Fresh Fish 10

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Fresh Fish 10 / Fresh_Fish_10_2352.bin / new / biz / dbase / datamaster / datamastermanual < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1994-12-18 | 65.0 KB | 1,543 lines

---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- TS Data Master - Manual ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TS Data Master - Manual (for Version 1.01 04.07.1994) © 1993, 1994 Teemu Sipilä All rights reserved Address: Teemu Sipilä Koskitie 25 FIN-12380 Leppäkoski Finland 1. What is Data Master? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.1. Data Master ---------------- Data Master is a database program programmed for Amiga computers. It's not the best database program for Amiga (the best shareware data- base program??), but it's cheap and specially made for the average user. In the program there are five different field types which are string (text), integer, floating point, type (selection) and boolean field types. In one record can be up to 256 different fields and the number of records is practically limited only by the size of the free memory. Records can be sorted based on eight key fields. You can search from the database those records which match search patterns given by the user (for example, all records whose first field's first letter is A). You can also search for text strings from the whole database. Using Data Master it's possible to print the data- base for printer or save it as an ASCII file to the disk. Number fields can be displayed on the screen as graphic diagrams, and using this function you can simply compare records. There is a separate field editor for the creating of the fields. Records can be, of course, moved, copied, deleted or cleared as a single record or as a block which includes many records. In the following table there are some maximum values used by the program. The number of records 99999 (memory limits also) The number of fields 256 The number of alternative texts 256 (type fields) The length of the field title 13 The length of the string field 255 The length of the unit string 9 The number of key fields 8 1.2. Amiga system ----------------- Data Master works fine also in the basic Amiga-system (Amiga 500 with KickStart 1.3), it's true, but when using the program with Kick- Start 1.3, there isn't a file requester. Data Master can be used also in the NTSC machines, even if, the screen size is smaller than in the PAL machines. The program is tested in a few different Amiga systems, but the most of the testing is done by using Amiga 2000 and KickStart 2.0, so there can be small bugs in other systems. In addition there is, at this time, one general bug the reason of which is unknown. The program may cause a guru, if you enter 'ram:' to the directory in the file requester. 2. Database terms ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.1. Basics ----------- A database includes many records or cards. For example, we can imagine a address database which includes information about person's name, address, age and phone number. This entity is a database or a register. In the database there are records, and for every person there is it's own record. A record includes fields which are having different kind of information about the person. In this example the fields are person's name, address, age and phone number. 2.2. Field types ---------------- Let's look the following example database: NAME: Mark AGE: 22 AGE GROUP: Young SEX: Male WEIGHT: 78.2 kg NAME: Joanna AGE: 11 AGE GROUP: Child SEX: Female WEIGHT: 45.5 kg NAME: Hugo Field type: String (or text) AGE: 67 Integer AGE GROUP: Old Type (selection) SEX: Male Boolean WEIGHT: 67.0 Float (floating point number) In this example there are five fields of different type in one record. The first field, NAME, is a string field (or text field) which contains ASCII text. The next field, AGE, is a integer number field which can have a value ranging from -2 147 483 648 to 2 147 483 647. The last field, WEIGTH, is a floating point number field and it differs from the integer field in a fact that the floating point number can contain also desimals. Note that when using floating point numbers and the number is big or it has many desimals, the number isn't very accurate. For example, if you type a number 3344.5566, the program 'rounds' it to be 3344.556641. The third field of the record is called AGE GROUP and it is a type field (same as a selection field). When you define fields, you have to give the specific number of alternative texts from which the user selects the best one when editing the database. In the example alternative texts are child, young, adult and old. Using this field type makes it easier to edit the database, because you have to just select the best text and you don't have to write the same text many times. Also if the database is large, using type fields saves memory and disk space. Nearly the same field type is also a boolean field type which is the type of the fourth field, SEX. For the boolean field you have to determine two alternative text from which other one is 'on' and the other is 'off'. 2.3. Main field and key fields ------------------------------ One of the fields, usually the first, is set to be the main field of the record. This field can be though as the title of the record. In our example the main field is naturally NAME. If you want to sort records for alphabetic order, you have to first set key field(s) which are used by the sort function. For example, if you want to sort the example database for order on the age, you set the AGE field to be the key field #1. If there are persons with the same age, you can set the NAME field to be the key field #2, and then those persons' mutual order is determined by the alphabetic order of the names of the persons. 2.4. Field title, explanation and data -------------------------------------- We can think a field as three different parts which are the field title, the field explanation and the field data. In the example data- base NAME, AGE, AGE GROUP, SEX and WEIGHT are, of course, field titles. The field data contains the value of the number field or the text string of the string field. If you want, you can attach an explanation to the field. The field explanation should give more information about the field. For the number field you can also give an unit which is displayed after the field data on the screen. 3. The user interface ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.1. The screen --------------- The screen is divided into two parts nearly in the whole program. These parts are called the message window and the work window. In addition many functions open a smaller window above the main screen. At the top of the screen there is the message window, and the program displays messages and questions for the user there. Questions can be answered depending on the type of the question by ok/no-answer, by a number or by a text string. Generally you can use also keyboard for answering. By pressing the <ESC> key you can answer negatively or cancel the command given earlier. Respectively with the <ENTER> key you can give a positive answer. If the question asks for a number, you can reduce and increase the number using the Cursor Left (-) and the Cursor Right (+) keys. In the main program the message window contains also information about the database, like the current record and the current field. There are also some gadgets which can be used for moving from one record to another. The bottom window is called the work window and it is used for editing records and fields. In the main program there are all fields of one record and in the field editor there are definition data of one field. The Diagram function uses this window for showing the diagrams. 