ARES/Data Input Help File    INPUT.HLP

  ARES/Data has four input fields plus a message field.
  Enter the four fields and any message, in order, with separators
  between the fields.  The only valid separator is the comma.  Within
  a field, leading and trailing blanks are ignored, but imbedded
  blanks ARE significant.  If no value is desired for a particular
  field, just skip the field by adding an extra comma.

Syntax:
  field1,field2,field3,field4,message<cr>

    (<cr> means carriage return)

Details:
  1.  FIELD1 - FIELD4

  The four fields are totally general.  Each can have up to 20
  characters, with imbedded blanks.  Entries can be in upper
  or lower case, or a mixture, but are converted to UPPER case
  before being stored in the database.  The meaning of each field is
  defined in real-time by the ARES officials, depending upon the
  nature of the event.  The sysop can issue a "labels" command that
  will give specific names to each of the four fields to help the
  operators remember what they mean.  Similarly, the remote packet
  operator can type "labels<cr>" to see the current label definitions.

  2.  MESSAGE

  MESSAGE is a free-form field that can be up to 72 characters long.
  It could contain a message, a phone number, an address, or other
  information deemed useful for the incident.

  3.  EXAMPLES OF DATA INPUT

        smith, jack, 555-1212, shelter4, home addr 650 Henry Rd<cr>
        jones, mary, 555-9901, shelter1<cr>

  All of the input information is stored in the database
  as a record of the status and location of a particular person,
  place, or thing at a particular time and date.  The time and date
  and call of the person entering the data are added automatically by
  the ARES/Data program.  Further STATUS INPUT packets for the same
  person, place, or thing will also be saved in the database.  The time
  and date and origin (at the beginning of the message field) will
  identify the most recent information.

  4.  Responses

  The ARES/Data Database will acknowledge your input, along with the
  time of the entry, and that record's RECORD NUMBER.  For example:

    1450: data input accepted, #234.

  or, by sending an error message requiring a re-entry.

  To get information about how to DELETE or UPDATE records, use the
  command GET CHANGE.HLP.
