almost endless.
With a little practice, you will be able to find almost any kind
of information you can think of. The distribution diskette
contains a sample data base containing over 200 fish. The name of
the file is 'SAMPLE.DAT'. It is provided as a means to allow you
to see what FishBase ][ can do. In order to experiment with the
sample data base, you must specify 'SAMPLE.DAT' when the program
asks for the name of the data base to use. The name of the data
base you are currently using is shown any time the main menu is
displayed.
< 12 >
The Statistics Option
Selecting this option from the MAIN MENU will cause a window to
appear on your screen that describes the statistics that will be
compiled. When this window is displayed, you have the option of
entering a "p" to have the statistics listed to a printer, or
entering a "d" which will create a file called 'stats.dat' on your
disk. This file will look exactly like what you see on your
screen, and can be printed at some other time.
If you just press 'enter', the statistics will not be sent to
either your printer or the disk. After you have selected "p", "d"
or just pressed enter, the message 'press any key to begin' will
appear. If you press 'ESC', the statistics function will abort and
you will be returned to the main menu. Pressing any other key will
start the statistics routine running.
Once the statistics routine is running, the data base is analyzed
and many sorting and checking functions are performed. The time
required to compute all of the statistics depends on the type of
computer you have, how many forms your data base contains, and
whether or not you have a hard disk.
On a data base containing about 300 fish, the statistics routine
will take about 2 minutes on a PC/AT class machine. You can
usually abort the statistics routine by pressing 'ESC' several
times while it is running.
Each time you run the statistics routine with the "d" option
selected, the old 'STATS.DAT' file is overwritten with the new
information. To print out the 'STATS.DAT' file after you exit from
FishBase ][, type 'COPY STATS.DAT PRN:' if you are using computer
equipped with a hard disk, or 'COPY B:STATS.DAT PRN:' if you are
using a floppy disk based system.
Most word processing programs will also accept the 'STATS.DAT'
file. The statistics option provides you with a listing of the
following:
* The average length of all the fish
* The average length of fish caught each year, and a count of
how many were caught.
* Individual angler totals and averages
* A list of the 20 largest fish, who caught them, when they
were caught, and what lure was used.
* A sorted list of all lures used
* A list of the most productive lures
* What lures produced the best at the various water temperatures.
* A list of how many were caught at each water temperature range
* A list of how many were caught during full and new moon phases
During most operations, you can pause the display by pressing any
key (except the ESC key). To continue the display, press any other
key.
< 13 >
The PRINT MENU
Selecting option 4 from the MAIN MENU will cause the PRINT MENU to
be displayed. In the PRINT MENU, you have three choices.
Printing The Entire Data Base
If you choose option 1 from the PRINT MENU, the entire data base
will be sent to the printer. This mode works continuously until
the whole data base has been printed, or until you press the 'ESC'
key. If you select this option, and you do not have a printer
connected, or your printer is not responding, a message will
appear on your screen to let you know that FishBase ][ cannot
print.
Displaying The Entire Data Base
Selecting option 2 from the PRINT MENU will cause the entire data
base to be listed to the display. The information from the data
base is displayed sequentially in the order in which it was
entered. You can abort the listing by pressing the 'ESC' key,
which will return you to the MAIN MENU.
Display Speed
The speed of the display can be slowed by pressing "s" while the
display is in progress. Each time you press the "s" key, the speed
of the display will slow down a little. Keep pressing the "s" key
until the display is scrolling at the speed you like. Pressing "f"
will make the display run faster. Multiple presses of the "f" key
will gradually increase up the speed of the display.
Selecting option 3 from the PRINT MENU does exactly what it
says...it returns you to the MAIN MENU again.
Additional comments about printing:
Most versions of DOS are supplied with a utility program called
GRAPHICS.COM. Before you run FishBase ][, if you first type
GRAPHICS, DOS will load the special graphics printing driver
called GRAPHICS.COM. If you run this special printer driver as
described above, you will be able to print ANY screen from
FishBase at any time by just typing SHIFT-PRTSCR on your keyboard.