3.2. The message window ----------------------- In the main program there are two lines of text in the message window. The lines are displayed as follows: Recs: 120 of 230 Flds: 21 B: 26 to 42 Rec: 4 - Matching Fld: 5 - String - KF2 Two first numbers in the top line tell the number of records. The latter of these shows the real number and the first one the number of available records. As a rule they are equal, but if searhing for the record is used, the first number becomes smaller showing the number of those records which match the search criteria. The third number tells the number of fields in one record. The next two numbers tell the first and the last record of the possible block. The first section ('Rec: X - Matching') in the bottom line tells the current record number and information about that, if the record is matching or unmatching record, when searching is used. If the record is matching, there is displayed the text 'Matching', and otherwise the text 'Unmatching' after the record number. The rest of the bottom line give information about the current field. The number in this section shows the current field number and the text after it tells the field type. At last there is the key field number ('KFx', where x is ranging from 1 to 8) which is showed only with the key fields. 3.3. Gadgets of the message window ---------------------------------- The commands are given in the main program as menu commands which are explained in the following chapters. There are also 11 arrow gadgets in the message window in the main program. These gadgets can be used for moving from one record to another or from one field to another. They are showed as coarse-featured figures below. |< << < <> > >> >| H U D E For every gadget, excluding << and >>, there is also it's own key- board shortcut which is usable from the Numeric Key pad. In the following text the gadgets and their shortcuts are explained (first gadget, then the shortcut, and at last the explanation). |< the Numeric Keypad 7 - Go to the first record << - Rewind < NK 4 - Go to the previous record <> NK 5 - Asks where to go > NK 6 - Go to the next record >> - Forward >| NK 1 - Go to the last record H NK 9 - Go to the first field U Cursor Key Up, NK 8 - Go to the previous field D Cursor Key Down, NK 2 - Go to the next field E NK 3 - Go to the last field At the left side of the window there is a lift gadget which is used to scroll the fields when there isn't enough room for all fields in the same time. 4. Getting started ------------------ 4.1. Running the program ------------------------ Data Master can be called simply with a double-click when the mouse pointer is above the icon of Data Master. If you are using AmigaShell or something like that, you can call the program by opening the right drawer and running Data Master. For example, as follows: (stack 32768 <ENTER> (if the program don't work, try this)) cd DF0:DataMasterDrawer <ENTER> (run) DataMaster <ENTER> Then the program opens a window on which the copyright texts are told with the program version and the registered user. You can go on by pressing any key. 4.2. Testing ------------ There are some example data files in the original Data Master packet. If you are using the Data Master first time, run the program as it was told in the part 4.1. Then select the Load Database Menuitem from the Project Menu. Now you get a list of files in the same drawer with Data Master. Open the drawer 'Data', and select one of the files with the '.tdb' identification by pressing two times with the Left Mouse Button on the filename. After the program has succesfully loaded the file, you can move in the database by using, for example, the Arrow Gadgets and the Numeric Keypad. 5. Editing the field data ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.1. Basics ----------- One of the fields showed on the screen is either activated or in editing-state. The activated field (the same as the current field) differs from the others in the fact that the field title is coloured with white instead of black. Besides this the field number of the acivated field is showed in the message window. Activation is made by pressing the Mouse Button on the title of the field or by using the Arrow Gadgets, the Numeric Keypad or the Cursor Keys. One of the fields can also be in editing-state. The title of this field is coloured with blue. When a field is in editing-state, the user can change the field data. If you want the field to editing- state, you have to press the <ENTER> key or press the Mouse Button on the title of the activated field or on the field data of any field. 5.2. String field ----------------- If the string field is in editing-state, there is a string gadget on the place of the field data. Now by changing the string in the gadget and by pressing <ENTER> (this is vital), you can change the field data. When a string field is not in editing-state (but is activated) and the length of the field data is bigger than the number of columns, you can scroll the field data using the Cursor Left and the Cursor Right keys. If it's so, the last letter showed on the screen is coloured with blue. 5.3. Integer and float fields ----------------------------- Changing the value of a integer or a floating point field is made in the same way as changing the data of a string field. This can also be done in the other way. First you have to activate a field. Now by using the Cursor Left and the Cursor Right keys you can decrease or increase the value of the field. The value is altered as much as the step value is showing. The step value can be one of the following values: 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000, 100 000, 1000 000, 10 000 000 or 100 000 000 (for floating point fields also 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, etc.). The step value is set by selecting the Set Step Size Menuitem or with the Numeric Keys (not the Numeric Keypad). The menu command asks for the new value on the message window. This value must be given as an exponent (for example, if you give 3, the step value will be 10e3= 1000). Respectively, if you press any Numeric Key from 0 to 8, the step value will be 10 powered by the corresponding number. If you press <SHIFT> and any of the Numeric Keys, the step value of float fields will be 10 powered by minus the corresponding number. Note that if you want the step value to be 1, press 0 (10e0 = 1). 