SPACE 2/SPACE - Library 2 - Volume 1.iso/apps/430/applic/fb.doc

Text File | 1989-11-16 | 20KB | 489 lines

                        First Base (ver 1.6) - Database

   1.  First Base .................................... 2
     1.1 Introduction ................................ 2
     1.2 Applications ................................ 2
     1.3 Size restrictions ........................... 2

   2.  Required files ................................ 2
     2.1 Database file description ................... 2
     2.2 Definition file description ................. 2
     2.3 Report format file description .............. 2

   3.  Definitions ................................... 3
     3.1 Fields ...................................... 3
     3.2 Records ..................................... 3

   4.  Running the First Base ........................ 3
     4.1 Starting .................................... 3
     4.2 New File Creation ........................... 3
     4.3 Data Entry .................................. 3
       4.3.1 Procedure ............................... 3
       4.3.2 Editing Keys ............................ 4
       4.3.3 Function Keys ........................... 4
     4.4 Sorting ..................................... 5
       4.4.1 Single field ............................ 5
        4.4.2 Double field ........................... 5
     4.5 Searches .................................... 5
     4.6 Field Limits ................................ 5
       4.6.1 Limits Description ...................... 5
       4.6.2 Setting Limits For One Field ............ 5
       4.6.3 Setting Limits For More Than One Field .. 6
       4.6.4 Canceling Limits          ............... 6
       4.6.5 Printing Using Limits     ............... 6
     4.7 Deleting Records              ............... 6
       4.7.1 Deleting With First Base ................ 6
       4.7.2 Deleting With An Editor ................. 6

   5.0 Printing Data ................................. 7
     5.1 Print Sizes ................................. 7
     5.2 Multiple records horizontally ............... 7
     5.3 Report Format ............................... 7
       5.3.1 Creating Format With External Editor .... 7
       5.3.2 Page Layout ............................. 7
       5.3.3 Report Format Description ............... 7
       5.3.4 Creating Format With First Base Editor .. 8
     5.4 Page adjustments ............................ 8
       5.4.1 Start Printing .......................... 8

   6.0 Sample database ............................... 9
     6.1 Loading sample database ..................... 9

   7.0 Suggestions welcome ........................... 9

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1.0 First Base description

1.1 First Base is a fast memory resident database system for
small and medium size applications. It is not full featured but
has a wide range of uses, is fast and very easy to learn and
use. It runs in medium or high resolution on an Atari ST or Mega.

1.1.1 Options in the program are selected either by use of the
function keys or by selecting from pull down menus with the
mouse. The return, delete, backspace, insert, home and arrow
keys are also used when editing a record.

1.2 The program has a wide range of applications. Examples
include address lists, video tape listings, computer program
lists, records of checks, christmas card lists, library loan,
video tape rentals and many more.

1.3 The entire database is loaded into the memory of your ST.
The more free memory you have the larger the database possible.
Assuming you have sufficient memory up to 13000 records may be
created. Each record may consists of up to 1000 characters that
in turn may comprise up to 11 fields.

2.0 Necessary files

2.1 A First Base database consists of three basic files. The
first of these contains the data for all records. It is named
whatever file name you decide with the extender .DAT. It is
organized as one record per line. Each line may be up to 1000
characters long. The data is in ASCII format with no control or
special characters so the file will appear normal when viewed
and it will be accessible to editors or other programs.

2.2 The second file is the definition file. The name is the same
as the one chosen above with a .DEF extender. This file defines
the field names and the length of each field. It is also in
normal ASCII format. It can be created with the First Base
program or it can be made with an editor or word processor that
does not put formatting characters in its data file.

2.3 The third file specifies how the data is to be printed and
the heading to be used on the page. The name is made up of the
same file name above with the extender .RPT and is referred to as
the report format file. Like the files above it is in normal
ASCII format and may be accessed or created by other programs or
editors. The file consists in line one of a heading plus 11
lines of format some of which may be empty.

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3.0 Definitions

3.1 A field is defined to be a piece of information. For example
a persons name, a disk number, a date, etc. It will be displayed
on one line on the monitor screen.

3.2 A record is defined to be from 1 to 11 fields that are
related. For instance a persons name, their street number, their
city and state, their birth date.

4.0 Running the program.

4.1 To run the program double click on FB.PRG, Then click on
select. When the file selector box is shown you may change disks
in your drive or select another drive. To select another drive
change the drive letter in the file selector box and click the
mouse on the bar above the file names, then select the correct
folder. Finally use your mouse or type in the name of an old
.DAT file, or enter a new .DAT name for a new file.

4.2 If you choose to make a new file brief instructions are
displayed and the cursor will be positioned at the upper left
corner of the screen. You will make the definition file. First
you type in the name of the first field, it looks best on the
screen if it is preceded by a blank space. After the name type a
: followed by a space. Finally use the _ (underscore) to specify
the number of spaces desired for the field. For example...