This is very handy if you want a print out of something like the
individual angler statistics or the graph of the water
temperatures. It should be noted however, that EGA, VGA and
Hercules equipped systems cannot use this method to print the
temperature chart on DOS versions prior to 5.0 since GRAPHICS.COM
on these older versions of DOS does not support them.
< 14 >
Editing Forms
Forms can be edited in either of two ways. The first method is
handy for making additions or corrections on individual forms. The
second method, called GLOBAL, allows high speed editing of many
forms.
Editing Individual Forms
The first step in editing an individual form is to find the form
you want to edit using the FINDER discussed previously under the
topic of SEARCHING.
To begin, first select item 2 from the MAIN MENU, Search/Edit
Current Data Base. The FINDER FORM will appear. Enter the
information you want FishBase to look for in the appropriate field
or fields. You can enter information in as many of the fields as
you like. Once you have enter all the information you want
Fishbase to look for, enter a "/" (without the quotes) in a field
by itself. This tells FishBase to begin the search based on the
information you have entered. FishBase will then ask if you want
to stop on each matching form found. Since you want to edit a
form, answer YES or Y to this question.
FishBase will scan the currently active data base from beginning
to end and stop on forms that match your search criteria. When a
matching form is found, it will be displayed on the screen. If the
form is one you want to edit, press the F1 key to begin editing.
Use the TAB keys or the UP and DOWN arrow keys to move to the
field you want to change. Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to
move within a field. The DEL key will DELETE the character at the
cursor position. Typing any text character will insert that
character at the cursor position. Continue editing the fields
until the form is the way you want it, then press the ESC key to
save the form as it appears on the screen. If you change your mind
and decide you don't want to save the changes, press the F5 key to
cancel the changes and leave the form as it appeared originally.
After saving the form or cancelling the changes, FishBase will
continue its search for other forms that match your search
criteria, and if found, the process will be repeated.
< 15 >
GLOBAL Editing
The process of editing forms GLOBALLY is begun by selecting item 5
from the main menu. Global editing allows high speed changes to
all forms or just selected forms. It's VERY useful for making the
same change to lots of forms. Things like misspelled names or bait
types, changing color abbreviations etc. are some of the things
that Global Editing can do very quickly.
GLOBAL Form editing consists of two operations, the first being
the FINDER FORM. The finder form appears immediately after you
select item 5 from the main menu. The FINDER FORM is where you
enter the information you want to locate. It works in a manner
similar to the search option discussed earlier except that in most
cases you must specify the information more exactly. For instance,
if you wanted to find all forms that contained SPINNERBAIT for the
lure type, you would have to enter the whole word, SPINNERBAIT.
Entering just SPINNER would only find the forms that had SPINNER
in the lure type field.
This is important because if you decide to use the GLOBAL CHANGE
command, you want to be sure that only the forms that contain an
exact match would be changed. As many fields as you want can be
included in the FINDER FORM, but each must exactly specify the
information that you are looking for. Once you have entered all of
the information you need on the FINDER FORM, enter the '/' at the
beginning of the next field. The '/' key tells FishBase ][ that
you are finished entering your FINDER FORM information and it's
time to enter your CHANGE FORM information.
The second operation when GLOBALLY Editing forms is called the
CHANGE FORM. This form appears after you have fully specified what
forms you want to find with the FINDER FORM. On the CHANGE FORM,
enter information only in the fields that are to be changed.
You can enter the CHANGE information in as many fields as
you need. Use the 'TAB' and the 'BACK TAB' keys to move to the
fields to be changed, and leave the unchanged fields blank. You
can also use the 'ARROW' keys to move around on the form.
If you want to entirely erase the contents of a field, use the
SPACE BAR to "erase" the contents of a field.
Once you have finished filling in the fields to be changed, enter
the '/' key in the next empty field to start the find/replace
operation. FishBase ][ will begin scanning all of your forms
looking for a precise match for all of the fields you specified on
the FINDER FORM. When the first exact match is found, the form
will be displayed, and you will be asked if this is the form you
want to change. Answering 'Y' will cause the information you
specified on the CHANGE FORM to replace the information on the
displayed form in ONLY those fields you specified. Answering 'N'
will skip the displayed form and the search process will proceed.
