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1978-01-22
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165 lines
DBM IV 2.0ß - ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
-------------------------------------
***********
* *
* PREFACE *
* *
***********
My dear fellow Amiga lovers,
The programm you're about to test is not an ordinary one. It's the products of
three years' work. Now there is one slight problem. As you will test it, it
won't seem to you as I have invested three years of work in it, though I did. I
started programming the DBaseMaganer in the spring of 1993. That time, I started
off (please don't laugh) in AmigaBasic. Please forgive me. Before programming it
on Amiga's, a similar version was created by me for PC's. Fortunately, not long
after I kicked off, HiSoft Basic appeared. So, I recoded a great deal of the
programm and went on in HiSoft (which also included a compiler, a big
advantage). However, HiSoft had some backdraws. It didn't give me the freedom I
requered.
With AMOS came the solution. I loved the AMOS editor system, including a
compiler, and within months I had created a full-working system; including
creating/searching/output/index facilities. Still, this was not enough. In AMOS,
I used a special "library" of procedures to create WB 2.0/3.0 lookalike windows
and dialog boxes. The results were quite nice, but not that fast as they should
be and quite demanding, regarding memory. With AMOS_Pro, I decided not to
convert the old programm, but to rewrite it entirely. Why?
Firstly, I did so, because AMOS_Pro (in contrast to AMOS) has a lot of interface
commands available. In AMOS I had to design things which were already, more
efficiently, designed in AMOS_Pro.
Secondly, after two and a half years of programming, my source code became vague
and unorganised. As I never though I'd come this far, I never bothered
commenting my source, nor organising it in a way I could explain myself what it
did, let's say, two months after I wrote it.
Thirdly, I was not quite satisfied with several formats I used for included
files. I wanted less memory consumption, more speed, more flexibility and less
disc space consumption. These four sometimes contradict each other and it's
sometimes hard to find a compromise. I had to find new, better compromises.
The programm you're about to test, is far from complete. You cannot even create
a DBase. But: you can edit one (I've included an example) and you can judge the
general outline and principles of the DBaseManager.
I hope you will test the things you can test and write me all your comments.
What went wrong? What errors did occur? What things did you like? What things
did you hate? I realise testing may be a little difficult because the DBM is
largely CLI structured and the HELP function is not yet implimented. Though,
with the coming text, I temporarily "replace" the (yet to be implimented) help
function.
Please write all your comments to JBC at the X-Files BBS (070-3253901) or to
jbc@dds.nl.
Thanks in advance and good luck!
Jaap van den Bos, lead programmer
********************
* *
* Acknowledgements *
* *
********************
I wish to thank Alex van Niel for his continuing support and software supply and
Fred Teunissen for his help with indexfiles and sorting them
**************
* *
* Installing *
* *
**************
Unpack the archive to a hard disc section (floppy disc is possible, but slows
down the entiry process enormeously). Assign the device DBM: to the section
containing the DBM IV 2.0ß file. Then, start it up!
*******************
* *
* General Outline *
* *
*******************
When the DBM has started up, you'll see a license window. Ignore it. Wait a few
seconds and it will disappear. Then you'll see a CLI window. Typing a command
will result in it's execution. The shown buttons can also be selected by "ESC"
(cancel) ALT+ENTER (ok) and HELP (help) [please note that no HELP-function has
been implimented yet]. All commands can be given, regardless of uppercase/
lowercase. Commands are seperated by their parameters by at least one space.
While running the DBM, you can switch between DBM and other programms by
pressing: [left aminga+a]. The example DBase is a DBase of my records, music
casettes and CDs. Some fields have special input requirements and you will see
that they don't accept certain keys, or handle them in a special way. This is
normal, so don't worry. The DBM accepts special types of fields to fasciliate
the storage of dates, times, yes/no switches etc. Not all of them are
implimented in the example DBase.
*************
* *
* Command's *
* *
*************
* OPEN_DBASE
* syntax : od "name of the DBase"
open_dbase "name of the DBase"
* desciption: open DBase ???. You can now edit it, modify it etc. Only one DBase
can be opened at a time. Opening a DBase will automatically close an already
opened one. Omitting the parameter will result in a requester.
* CLOSE_DBASE
* syntax : cd
close_dbase
* description: close_dbase closes the current DBase. Any information in memory
buffers will be written to disc.
* QUIT
* syntax : quit
* description: exits the programm. A CD command is performed automatically
* EDIT_RECORD
* syntax : edit_record [parameter1][,parameter2][,parameter3] (etc)
er [parameter1][,parameter2][,parameter3] (etc)
* description: edit a record, and (on pressing OK) write the contents to the
file. If necessary, index files are adapted. Pressing "ESC" will stop the entire
editing procedure and the record you were editting will not be saved. It will
result in going back to the DBM CLI again.
[parameter] can be one of the following:
1) rec# : one record number, edit one record
2) rec#1-rec#2 : edit a series of records, from rec#1 to rec#2
3) rec#1-rec#2 s7 : as above, using "steps" of 7 records
4) NEW : edit new records
Omitting parameters will result in a requester giving you options 1,2 and 4.
* CHANGE FIELD
* Syntax : change_field "field#","operation"[,"new value"]
cf "field#","operation"
* description: it changes the look/characteristics of data fields in your DBase.
operation can be one of the following:
XC Change the X-coordinate of the field to "new value"
YC As above, but for the Y-coordinate.
INDEX Create an indexfile, no "new value" required
*****************
* *
* Final remarks *
* *
*****************
I know, I know, it's not even possible to search records... I will provide
functions for it later. It's just a beta version, so you can say whether I'm on
the right way or not. Please let me know.