5.4. Type and boolean fields ---------------------------- Altering the data of the type or boolean field can be made in two ways. The easiest way is to use the Cursor Left and the Cursor Right keys to select the alternative text, when a field is activated (not in editing-state). If the field is in editing-state, there is a list of the alter- natives on the place of the field data. Now you can scroll the list by using the Cursor Left and the Cursor Right keys. You can select a new alternative text by pressing <ENTER> or by pressing the Left Mouse Button, when the pointer is pointing to the text in question. 6. Handling records ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.1. Basics ----------- You can move between records by using the Numeric Key Pad and the Arrow Gadgets. The commands for handling records can be called from the Edit and the Block Menus. The Edit Menu includes commands usable for handling a single record and the Block Menu commands for handling record blocks. The commands in the Block Menu are quite simiral to those in the Edit Menu, so only the Edit Menu is explained here completly. 6.2. Insert ----------- By using this command you can add a new record between old records. The number of the records will be then increased by one and the record number of the new record is same as the record number of the old current record. 6.3. Delete ----------- The Delete Menuitem should be called if you want to delete the current record. After the command is called, the number of the records is reduced by one and you can't get the deleted record back in any way. 6.4. Change ----------- This function asks at first for the record number of the record with which the current record will be changed. After this, the places of these two records will be changed together. 6.5. Move --------- This command asks for the place where the current record should be moved. Then the current record will be moved to the new place and it will be deleted from the old place. Note that by using this function you can't delete any record, just the order of the records is changed. 6.6. Copy --------- This function can be used for copying the field data of the current record to another record whose number is asked by the function. Note that the field data of the target record are deleted. 6.7. Clear ---------- If you select the Clear Menuitem, all fields of the current record are cleared. The field data of a string field is totally deleted and the value of a number field is set to zero (or to the minimum or to the maximum value). The field data of a type field or a boolean field is set to point at the first alternative text. 6.8. Number of Records ---------------------- This command asks for the new number of records. If the new number is smaller than the old, some records are deleted. If the number of the records has been increased, all new records are cleared in the same way as the Clear function does. 6.9. Delete Unedited Records ---------------------------- This function deletes all those records which are not edited by the user after the memory allocation or after the use of the Clear function. 6.10. The Block Menu -------------------- The block can be marked or unmarked by using the two first menu- items in the Block Menu. The Mark Block function sets the first and the last record of the block. When it is called first time, the function sets the current record to be the first record of the block. Respectively at next time the current record becomes the last record of the block. If the Clear Block Menuitem is selected, the block is unmarked. When the block is correctly marked, the user can use also the other functions located in the Block Menu. These commands are nearly simiral to the functions located in the Edit Menu and they differ from the Edit Menu functions in the fact that they affects for the record block insted of a single record. When using these functions, remember that if the block is copied, moved or changed with another block, any record of the target block is allowed to be inside the source block. 7. Sorting and searching ------------------------ 7.1. Sorting ------------ If you want to sort the records in alphabetic order, you have to set the key fields before sorting. Based on these fields the program then sorts the database. The key fields can be set by using the Set Key Fields command in the Special Menu. At first it asks for the number of the key fields which can range from zero to eight. Then the function asks the field number of every key field. After the key fields are defined, you can sort the records by using the Sort Incremental Menuitem or the Sort Decremental Menuitem. The first one sorts the database in alphabetic order and the latter in inversed alphabetic order. 7.2. Searching for the specified record --------------------------------------- 7.2.1. Edit Search Criteria (Filter) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you want to search for the specified record from the database, you have to at first define the search criteria (in this manual the search patterns means the same as the search criteria). The user can define the criteria for all fields, but it's enough if a criterion is defined at least for one field. This can be done with the Edit Search Criteria function callable from the Search Menu. This function opens a screen whose work window is used for showing the field titles and the search patterns. With the field title in the same line there is a corresponding search pattern. You can clear the search criteria by clicking on the Clear Gadget or the ClearAll Gadget. If there are more fields than rows in the work window, the fields can be scrolled with the Lift Gadget placed at the left side of the message window. When the search patterns are ready, you can approve the criteria by clicking the OK Gadget. If you want to cancel the patterns, click on the Cancel Gadget. The search criteria are different depending on the type of the field. The criteria of the number fields are simple mathematical formulas and the criteria of other fields are mixed text and wild cards. 7.2.2. The search criteria of string, type and boolean fields - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In the following table is a list of the wild cards: * = any character or any string or nothing ? = any character ~ = anything but [abc] = any character of a, b and c (aa|bb|cc) = any string of aa, bb and cc (| (or) = <SHIFT> + <\> in the keyboard) A search pattern can contain ordinary text and besides text many kind of combinations of the wild cards. The Wild card ~ can be attached to the two lowest wild cards. This means that ~[abc] is a possible combination, and it matches any character that is not a, b or c. If you are using the combination ~(aa|bb|cc), remember that the lengths of aa, bb and cc must be same. Note also that after * there can't be any of the following wild cards: *, ?, ~. Below is showed example search patterns and fields which match or not match the criteria. CRITERION MATCH DO NOT MATCH --------------------------------------------------------------------- *house The red house Red houses house house is beautiful C*r Computer In Computer ?isk Disk A Disk disk isk [MD]ark Mark Bark Dark MDark (one|three) one onethree three tone ~[ab] c a g b t cg ~(NIGH|righ)t abcdt right night NIGHT fight fit 7.2.3. The search criteria of integer and float fields - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The criteria of a number field are simple mathematical formulas. Note that in these formulas you