< 16 >
You can abort the find/replace operation at any time by pressing
the 'ESC' key. If you decide that you want to end the find/replace
operation before any further changes are made, just enter 'Q' to
return to the main menu.
Entering 'G' in response to the 'Make your changes to this form'
question will cause all forms that exactly match your FINDER FORM
to be changed to the information specified on your CHANGE FORM.
This is a very powerful command that should be used with care
since you will not have the opportunity to change your mind once
it starts. You can, however, press the 'ESC' key during a global
change to cause it to abort. Only the forms that were changed
before you pressed 'ESC' will show the changes.
Wild Cards
There is one exception to the exact match rules on the FINDER
FORM. This is called the WILDCARD. Wild cards are specified by
entering a '*' as the first character in the field, followed by
the rest of the characters you are interested in. For example, if
you entered '*SP' in the lure type field, all forms that had a
lure type of SPOON, SPINNER, or SPINNERBAIT would be found, and
the information specified on the CHANGE FORM would replace the
corresponding fields on those forms. You can use wild cards in as
many fields as you like, but again, be careful when you use them,
particularly in conjunction with the global change command. It is
recommended that you use these powerful features sparingly until
you become proficient with the use of FishBase ][.
< 17 >
The Goodies Menu
Selecting option 6 from the main menu will cause a window to
appear that provides six additional features of interest.
Information About A Fishing Area
The first of these allows you to display information about a
particular fishing area. If you choose [1], you will be asked to
enter the name of the area of interest. You do not need to enter
the complete name, because FishBase ][ will find all forms that
contain the name as you enter it. For example, if you want to find
out how you have done while fishing Toledo Bend, just entering
'TOLEDO' is enough. Of course, you can still enter the whole name
if you wish. This is important because if you have both a 'LONG
LAKE' and a 'LONG POND' in your data base, and they are different
places, then you need to spell out the whole name of the one you
are interested in. After specifying the name of the place you're
interested in, FishBase ][ will compute all kinds of information
about that place for you. The information you will be given is:
* Total number of fish caught at this location
* Total weight of these fish
* Average weight of fish caught
* Average length of fish caught
* Number of times the area was fished
* Average number of fish caugth each trip
* The five most productive lures at this location
* The biggest fish caught at this location
* Who caught the biggest fish
* What lure caught the biggest fish
Angler Information
Selecting item [2] from the goodies menu will let you enter the
name of a particular angler that you want information about. When
you specify the name, it's a good idea to completly spell out the
name. As with the evaluation of a fishing spot, FishBase ][ will
find all the forms that contain the name as you have entered it.
If you just enter the name 'JOE', then all anglers with the
letters JOE in their name will be included in the report. The
report produced is similar to that of the fishing spot report and
includes the following information:
< 18 >
* Number of fish caught
* Total weight of fish caught
* Average weight of fish caught
* Average length of fish caught
* How many times the angler has been 'skunked'
* Number of fishing trips logged by angler
* Average number of fish caught per trip
* The best lures for that angler
* The biggest fish caught by that angler
* Where the biggest fish was caught
* When the biggest fish was caught
* What lure caught the biggest fish
Lure Type Information
Option [3] in the Goodies menu allows you to obtain statistics
about a certain TYPE of lure. For example, if you're interested in
finding out how well you've done using a plastic worm, enter
"plastic worm" for the lure type. The color does not matter. All
fish caught with a plastic worm will be analyzed, and FishBase ][
will tell you how many fish were caught (on ALL plastic worms),
their average size, who caught the biggest fish on the plastic
worm, as well as where and when it was caught.
Water Temperature Chart
If you choose [4] from the goodies menu, a chart showing water
temperature versus date will be drawn on your screen. A separate
line is drawn for each year, allowing you to compare the water
temperatures by dates for each year. This is handy to help predict
what the approximate water temperature will be on any given date.
This choice is valid for graphics displays only, and will draw the
graph in the best screen mode your equipment is capable of using.
