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Text File | 1993-07-28 | 15KB | 361 lines

********************************************************** * * * BUDDBASE 1.2 * * * * written by * * John Brain * * using AMOS the Creator * * * * updated 28/7/93 * * * * BuddBase is now Public Domain. * * * * If you find BuddBase is of use to you, please send a * * donation, however small, to the Motor Neurone Disease * * Association at : * * MNDA * * PO Box 246 * * Northhampton * * NN1 2PR * * * * Cheques payable to MNDA * ********************************************************** ************************************************************************ * * * This version of BuddBase has some minor changes. It now supports * * DF1: and DH1: * * * ************************************************************************ * Half-meg owners please note: if you use the program from workbench, * * the intro screen will load veeery sloooowly, so it's best booted. * ************************************************************************ * Hard disc owners.To install BuddBase1.2 onto hard disc please follow * * these instructions..... * * Copy these files into a drawer of your choice.. * * BuddBase1.2 * * BuddBase1.2.info * * BuddBase1.2.IFF * * BuddBase1.2.doc * * BuddBase1.2.doc.info * * * * Copy c/ppmore into your c(dir) to read the .doc file * * Copy the BBfiles directory into your root directory * ************************************************************************ Welcome to BUDDBASE 1.2, a (hopefully), simple and friendly database. It's a disc based program, lifting the restriction on users without the joys of expanded memory to accumulate a decent collection of records without getting the dreaded `Out of Memory' messages. Whilst being fairly nippy at flipping through records, it does slow down some when sorting or searching records, but is comparable to some similar commercial programs. What follows is a form of tutorial to guide the user through the various functions of the program. I hope experienced database users will forgive me if they find the instructions over simplified, as I have aimed them at the person who has little or no experience with databases. A blank, formatted disc will be needed for the `creating' part of the tutorial,though there is a sample datafile on disc for the first part. Now for the tutorial..... Except for some pull down menus, all control of the database is through a series of `buttons'. They are clickable with the mouse pointer and left mouse button, or have an associated key, shown on the button,(upper or lower case). During the tutorial, when I refer to `Pushing' a button, either click on that button, or press the associated key. After booting the disc, and following the intro screen, is your first option, to use a hard or floppy drive.... Push the `Floppy' button... Push the `DF0:' button..... Now an option to load an old datafile or create a new one. Push the `Load' button... To view datafiles on disc.. Push the `Yes' button... The sample datafile `BonsaiCare' will be seen on the screen, being the only datafile present on the disc. Again the option to view datafiles on this, or later, on other discs. Push the `No' button... Type `BonsaiCare' in the small box. For editing,the `backspace' or the left cursor key will delete characters to the left. Press and hold the `Del' key, then press the `d' key ,and this will delete the whole line. Press `return' when ready. Next screen shows a filenote. Push the `Ok' button... Next screen is the main database screen. Upper left is the file that is open. Upper right is the current record shown, and the number of records in the open datafile. The left hand column shows the field names, and at the bottom are ten control `buttons'. The `buttons' marked `Prev', (previous), `Next', `First', and `Last' are used to flip through the records, the cursor keys can be used for this, the arrows on the `buttons' indicating which cursor key. Have a play with these, clicking on the `buttons' or using the cursor keys. We'll leave the `Add' and `Edit' for the creating part of the tutorial. The `Delete' button will delete the current, on screen record. This option is reversable. Push the `Goto' button... Type in a number in the box and press `return'. The record will now be shown on screen. --------------------------------------------------------------- Push the `Find' button... This `search' option allows you to search through all the records for a particular text string or a range of numbers. Push the `String' button... Pass the mouse pointer over the datafields. As you will see, the datafields are highlighted individually as the pointer passes over them. Highlight the second field down, fieldname `Propagation' ,and click with the left mouse button. This is the search field. Push the `Yes' button... If you now type in `Seed' in the box, all records with `Seed' in this field will be found. If you type in `seed', all records with `seed' in this field will be found. If you had chosen `No' in the case dependency panel, then all records with `Seed' and `seed' in this field would be found. This gives some degree of selectivity on text string searching. After typing in the search string `Seed', press the `return' key, and the program will search all records and you will be told how many records have been found. Push the`Ok' button... The `found' records can be edited, deleted, viewed, and printed. Now leave the `search' mode.... Push the `Find' button... We'll leave number searching function for the creating part of the tutorial. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Push the `Sort' button... This option allows you to sort records alphabetically or numerically. Numeric and text sorts are most efficient when the field selected for sorting contain only numbers or only text. The program will do it's best to sort mixed fields, but they will not be sorted efficiently. Push the `Text' button... Select the field on which you wish your records to be sorted. Push the `No' button... The records are now sorted temporarily. If you want a permanent, on disc sort, push the `Yes' button. Records temporarily sorted can be viewed and printed. When ready... Push the `Sort' button... ---------------------------------------------------------------- Creating a Datafile... Remove the BuddBase disk from the drive and replace it with a blank, formatted disk, or at least a disk with some space on it. Select `Create new file' from the pull down menu under `File commands'. Push the `Yes' buttton... Push the `Floppy' button... Type your Datafile title in the box (up to 20 characters), for an example, type in the title as `Birthdays', and press return. Choose 6 fields and press return. If you require a filenote, type it in the box, up to 78 characters, and press `return'. For field 1 type `Name' " " 2 " `Address' " " 3 " `Address2' " " 4 " `Address3' " " 5 " `Birthdate' " " 6 " `Age in Years' The next screen gives you the chance to correct or change the fieldnames. Push the `No' button... Passing the mouse over the fieldnames will highlight them. Highlight the field 2, `Address', and click the left mouse button. This fieldname is now shown in the edit box, and can now be edited. Add `1' to the end of `Address' and press `return'. Push the `Yes' button... Push the `Yes' button... You now have the chance to select the position of the fieldnames on the main database screen, left, centre, or right. Highlight your preferred position with the mouse pointer, and click the left mouse button. Now the choice of the field data position, left or centre. Repeat selection as above. The filenote is now shown. Push the `Ok' button... At the main database screen.... Push the `Add' button... Field number 1 is highlighted, and you can now type in your data, up to 60 characters per field, and press `return'. The next field is highlighted, and so on, until the record is complete. Only use numbers in field 6, so we can try the numeric search later. (For this example datafile, try using the names, addresses, birthdates and ages of friends and family, and build up a datafile of of birthdays to remember. Then, towards the end of each month, e.g. June, you can `search' the 'Birthdate' field for the string `July', and all the birthdays in July will be ready for you to view.) The record is now saved to disc, and you are told of the number of records that you can save to disc, given that it is approximately the same size as the record just saved. This is just a guide, so if possible, try not squeezing the very last record on to a disc. Push the `Ok' button... --------------------------------------------------------- When you've added a few records and you wish to edit a field.. Push the `Edit' button... Highlight the field you wish to edit with the mouse pointer and click with the left mouse button. You can now edit this field using the left cursor key or the backspace key to delete characters to the left, or to delete the whole line, press and hold the `Del' key, and then press the `d' key. After editing, press the `return' key and your record will be resaved to disc. Now a numeric search... Push the `Find' button... Push the `Number' button... Select field number 6, the `Age in Years' field. Enter a search number and press `return', e.g. 20. You now have a choice of five search limits, (F1-F5 are function keys). Selecting ` < ' will find all records with a number less than, but not including, the search number, i.e. 19 or less. Selecting ` <= ' will find all records with a number less than and equal to the search number, i.e. 20 or less. Selecting ` = ' will find all records with a number equal to the search number, i.e. 20. Selecting ` >= ' will find all records with a number greater than and equal to the search number, i.e. 20 or more. Selecting ` > ' will find all records with a number greater than, but not including, the search number, i.e. 21 or more. After selecting your search limit by clicking on a `button' or pressing one of the first five function keys.... Push the `No' button... The records will now be temporarily sorted, and can be viewed or printed. --------------------------------------------------------- Now for printing.... Push the `Find' button... You are now back in normal access mode. You could now reload the `BonsaiCare' datafile for this part, selecting `Load file' from the pull down menu, under `File Commands'. After reloading `BonsaiCare', select `Print' from the pull down menu, again under `File Commands'. Push the `Yes' button... Make sure your printer is connected, on, and ready to receive data. Push the `Ok' button... You now have a choice whether to print the current record or all of the records (in `Find' mode, `all' records refer to the records that have been found). Push the `Current' button... Here you have the option to print all or selected fields. Push the `Select' button... Pass the mouse pointer over the fields. As before, these are highlighted. To select which fields you want printed, highlight the field, and click with the left mouse button. Continue selecting until you are happy, and, as the last message instructed, press the `return' key. The selected fields in the current record will now be printed. (You can select the fields in any order, e.g 1, 5, 3, but they will be printed in order as shown on the current record, e.g. 1, 3, 5.) Try the other print options in different combinations. --------------------------------------------------------- To `Quit' from the program, select `Quit' from the pull down menu, or press the `Esc' key. When using the pull down menu under `Help', to clear the information, press any mouse button. --------------------------------------------------------- I do hope that the above instructions will help you get a good start with the database, and that the database will be of use to you. John Brain