 PROGRAM NAME: ____________________________

4.2.1 When you are satisfied with that field, press the return
key. Continue in the same manner for other fields. You are
limited to 11 fields and not more than 80 characters across the
screen on any one field. Finally after the last field press the
F5 key (write.) This saves your field definition file and you
are ready for entering new data.

4.3 Data entry.

4.3.1 To begin entering new data into the fields you must first
press the F6 key. This sets up the data entry mode. After
pressing F6 you fill in the fields.  Field editing is outlined
below. After you have finished entering data in all the desired
fields press the F5 key to save the record. After pressing F5
the record will advance and fields will be blank again waiting
for the next entry. When you have completed entering data for
other records you can press F3 or one of the other function keys
other than F5 or F6 to terminate data entry mode.
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4.3.2 To edit fields the editing keys work as follows:
     Up arrow moves to preceding field (up).
     Down arrow moves to following field (down).
     Right arrow advances cursor to right, at end of field goes
        to field below.
     Left arrow moves cursor to left and stops at first of
         field.
     Return is similar to down arrow.
     Backspace deletes character under the cursor and moves it
         left.
     Insert toggles the insert mode on or off. A red I in the
         upper right corner indicates insert mode. Insert mode
         on enables characters to be inserted in a line. With
         insert mode off characters are overwritten.
     Shift home clears the fields. The do not stay cleared
         unless you follow by pressing the F5 key.
     Undo quits without saving the file back to the disk.
     Help displays a brief summary of commands.

----> Changes you make when editing fields are not saved unless
                 you press F5 following them.

4.3.3 Function keys are as follows: (F11 to F20 are obtained using shift)
     F1  Display next record in sequence
     F2  Display previous record in sequence
     F3  Display first record in memory.
     F4  Display last record in memory.
     F5  Write current record on screen to memory.
     F6  Begin entry of new record (use only once before
         entering records.)
     F7  Clear fields (but don't save to memory unless followed by F5.)
     F8  Sort the field that cursor is currently in.
     F9  Search the field that cursor is currently in for a string.
     F10 Quit and save the data in memory back to disk.
     F11 Delete a file from the disk (making room for .DAT file.
     F12 Format a new disk (currently single density 10 sector only)
     F13 Merge another database file with the one in memory. This
          will only work when both files use the save .DEF type,
          that is the fields are all the same type and length.
     F14 Quit but don't save the data back to disk, same as Undo.
     F15 Not used
     F16 Start printing.
     F18 Select normal sized print.
     F19 Select condensed print (set up for Epson printer code.)
     F21-F26 Select to print number of records horizontally
     F28 Enter report format.
     F30 Enter lower limits for display of cursor field.
     F31 Enter upper limits for display of cursor field.
     F32 Erase all limits for all fields.





4.4 Sorting

4.4.1 Ascii sorting can be made on any field, either ascending
or descending. To sort first move the cursor to the field to be
sorted. Press the F8 key. Use the mouse to select to sort up or
down, then wait. Sorting is usually fairly fast but the
following conditions increase the sorting time, a large number
of records (in the thousands), more than half the available free
RAM memory of your computer used by data, a lot of sameness in
the field being sorted.

4.4.2 To do a double sort, first sort on one field, then resort
on another field. The first field sorted will be ordered in the
second field where quantities in the second field are the same.

4.5 Searches

4.5.1 Searches can also be done on any field. First move the
cursor to the field to be searched. Press F9 or select SEARCH in
the pull down menu. Type in a string to be searched for. At this
point if you press return the search is forward from the current
record. You can also search forward by clicking on FORWARD with
the mouse or you can search backward by clicking on BACK with
the mouse. When a match is found the record will be displayed.
You may then press return to continue searching, or click on
EXIT if you are done. A blank screen shows that no further
matches were found. Searches are not case sensitive.

4.6 Field Limits.

4.6.1 Lower and upper limits may be set for any of the fields
for either display or printing. The limits are case sensitive
(use only upper case if your data is in upper case) and are
evaluated as ASCII starting with the first field character on
the left.

4.6.2 To set limits first put the cursor in the field that you
wish to set limits on. Specify the lower or upper limits using
the pull down menu call FIELDS. Type in the limit values. For
example if a field contains numbers and you want to show only
those more than a certain value, say 1000, (they must be left
justified in the field else you have have to allow for blanks
before the number) just type in 1000 for the lower limit. Then
when you press F1 to show the next record only those records
with the value in the field that are 1000 or more will be shown.



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4.6.3 You can also set limits on other fields at the same time.
If another field had names which started from A through Z you
could put the cursor in this field then set lower and upper
limits, say BE for lower and DO for upper. Then when you use the
F1 or F2 keys you would only see records which had the second
field in the range of BE.... to DO.... and the first field 1000
or more.

4.6.4 To cancel limits for any field enter only return in the
dialog box or select no limits in the pull down menu to erase
all limits specifications for all fields.

4.6.5 The limits specifications do not apply to sorting. But
since they do work with printing you can print out ranges of
values from your database. For instance if you had a database of
music files and one of the fields was the file extender you
could print out a list of all music files of this type, say for
example .SNG, by entering .SNG for lower limits and .SNG again
for upper limits. Then only those records with .SNG would be
printed.