can't use paranthesis'. Remember also that some of the operators need only and just only one argument number, but the others need respectively two arguments. Available operators are in the following list: = x equal to x > x greater than x >= x greater than or equal to x < x lower than x <= x lower than or equal to x x << y greater than x and lower than y x <=< y greater than x and lower than y or equal to x or equal to y x >> y lower than x or greater than y x >=> y lower than x or greater than y or equal to x or equal to y | or Below is showed numbers between -9 and 9 and some example search patterns. Those numbers which match are marked with *. - - - - - - - - - + + + + + + + + + 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 =-4 * <=-3 * * * * * * * >0 | =-2 | =-8 * * * * * * * * * * * >=5 | -9<<-5 * * * * * * * * -3<=<3 * * * * * * * -3>>3 * * * * * * * * * * * * -8>=>8 | 0<=<2 | =-6 * * * * * * * * 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - - - - - - - - - + + + + + + + + + 7.2.4. Searching functions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - After you have defined the search patterns using the Edit Search Criteria function, you can separate the matching records from the others by switching the Show Matching Records Flag in the Search Menu on. Now you can't look or handle the unmatching records and also the printing functions ignore those records. Note that when this flag is on, there are some menu commands that don't work at all. Now if you want to use all records again, switch the Show Matching Records Flag off. If this flag is on and you have altered the matching records after switching, you can re-check these records by using the Check Again command. You can inverse the search criteria by selecting the Inverse Search Criteria Menuitem. After the call of this function, all matching records become unmatching and vice versa. When the search criteria are defined, you can delete all those records that didn't match the patterns with the Delete Unmatching Records command. 7.3. Searching for a text string -------------------------------- You can also search for a single text string from the database. This can be done by using the Search String command in the Search Menu. This function searches all matches of the string starting from the current field of the current record. After searching, the program displays that record where the first match was located. If there was many matches, you can look for them by using the Search Next String function. 8. Disk operations ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.1. File formats ----------------- The user can create two different kind of data files by using this database program. The other is used to save the whole database and the other to save only the field definitions. When saving the whole database, the program attach the '.tdb' identification to the file name. This file format is not compatible with any other database file format used by any database program. If only the field definitions are saved, the program uses the '.fld' identification in the file name. Only the Field Editor uses this file format. Besides these two main file formats there are two additional file format types. The Save ASCII function and the Form Editor create files with the '.adb' identification, but these files are actually ordinary ASCII files. In the Form Editor you can also save the form data by using the Save Form Data command. The files made by this command have the '.form' identification in their names. 8.2. Load Database ------------------ All loading and saving functions (if KickStart is 2.0 or greater) open a window above the main screen. At the middle of the window there is a box where is a list of files and drawers. With a double-click you can select a file from the list, and the selected file is then loaded automatically. At the right side of the box there is the File Lift Gadget which can be used to scroll files in the box. At the top of the window there are two string gadgets; in the upper one there is the title of the drawer and in the lower one the title of the selected file. Below all these there are three command gadgets. By clicking the Parent Gadget you can move in the root directory one directory back. If you want to exit the requester without loading anything, press the Cancel Gadget. To load the file showed in the File String Gadget, you have to click on the Load Gadget. When you are going to load a database from the disk, remember that you can only load correct files with the '.tdb' identification. The loading routine itself can be called by selecting the Load Database Menuitem from the Project Menu. 8.3. Save Database ------------------ There are two functions for saving the database in the main program. The Save Database command, obtainable from the Project Menu, saves the database using the old filename. If the filename is not given, this command is similar to the Save As function. The Save As function opens a window familiar with the Load Data- base function. The only difference is the Load Gadget which is re- placed with the Save Gadget in the saving routines. 9. Printing ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 9.1. Show --------- If you select the Show Menuitem from the Show Menu, the program shows the database on the screen one record after another. This function opens a window where there are six boolean, eight number and two command gadgets. As it has been mentioned, there are two command gadgets which are titled OK and Cancel. By clicking the Cancel Gadget the program returns to the main program and with the OK Gadget the program clears the screen and shows the database on the whole screen. The database can be scrolled using the Cursor Keys, the Numeric Keypad and the Left Mouse Button. You can exit the Show function by pressing the <ESC> key. The boolean and number gadgets are explained below. First Record NUMBER The first record which is showed. Last Record NUMBER The last record which is showed. First Field NUMBER The first field of every record which is showed. Last Field NUMBER The last field of every record which is showed. Space Record NUMBER The number of empty lines between records. Space Field NUMBER The number of empty lines between fields. Max Length NUMBER The maximum length of one line. Max Title Len NUMBER The maximum length of the field title. Field Title BOOLEAN FLAG Show the field titles. Field Unit BOOLEAN FLAG Show the field units. Field Number BOOLEAN FLAG Show the field number in the field title. Record Title BOOLEAN FLAG Show the record title. Database Title BOOLEAN FLAG Show the database title. Database Explanation BOOLEAN FLAG Show the field explanation texts at the end. 9.2. Print ---------- This function opens a window equal to the window used by the Show function. After you have set the boolean and number gadgets, you can start to print by clicking the OK Gadget if the printer is ready for this. The program uses AmigaDOS for printing, so if you want to change the Printer Preferences, do it by using Workbench or AmigaDOS. 