Moon Phase Dates
Choosing option [5] from the goodies menu will allow you to obtain
the full and new moon dates for any month or year that you enter.
Make sure you use the format requested when you enter the month
and year information.
< 19 >
Sort Data Base
Option [6] in the goodies menu allows you to sort the data base
you are currently using based on any of the fields on the form.
When you select this option, a blank form will appear with a
highlighted area next to the field title. Use the arrow keys to
move this highlighted bar to the field of interest to you, then
press the ENTER key to begin the sort process.
It is important to note that your original data base as it appears
on the disk IS NOT SORTED. Only the information in memory is
sorted. Once the sort is finished, you will have three choices
of what to do next. First, you can save the sorted data base on
your disk. You will be asked for a name for the sorted data base.
FishBase will append the '.DAT' suffix following the name you
enter, unless you enter the name with the suffix already added.
For example, if you name your sorted data base SORT, FishBase will
call it SORT.DAT. Only files with the .DAT suffix will appear in
the list of available data base files.
You can also view your sorted data base on the screen by choosing
number 2. When you select number 2, the first form in your sorted
data base will appear. Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to sequence
forward or backward through your data base.
You can send the entire sorted data base to your printer by
choosing number 3. Pressing ESC while the data base is being
printed will abort the printing and return you to the goodies
menu. Some printers have a large buffer and may take awhile for
the printing to stop.
If you change your mind, and want to get out of the goodies menu,
just press ESC to return to the main menu.
< 20 >
Changing To Another Data Base
Option 7 from the main menu allows you to select a different data
base to use, or to create a new data base file. Selecting option 7
will list the database files that FishBase finds in it's
directory. Data base files are those in the FishBase directory
that end in the suffix '.DAT'.
To select a different data base, use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to
move the pointer to the file name you want to use, then press
ENTER to select it. If you want to use a data base that is not in
the FishBase directory, or for some reason does not have the
'.DAT' suffix (suppose you renamed it), move the pointer to the
first item in the list, CREATE/SELECT DATA BASE, then press ENTER.
You will be asked for the name of the data base you want to use.
If it is on another disk drive, you need to tell FishBase where to
find it. For example, if you had a data base called BIGFISH.DAT on
a disk in drive B:, the correct entry would be:
B:BIGFISH.DAT
If you want to use a data base in the FishBase directory called
BIGFISH.XYZ, you would enter simply BIGFISH.XYZ since FishBase
assumes the file you want is in the FishBase unless you specify
otherwise.
Deleting Forms
Option 8 from the MAIN MENU allows complete deletion of a form.
Form deletion consists of filling out a FINDER FORM which FishBase
will use as the basis of its search. Enter enough data on the
FINDER FORM to accurately direct FishBase to the correct form.
After you have entered your information, enter a "/" alone in the
next field to begin the search.
FishBase will stop when it finds a form that matches the search
criteria that you entered on the FINDER FORM, and display the form
for your verification. If the form found is the one you want to
delete, answer 'Y' to the "Delete this form?" question. Pressing
ESC will return to the main menu, pressing any other key will
continue the search. FishBase will then remove the form from your
data base, and reorder the file. Only one form may be deleted at a
time, for safety.
< 21 >
Ending A Session
Selecting option 'Q' from the MAIN MENU will prompt you with the
question 'Are you sure...?'. If you answer 'yes', FishBase ][ will
end, and return you to the DOS prompt, leaving you in the 'FBASE'
directory. This gives you one last chance to change your mind. If
you answer 'no' in response to the question, the main menu will be
redisplayed and FishBase ][ will not terminate.
Using the HELP Screens
Several layers of help screens are built into FishBase ][. These
screens (or windows) can be called upon to jog your memory when it
comes to abbreviations, weather conditions and some other useful
things. The help windows can only be used when you are:
1. Entering a new form (option 1 from the main menu)
2. Searching for information (option 2 from the main menu)
3. Editing forms (option 5 from the main menu)
4. Deleting forms (option 8 from the main menu)
To bring up the HELP windows when you are using either of these
modes, just press the '?' key and the first window will pop onto
the screen. Each successive window can be displayed by pressing
the 'down arrow' cursor control key. Previous help windows can be
brought back by pressing the 'up arrow' key. To exit the help
windows and restore your form in its entirety, just press the '?'
key again.