4.7 Deleting records.

4.7.1 In order to delete records from a file you must first
display the record to be deleted, then press F7 followed by F5.
This leaves a blank record in memory. Before quitting and saving
the file to disk, sort on any field in ascending order. This puts
the blank records at the first of the file. When the file is
saved these blank records will be skipped and not saved to
disk.

4.7.2 If you have very many records to delete this can be a time
consuming process. You may find it easier to use another line
editor or word processor to eliminate unwanted records. These
will be shown as single lines. If you do this and resave the
file remember not to resave the file in word processing mode.

5.0  Printing data.

5.1  Two print types are supported using Epson printer codes.
These are normal, 80 characters per line maximum, and condensed,
132 characters per line maximum. These are selected by the mouse
in the print menu.





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5.2  A number of records can be selected, from one to six, in the
print menu. This number refers to the number of different records
that will be printed horizontally across the page.  Parts of the
records may be truncated, if necessary, to fit in the space
specified.

5.3  Report format. This is a file that must be created before
you can start printing. It contains information that controls how
the data is printed. This format file is read, if it exists when
the program first starts. A different format file can be read or
created by selecting Report Format in the print menu.

5.3.1 The report format file can be created through the First Base
program or though a word processor or editor, for example as in
the program Flash. When a separate editor is used the same rules
as explained in section 3.3.2 must be followed.

5.3.2 An explanation composition of the report format file
follows. The structure is different than in versions prior to 1.6.
From one to eleven lines may be printed per record. Each page may
include an optional title line which labels the columns that are
printed. Text may be included with the file data as it is printed.
The minimum number of print positions per field when printed is
two.

5.3.3 The fields of a record are numbered 1 through 9 followed by
A for field 10 and B for field 11. You specify where you want data
of a field to be printed by using these numbers. These are
differentiated from other text data that may contain these by
beginning the field that contains them by a \. An example of a
format line with heading line is as follows:

Address                      Automobile   Date     Name
\1111111111111111111111111   \5555555555  \333333  \444444444444444

The \ is set to the same as the field number that follows it. So
in the above example 26 places would be allotted for data from
field 1 followed by 3 blank spaces followed by 11 places for data
from field 5 followed by two blank spaces followed by 7 places for
data from field 3 followed by two blank spaces followed by 16
places for data from field 4. If the field data is more than the
places you have allowed for it will be truncated. If the places
you have specified are more than the field data extra blank spaces
will be inserted at the end. An example of a format with embedded
text follows:

Name \111111111111111111111    Age \2     Salary $\333333

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The report format file must always consist of 12 lines. The
first line in the file is the heading line. If no heading is
desired this line consists only of a return. If headings are used
then will be aligned over the proper matching fields in the lines
below. The eleven lines that follow the heading specify the format
for up to 11 lines printed vertically for each record. Each line
may appear as in the two above examples. If a blank line is
desired you must insert only one space followed by a return on
that line. The first line that contains only a return terminates
the lines that are to be printed. So for instance if you wanted
only one line per record (as was the case in previous versions of
this program) first type the heading line, second type the format
line, and on the third line only return. The other 9 lines should
be entered as only a return as well.

5.3.4 When using the First Base format generator instead of an
editor there are a few other features. You enter this part of the
program by selecting New under Report Format. Then you enter the
format for line one. When that is satisfactory you enter the
column headings (if desired) which is easier to do after you have
already set the number of places for each field. After that you
can enter more lines of format if desired. The field names
corresponding to the numbers will be shown at the bottom of the
screen. When you type a \ followed by a field number the correct
number of positions will be printed. If you want fewer places use
the backspace key to remove them, if you want more just type them
in. The line will scroll to the left if you pass 80 characters
making it possible to create longer lines when using condensed
printing. Only the back space key works for editing. Press return
at the end of each format line.

5.4 When data is printed using more than one line per record the
number of records per page is adjusted such that a record is not
broken on a page boundary. This makes printing address labels and
the like possible.

5.4.1 Before you begin printing you may decide to print the data
in several columns. This will condense the output and is useful
when you have a large number of records and the amount of data
to be printed is small. For instance if you made a list of
programs and on which disk each is, you might be able to print 4
across the page compressed. Select the number of print columns
from the pull down menu. After selecting Normal or Compressed is
selected in the pull down menu then select Start printing. Press
the escape key to abort printing has started.



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6.0 Included with this program in the .ARC file is a sample
database set up for keeping track of music files that I have. It
is only included as a demonstration of the First Base program.

6.1 To use this run the program. Then select SONGS.DAT as the
data file using the disk you have placed it on. The SONGS.DEF
file sets up the field names and lengths of the fields. A sample
SONGS.RPT report file is included which is set for one line per
record printing.


7.0 First Base is shareware. Contributions or suggestions regarding
this program are welcome. Write...

                               Dave Henry
                            1720 Wickersham Dr.
                          Anchorage, Alaska 99507
































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