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PAFEMPTY.INF
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╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Information About PAFEMPTY - From File PAFEMPTY.INF ║
╟──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╢
║ PAF Review - Edition 93.2 - April 1993 ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Prepares a PAF database for the accurate use of the Focus feature
on "EMPTY" date fields.
Version: 1.0
Author: Ann Turner
Address: 418 Gilbert, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Version Date: February 1993
BBS File Name: PAFEMP.ZIP, PAFEMP10.ZIP
Software Type: Shareware
Fee: no set amount - $4.00 to order from author
Read/Write: Updates PAF database
The 5 Aug 1991 update of PAF 2.2 includes the ability to Focus on
fields which contain no data. Just enter "EMPTY" in the field on
the Focus search screen. As an example, this can be useful to make
a list of all records without birth dates. There is a quirk in
PAF's DATE fields, however. If the cursor has passed through the
field during data entry, Focus does not consider the field to be
empty. Nothing appears on the data entry screen or on reports, but
PAF has modified one of the bytes in the record, replacing an
ASCII 00 with an ASCII 02.
This invisible byte has no apparent use. Its position in the date
field is normally occupied by "date modifier" codes for "abt",
"bef" or "aft"; the 02 code means there is no modifier. Since
there is no date, the modifier has no function. This does not
interfere with most PAF functions, but it does hurt PAF's ability
to find records with empty date fields, because there is
"something" there (02) instead of "nothing" (00).
PAFEMPTY simply replaces the ASCII 02 with an ASCII 00 in the four
date fields, if the field is otherwise empty. A status report
shows the number of records examnined and the number of changes
made. You should run PAFEMPTY just prior to a PAF session where
you plan to focus on empty date fields just in case you have
edited some records and the cursor has passed through some empty
date fields.
The documentation for PAFEMPTY also includes some brief but useful
notes on using the PAF Focus feature.