9.3. Save ASCII --------------- With this function you can save the database as an ASCII file. At first the function opens same kind of window as the Show function. Now after the OK Gadget is clicked, the program opens a new window which is a file requester window similar to the window opened by the Save Database function. The Save ASCII function creates ASCII files with the '.adb' identification. 9.4. Diagram ------------ The Diagram function opens a screen which is used to show the records as graphic diagrams. At the top of the screen there are five number, one boolean and one command gadgets. These are explained in the following text: Min NUMBER The miminum value of the scale. Max NUMBER The maximum value of the scale. Step Size NUMBER The step size of the scale (the default value = (Max-Min)/10). Title Length NUMBER The maximum length of the record title (= the field data of the main field). Field NUMBER The field number of the field used in comparision. Sort SWITCH By clicking on this gadget you can change the sorting status of the records (Original Order -> Incremental Sort -> Decremental Sort -> Original Order). AddNumbs BOOLEAN FLAG If this flag is on, the Diagram function shows also the numeric value of the field used in comparision. 9.5. Form Editor ---------------- 9.5.1. The screen - - - - - - - - - This editor can be used for making many kind of forms. The places of every field's title and data in the form and the length of the title and data are separately determined by the user. On the basis of the form data you can show the database on the screen, save it as an ASCII file or send it to the printer. So we could say, that this editor is much more advanced than the printing functions located in the main program. The screen is divided into two parts in the Editor. The upper one is used for showing and changing the values of the form data. There is also a lift gadget which can be used to scroll the work window vertically. You can also scroll it horizontally, which is possibly with the Cursor Keys and the Numeric Keypad. The messages send by the Editor to the user are displayed on the screen title bar. When there are no messages, you can see the text 'ScX: x ScY: y VisW: w VisH: h' on the title bar. Letters x and y in- dicate the left edge and the top edge of the visible part of the form. Letters w and h mean the width and the height of the visible part in characters. 9.5.2. Placing the field in the form - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - At the upper window there are eight number and one boolean gadget with the lift gadget. The functions of these are explained below. Field NUMBER The field number of the field whose location and length of the data and the title are displayed. (Field) BOOLEAN FLAG (At the left side of the previos gadget) If this flag is on, the current field is a part of the form. X and Y NUMBER The coordinates of the field data. These coordinates can also be outside that part of the form which is visible (X-max = 255 and Y-max = 999). Width and Height NUMBER The size of the field data. These values can be greater than the size of the visible part of the form. TitleX and TitleY NUMBER The coordinates of the field title. TitleLen The maximum length of the field title. 9.5.3. Flags - - - - - - - In the Flag Menu there are some boolean flag items and three command items which are used to change some values. These items are explained on this part. Field Unit BOOLEAN FLAG Show the field units. Field Number BOOLEAN FLAG Show the field numbers in the field titles. Database Title BOOLEAN FLAG Show the database title. Database Explanation BOOLEAN FLAG Show the database explanation at the end. Split Words BOOLEAN FLAG If there are more than one line in a string field, you can determine with this flag, if it's permitted to split words to two different lines. Delete Empty Lines BOOLEAN FLAG Ignore lines which are blank, when printing or showing the data- base. This flag don't refer to those empty lines which are ordered using the Record Space command. Field Titles Before Recs BOOLEAN FLAG If this flag is on, the field titles are printed only once and before the data of all records. This option can be used to make lists like the following list: Country: Population: Capital: Finland 4984000 Helsinki Sweden 8600000 Stockholm Norway 4242000 Oslo Load the example database 'EuropeCountries.tdb' and call the Form Editor function for more information. Set First Record COMMAND This command asks for the record number of the first record which should be printed. Set Last Record COMMAND This function asks for the last record which should be printed. Set Record Space COMMAND Asks for the number of empty lines between records. 9.5.4. The Project Menu - - - - - - - - - - - - When the form is defined, the user can show the database on the screen using the Show function placed in the Project Menu. Remember that when the database is large, it can take quite a long time while the program is making the print-out. Also large databases need a lot of memory, and it can be possible, that the showing doesn't work un- less you make it in smaller parts (by changing the First Record and the Last Record values). If you want to print the database for the printer, select the Print Menuitem, and the program does this provided that the printer and AmigaDOS are ready for printing. If you want to change the Printer Preferences, do it with AmigaDOS. The database can be saved as an ASCII file by calling the Save ASCII function. This function opens a window similar to the window which is opened by the Save Database function. If you select the Save Form Data Menuitem, the program saves the form data, containing information about the places and sizes of the fields, to the disk. To the filename is attached the '.form' identification. Correspondingly you can load a form data file from the disk using the Load Form Data command. The Editor can be leaved by selecting the Exit Menuitem. 10. Field Editor ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 10.1. Basics ------------ When you are making a new database, you have to at first determine field definitions. This can be done by using the Field Editor which is explained in this chapter. As mentioned earlier there are five different field types which are string, integer, float, type and boolean. These are completly de- scribed in chapter 2.2. In the Editor the user have to determine exact field definitons which contain field type, title, explanation text, maximum length of the text, minimum and maximum values, unit and the alternative texts. However, none of the field types demands all these information. The maximum number of defined fields is 256, so it should be enough for larger databases too. 10.2. The screen and the message window --------------------------------------- The screen in the Editor is divided into two part which are the message window and the definition (work) window. The upper message window is used for showing the messages sent to the user, and there are two number gadgets. The definition window contains information about one field at a time. At the bottom of the message window there are two number gadgets which are titled 'Number of Fields' and 'Field'. The first one of these tells the number of defined fields. The latter one shows the field number of the current field whose definitions are displayed at the definition window. 