It doesn't matter what help window is displayed when you decide to
exit the help mode. In other words, you can return to your form no
matter how many layers of help windows are on your screen. Help
windows such as the length-to-weight chart are only meant to be
used as a guide, and to remind you to be consistent in your data
entry. The weights given for a particular length are derived from
my own fishing experience and reflect typical weights for a
largemouth bass of those lengths. Naturally, the weights will vary
according to things like time of year, the region in which you
fish, and obviously the species of fish.
The color abbreviations help window is used to remind you what
abbreviation to use for a given lure color. I've found that after
using FishBase ][ for a while, that I seem to remember these
pretty well. The general abbreviations window lists several
suggestions for standard abbreviations. Weather conditions, water
conditions etc. are included here.
The SEARCH help window concerns itself with things to do with
searching for data. Some hints on using the search capability
appear here, to save having to look it up in the manual. The last
help window contains some general help information and might save
you thumbing through the manual.
< 22 >
A Few Words About Data Bases
FishBase ][ data bases are limited to about 800 fish each. This is
due to memory limitations of PC compatible computers, not the
program itself. If the number of fish in your data base starts to
approach the 800 fish limit, it's best to start a new data base.
If you're using 360k floppy disks for your data base files, start
a new data base when there are about 600 fish forms in your file.
A 360k disk will hold about 640 fish forms.
A new data base is easy to create by entering the name you want to
call the new data base when FishBase ][ first starts running. Be
sure that the name you choose is different from any data base that
you currently have on your disk! If you use the name of a data
base that already exists, FishBase ][ will happily add forms to
it, and you may exceed the maximum limit. If the limit is
exceeded, all functions of FishBase ][ will work except for the
statistics compiler and the goodies stuff. Trying to run the
statistics compiler or the goodies (except the moon phase) may
cause the program to halt unexpectedly if you have too many forms
in the data base.
Be sure to try the Xevious BBS system in Framingham, MA. The
newest version of FishBase ][ is always available there first! You
can also leave me messages there. Leave notes to Dick Olsen, then
check again in a few days for a reply. The number for Xevious is
(508)-875-3618. Xevious has 1 gigabyte of disk space (and
growing), with HST modems on most of the lines.
< 23 >
************************************************************
* DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY *
************************************************************
This software is sold "as is", without any warranty as to
performance or any other warranties whether expressed or implied.
Because of the many hardware and software environments into which
this program may be used, no warranty of fitness for a particular
purpose is offered. The user must assume the entire risk of using
the program. Any liability of the seller will be limited
exclusively to product replacement or the refund of the
registration fee.
*************************************************************
* ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS *
*************************************************************
This software is produced by Richard Olsen who is a member of the
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make
sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable
to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help.
The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members'
products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road,
Muskegon, MI 49442-9427, USA or send a CompuServe message via
easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
_______
____|__ | (R)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
< 24 >
FishBase ][ Version 3.0 REGISTRATION FORM
Dear Dick,
Enclosed please find my check or money order for the amount
shown below. Please register me as a FishBase user and send
me the newest REGISTERED version of the program along with
any other goodies I'm entitled to.
Thanks!
YOUR NAME___________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS______________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP____________________________________________
COUNTRY_____________________________________________________
Where did you get FishBase ][?______________________________
DISK SIZE NEEDED: __________5.25" __________3.5"
COMMENTS____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Registration Fee ($15 for 5.25", $17.00 for 3.5") ____________
Shipping: _______________
(NOTE: Shipping is $2.00 within North America. Outside North
America, it is $4.00.)
Massachusetts Residents Please add 5% SALES TAX ______________
TOTAL ENCLOSED ______________
Mail your registration to:
Richard Olsen
Olsen Outdoors
68 Hartwell Avenue
Littleton MA 01460