10.3. Menu commands ------------------- There are two menus in the Editor. These are the Project Menu and the Edit Menu. The first one contains general commands, like file commands, and the latter one functions for handling fields. If you want help about the Editor, select the Help Menuitem from the Project Menu. In the same menu there is the menuitem Load which activates the loading routine. By using the Save command and the Save As command you can save the field definitions to the disk as a '.fld' file. Both, the Load and the Save As, open a window which is also used by the file functions of the main program. You can generate and look a list of the fields by calling the Show Fields function which opens a full-screen window where you can scroll the list using the Cursor Keys or the Numeric Keypad. Press the <ESC> key for exit. If you are not happy with the field definitions, return to the main program by selecting the Cancel Menuitem. In the main program there hasn't happened any changes and you can continue editing the old database. But if you want to use the field definitions, leave the Editor by calling the OK command. Now in the main program a new data- base will be created (however, you can copy the old one to the new one). With the Delete command, which can be called from the Edit Menu, you can delete the current field. A new field can be added to the list by calling the Insert function. The Move function moves the current field into a new position and the Change function changes the places of two fields. If you select the Copy Menuitem, the definitions of the current field are copied to another field. You can clear the definitions of one field by using the Clear command, and by calling the Clear All command this is done for the whole definition table. The fields can be sorted for the alphabetic order by calling the Sort Incremental function. The same inversed can be done with the Sort Decremental function. 10.4. The definition window --------------------------- In the lower window there are nine gadgets which contain information about one field. None of the field types demands all these gadgets filled, and the title of a gadget is coloured with white when the corresponding piece of information is necessary and with black when not. Below are told the functions of all gadgets. <Gadget Gadget Type (Field types)> Type SELECTION (All field types) The type of the field can be string, integer, float, type or boolean (see chapter 2.2). Title STRING (All field types) The title of the field (currently the maximum length is 13 characters). Explanation STRING (All field types) The explanation text which can be up to 255 characters length gives more information about the field than the title. Text Length NUMBER (String, type and boolean) The maximum length of the text. Min and Max NUMBER (Integer and float) The minimum and the maximum values of the field. If you don't want the limitation, write 'N' to the gadget and press <ENTER>, and there appears the text 'No Min' or 'No Max' in the gadget. Number of Alts NUMBER (Type, for boolean default=2) With this gadget you can determine the number of the alternative texts. There can be up to 256 alternatives, but remember that when the type is boolean, the number of alternatives is always two. Alt.Text No. NUMBER/STRING (Type and boolean) Using this gadget pair you can give the alternative texts. By using the number gadget select the text number. Now edit the corresponding alternative text in the string gadget. When you press <ENTER> in the string gadget, the program automatically goes to the next alternative text. Unit STRING (Integer and float) The unit of a field can be, for example, the unit of the physical quantity, like m (metre) or kg (kilogramm). 10.5. How to define a database? ------------------------------- In this chapter is told in single phases, how you can define a new database. 1. Call the Data Master (see chapter 4.1). 2. Select the Field Editor Menuitem from the Project Menu. 3. Type the number of the fields in the Number of Fields Gadget and press the <ENTER> key. Now there is the first field of the data- base on the screen and you can start editing it as below is advised. 4. Select the type of the field with the Type Gadget. The possible types are, like earlier, titled 'String', 'Integer', 'Float', 'Type' and 'Boolean'. 5. Enter the field title in the Title Gadget and press <ENTER> 6. Write the field explanation in the Explanation Gadget and press <ENTER>. 7. If the type is string, set the maximum length of the field data by using the Text Length Gadget. 8. If the type is integer or float, ... 8.1. Write the minimum and the maximum values in gadgets Min and Max and confirm with the <ENTER>. If you don't want the limitation, type 'N' in the gadget. Now on this gadget appears a text 'No Min' or 'No Max'. 8.2. Type the field unit in the Unit Gadget. 9. If the type is type or boolean, ... 9.1. Set the maximum length of one piece of text with the Text Length Gadget. 9.2. Determine the number of the alternatives by using the Number of Alts Gadget if the field type is type. 9.3. Select one of the alternative texts with the Alt.Text No Gadget. 9.4. Write the respective text in the string gadget at the right side of the Alt.Text No Gadget and press the <ENTER> key. 9.5. Move to the next alternative text (go back to section 9.3), until all texts are given. 10. Select the next field with the Field Gadget, and go to section 4. 11. After you have defined all fields correctly (remember to confirm definitions with the <ENTER> key), select the OK Menuitem from the Project Menu, and the program returns to the main program. 12. Now the program asks for the estimated number of records, and then the program allocates memory for these. 13. If there wasn't enough memory, the program returns to the section 12. 14. If there was an old database before calling the Editor, the program asks if you want to copy the old database to the new database. If you don't want or if there wasn't any old database, jump to the section 16. 15. Now you are asked if you want that the program copies the old database to the new one considering the field titles. If you answer negatively, this is done so that the data of the old field number x is copied to the new field number x. Otherwise, the program copies only those fields that have same titles in both, old and new, databases. 16. Now the definitions should be ready, and you can start to edit the records itselves... 10.6. How to change the definitions? ------------------------------------ 10.6.1. Basics - - - - - - - - It is usual that when the user have defined and edited a database, it becomes necessary to change the field definitions or the order of the fields. If you want to change the definitions, you have to at first load the database in question. After this, call the Field Editor and change the field definitions as explained in this chapter earlier. When you have finished changing, return to the main program by selecting the OK Menuitem. Now the program asks for the number of records; use the same number as used with the old database. After this you are asked if you want to keep the data of the old database; answer positively. At last Data Master wants to know if you want to copy the fields considering the field titles. After this question has been answered the program proceeds the transfer of data from the old database to the new one. 10.6.2. Changing field titles and limitations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - You can change field titles, explanations and limitatios following the instructions on the previous part. You have to just remember that you should't change the order of the fields and that you have to answer the last question negatively. With some restrictions you can also change the type of the field so that the field data is saved (any type -> string, integer <-> float, boolean -> type). 10.6.3. Changing the order of the fields - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Also changing of the order can be made using the instructions explained on the part 10.6.1. This time you have to remember that you are not permitted to change the field titles and that you have to give a positive answer for the last question. If you want, you can also re- move old fields or define new ones by using this same method. 11. Other functions ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.1. Settings -------------- The settings or the preferences, containing information like the colours and the alphabets, can be changed by using the Settings function. This function opens a window with some gadgets. These are explained below. Alphabet SELECTION/STRING With this gadget pair you can set the alphabet. There are some default alphabet strings in the memory, but you can edit any of them so that you can sort the database made in any language correctly. With the selection gadget you can take any of the default strings to the string gadget. You can edit the current string by clicking on the gadget and by writing a new string. If you want that two letters have the same precedence, type an equation sign between them (like 'A=a B=b C=c ...'). Colours PROPORTIONAL (4*3=12 gadgets) You can change the screen colours by using the proportional gadgets. There are three colour component (R=Red, G=Green and B= Blue) gadgets for all four colours. ShowUnit BOOLEAN If this is on, the possible unit is displayed on the main screen. ShowFNum BOOLEAN Attach the field number to the field title. Cancel COMMAND Exit the Settings function. Use COMMAND Exit the Settings function and use new preferences. Save&Use COMMAND Exit the Settings function and save and use new preferences. Default COMMAND Return the original preferences. 11.2. Edit Title Page --------------------- The title page contains information about the database, like the title, the author, the copyright text, the version, the first version and if given the comment. This page is used by the showing and printing functions if the Database Title Flag is on. You can change this data by selecting the Edit Title Page Menu- item. This function opens a window which is familiar with the window used by the Edit Search Criteria function. When you have entered all data, press the OK gadget. If you want to restore the old data, press the Cancel gadget. 11.3. Edit Explanation Page --------------------------- Normally the field explanations are given already in the Field Editor, but if you want, you can edit them afterwards by using the Edit Explanation Page function. Also this function uses same kind of window like the Edit Search Criteria function, so this is enough about this function. 11.4. Reset ----------- If you want to clear all system (Data Master, not AmigaDOS) variables, call the Reset function. For example, after the use of the function the first record becomes the current record and the first field of it becomes the current field. The function also redraws the screen, so it's useful to call this function if something have messed the screen. 11.5. Status ------------ This command opens a window which is used to display some system variables, like the number of records, the current record and the block status. 11.6. Set Main Field -------------------- With this menu command you can set for the main field any one of the fields. The main field differs from the others on the screen in the fact that the field title is underlined. The purpose of the main field is that, that the record can be recognized by the main field. Appendices ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix 1 - Gadgets and Menus in the main program -------------------------------------------------- The Arrow Gadgets - - - - - - - - - |< the Numeric Keypad 7 - Go to the first record << - Rewind < NK 4 - Go to the previous record <> NK 5 - Asks where to go > NK 6 - Go to the next record >> - Forward >| NK 1 - Go to the last record H NK 9 - Go to the first field U Cursor Key Up, NK 8 - Go to the previous field D Cursor Key Down, NK 2 - Go to the next field E NK 3 - Go to the last field The Project Menu - - - - - - - - - New Database n - Open a new database Load Database l - Load the database from the disk drive Save Database s - Save the database with the old name Save As a - Save the database with the new name Field Editor f - Call the Field Editor Settings p - Change the program preferences Help y - Show this text About A - Tell about the program and the author Quit <ESC>, q - Exit the program The Edit Menu - - - - - - - Insert i - Insert a new record Delete d - Delete the current record Change h - Change the places of two records Move m - Move the current record to a new position Copy c - Copy the record data to another record Clear j - Clear the record Number of Records U - Change the Number of the Records Delete Unedited Records E - Delete the unused/unedited records The Block Menu - - - - - - - - Mark Block b - Set the block begin/end Unmark Block B - Unset the block Delete Block D - Delete the block records Change Block H - Change the block with another one Move Block M - Move the block to a new position Copy Block C - Copy the block records to another block Clear Block J - Clear the block records The Search Menu - - - - - - - - Search String S - Search for a string Search Next String N - Go to the next string searched earlier Edit Search Criteria e - Change the search criteria Show Matching Records r - Show only the matching records (or 'Show all records', a switch item) Check Again R - Check the matching records again Inverse Search Criteria v - Inverse the search criteria Delete Unmatching Records u - Delete the unmatching records The Show Menu - - - - - - - Print P - Print the database for the printer Show o - Show the database on the screen Save ASCII V - Save the database as an ASCII file Diagram g - Compare records graphically Form Editor G - Call the Form Editor The Special Menu - - - - - - - - - Set Key Fields F - Set the key fields for sorting Sort Incremental z - Sort the records in alphabetic order Sort Decremental Z - Sort the records in inversed alpha- betic order Edit Title Page t - Edit the title page Edit Explanation Page x - Edit the field explanations Show Field Explanation X - Show the field explanation Set Main Field k - Set the main field Set Step Size T - Set the step size exponent (for example, give 2, step size = 10e2=100) Status w - Show the program status Reset W - Reset the program Appendix 2 - Gadgets and Menus in the Field Editor -------------------------------------------------- The Project Menu - - - - - - - Load l - Load the field definitions file Save s - Save the field definitions with the old name Save As a - Save the field definitions with the new name Show Fields o - Show the fields as a list Help y - Give help about the Editor OK O - OK with the definitions and exit to the main program Cancel C - Cancel the definitions and exit The Edit Menu - - - - - - - Insert i - Insert a new field Delete d - Delete the current field Change h - Change the places of two fields Move m - Move the current field to a new place Copy c - Copy the definitions of the current field to another field Clear j - Clear the definitions of the current field Clear All J - Clear all field definitions Sort Incremental z - Sort the fields in alphabetic order Sort Decremental Z - Sort the fields in inversed alphabetic order Gadgets in the message window - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Number of Flds - The number of the fields Field - The current field whose definitions are displayed on the definition window Gadgets in the definition window - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Type - The field type (String, Integer, Float, Type or Boolean) Title - The field title (max. 13 characters) Explanation - The field explanations Text Length - The maximum length of text with string, type and boolean fields Min - The minimum value of a number field Max - The maximum value of a number field Number of Alts - The number of alternative texts Alt. Text No. - The alternative text number Unit - The unit of a number field Appendix 3 - Gadgets in the file functions ------------------------------------------ Directory - The open drawer File - The selected file Parent p - Return one drawer back in the root directory Cancel <ESC> - Exit without any operations Load/Save <ENTER> - Alternatively load or save Appendix 4 - Gadgets in the Edit Search Criteria, the Edit Title Page and the Edit Explanation Page functions ---------------------------------------------------------------- Clear j - Clear the current line ClearAll J - Clear all lines Cancel <ESC> - Exit canceling the changes OK O - Exit Appendix 5 - The Print, the Show and the Save ASCII functions ------------------------------------------------------------- First Record - The first record in the print-out Last Record - The last record in the print-out First Field - The first field in the print-out Last Field - The last field in the print-out Space Record - The number of empty lines between records Space Field - The number of empty lines between fields Max Length - The maximum length of the field title and explanation Max Title Len - The maximum length of the field title Field Title - Show the field title in the print-out Field Unit - Attach the unit to the field data Field Number - Attach the field number to the title Record Title - Show the record title Database Title - Show the title page Database Explanation - Show the field explanations Cancel <ESC> - Exit without any operations OK <ENTER> - Print, show or save the database Appendix 6 - Gadgets in the Diagram function -------------------------------------------- Min - The minimum value of the scale Max - The maximum value of the scale Step Size - The step size of the scale Title Length - The maximum length of the record title Field - The field used in comparision (only number fields) Sort z - Sort the records AddNumbs - Display the field values as numbers too Appendix 7 - Gadgets in the Settings function --------------------------------------------- Alphabet - The language of alphabet and the alphabet string Colours - The colour gadgets Cancel <ESC> - Exit without any operations Use O - Exit and use new settings Save&Use <ENTER> - Exit, and save and use new settings Default d - Return the default settings ShowUnit - Attach the unit to the field data ShowFNum - Attach the field number to the title Appendix 8 - Gadgets and Menus in the Form Editor ------------------------------------------------- The Project Menu - - - - - - - - - Print P - Print the database for the printer Show o - Show the database on the screen Save ASCII V - Save the database as an ASCII file Load Form Data a - Load the form data file Save Form Data A - Save the form data to the disk Exit q - Exit the Editor The Flags Menu - - - - - - Field Unit u - Attach the unit to the field data Field Number n - Attach the field number to the title Database Title t - Show the database title Database Explanation e - Show the field explanations Split Words s - Allow the program to split words on two lines Delete Empty Lines d - Delete empty lines from the print-out Field Titles Before Recs b - The field titles are showed only once and before the records Set First Record f - Set the first record Set Last Record l - Set the last record Set Record Space c - Set the number of empty lines between records Gadgets - - - - Field - The current field X, Y - The coordinates of the field data Width - The width of the field data Height - The height of the field data TitleX, TitleY - The coordinates of the field title TitleLength - The length of the field title Table of Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. What is Data Master 1.1. Data Master 1.2. Amiga system 2. Database Terms 2.1. Basics 2.2. Field types 2.3. Main field and key fields 2.4. Field title, explanation and data 3. The user interface 3.1. The screen 3.2. The message window 3.3. Gadgets of the message window 4. Getting started 4.1. Running the program 4.2. Testing 5. Editing the field data 5.1. Basics 5.2. String field 5.3. Integer and float fields 5.4. Type and boolean fields 6. Handling records 6.1. Basics 6.2. Insert 6.3. Delete 6.4. Change 6.5. Move 6.6. Copy 6.7. Clear 6.8. Number of Records 6.9. Delete Unedited Records 6.10. The Block Menu 7. Sorting and searching 7.1. Sorting 7.2. Searching for the specified record 7.2.1. Edit Search Criteria (Filter) 7.2.2. The search criteria of string, type and boolean fields 7.2.3. The search criteria of integer and float fields 7.2.4. Searching functions 7.3. Searching for a text string 8. Disk operations 8.1. File formats 8.2. Load Database 8.3. Save Database 9. Printing 9.1. Show 9.2. Print 9.3. Save ASCII 9.4. Diagram 9.5. Form Editor 9.5.1. The screen 9.5.2. Placing the field in the form 9.5.3. Flags 9.5.4. The Project Menu 10. Field Editor 10.1. Basics 10.2. The screen and the message window 10.3. Menu commands 10.4. The definition window 10.5. How to define a database? 10.6. How to change the definitions 10.6.1. Basics 10.6.2. Changing field titles and limitations 10.6.3. Changing the order of the fields 11. Other functions 11.1. Settings 11.2. Edit Title Page 11.3. Edit Explanation Page 11.4. Reset 11.5. Status 11.6. Set Main Field Appendices Appendix 1 - Gadgets and Menus in the main program Appendix 2 - Gadgets and Menus in the Field Editor Appendix 3 - Gadgets in the file functions Appendix 4 - Gadgets in the Edit Search Criteria, the Edit Title Page and the Edit Explanation Page functions Appendix 5 - The Print, the Show and the Save ASCII functions Appendix 6 - Gadgets in the Diagram function Appendix 7 - Gadgets in the Settings function Appendix 8 - Gadgets and Menus in the Form Editor Table of Contents