FILE CABINET is an information storage and retrieval system that can be used for such diverse applications as mailing lists, phone directories, car service schedules, financial/chequebook assistance, and serial numbers of personal possessions.
INSTRUCTIONS
When you RUN this Applesoft BASIC program for the first time on a new disk, you will be asked to name your first database file. Give it a name that will help you remember the contexts of the file later (up to 6 letters, no commas or colons). For example, if you wish to create a list of telephone numbers, you could give it the name "PHONES".
You can conceive of the format of a FILE CABINET database by thinking of the information that you would like to store in rows and columns. Each column represents an item or field (eg. a NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER). Each row represents a separate entry or record (eg. James Black, 47 Buchanan, 555-1212).
Next you will be asked for the HEADER FOR COLUMN NUMBER 1. As you add records to your new database file, the different items of information will appear in various appropriate columns. At the top of each column is the column's name, or header. HEADER FOR COLUMN 1: is a request to name the first data column for all subsequent records in this database. For instance, you might respond with a column name such as "NAME". You will continue to be prompted for additional column headers until you press <RETURN> as the only response. A possible example is as follows:
HEADER FOR COLUMN 1: NAME
HEADER FOR COLUMN 2: STREET ADDRESS
HEADER FOR COLUMN 3: CITY
HEADER FOR COLUMN 4: STATE/PROVINCE
HEADER FOR COLUMN 5: ZIP CODE
HEADER FOR COLUMN 6: PHONE NUMBER
HEADER FOR COLUMN 7: COMMENT
HEADER FOR COLUMN 8: <Press RETURN here, to end column names>
You will next be presented with a "menu" of further options:
1. SELECT DATA BASE
2. SEARCH AND/OR CHANGE DATA
3. ADD RECORDS
4. DELETE RECORDS
5. REPORT
6. SORT
7. TURN ON PRINTER
8. TURN OFF PRINTER
9. LIST DATA BASE
10. QUIT
As well, at the top of the page is some information about available memory and such.
The following is an explanation of each option in detail:
1. SELECT DATA BASE
This option displays for you a list of the available database files and gives yuo the option of selecting an existing database, starting a new database, or deleting a database. NOTE: A database, once deleted, cannot be recovered!
2. SEARCH AND/OR CHANGE DATA
Here you have a chance to locate Aunt Sally's phone number - or update it to reflect her move to Miami Beach.
SEARCHING:
The Apple will display a numbered list of categories under which you might wish to search. The list starts with RECORD NUMBER, and then continues through the various column headers (such as NAME or PHONE NUMBER).
If you want to look at a particular record, and you know its record number, type a 0. When you press <RETURN>, the Apple will ask you to type the number of the record you wish to see.
If, on the other hand, you want your Apple to search through the database for a certain key word, type the number for the column which should contain that word. In the above example, you might type a 1, to specify the column headed NAME. When you press <RETURN>, the Apple will ask you to type the NAME that you want to find: SALLY. You do not have to type a full NAME: as any character or series of characters, including numbers, may be searched for. However, the search will find the specified characters only if they are the FIRST characters of that column's entry. When you press <RETURN> this time, the Apple will display all the records in which the NAME entry begins with the characters SALLY. (Note that the Apple distinguished between upper and lower case. Searching for "SALLY" will not find "Sally".) Finally, you will be asked to choose between 1) do more searches, and 2) make changes. To return to the main menu, press <RETURN>.
CHANGING DATA:
One of the selections listed under the SEARCH will be MAKE CHANGES. Type the number of this selection if you wish to modify any of the data in your file. You will be asked first to specify the record number, then to specify the column number, and finally to make the necessary change. (NOTE: You MUST know the record number of the item you wish to change. If you don't know this number, use the SEARCH feature to find the appropriate record. Each searched-for record will be displayed along with its record number.)
3. ADD RECORDS
This is the one you've been waiting for... entering data. As you add data, the Apple will ask you to enter something under each of the headers you specified when you created the file. In our example above, the Apple will first ask for the NAME, then the STREET ADDRESS, then the CITY, and so forth. Simply type the information and press <RETURN>. Remeber that the Apple's INPUT statement will ignore everything after a comma or a colon if those characters appear in the middle of the string of data which is being input from the keyboard. At the end of each new record, you will be given the choice of returning to the main menu or continuing to add more new data records.
4. DELETE RECORDS
With this command, you can delete whole records within your database. As you delete records, the remaining records are renumbered to maintain the order. For example, if you delete record number 1, record number 2 becomes record number 1, record number 3 becomes number 2, and so on.
5. REPORT
Now that you have all of you data typed in, you would like to be able to print it out nicely, right? Right! REPORT is just the command you're looking for.
When you first use REPORT, you will be asked if you wish to create a report format file. Answer NO and you will return to the main menu. Answer YES and you will begin the first part of REPORT: the design phase. You will be given a list of the column headers used in the current database. Specify the total number of headers you wish to have printed. In other words, if you wish only NAMES and PHONE NUMBERS to be printed, type 2.
Now for each column to be printed, you must specify:
a) The number of that column's header.
b) The tab position where the printing of that column should start. (This must be a number from 1. the left edge, up to the character width of your printer. This number must not exceed 132.)
c) Do you wish the column's numbers added, with a grand total printed on the bottom line? (If this column does not contain numberic data, you should answer "N" for No.)
Finally, you will be asked to specify the tab position for printing a column of HORIZONTAL totals. After each record, this column will show the sum of all the numbers from that record which you specified for vertical summation. If you simply press <RETURN>, this last column will not be printed.
Reports are difficult to do properly the first time. Trying it once will give you a better idea of how to set the format for best appearance.
Next you must specify which parts of your database you wish printed. You will be asked, "SELECT RECORDS BY WHICH HEADER?". To select ALL entries in the database, simply press <RETURN>. To print out only a PORTION of the database, respond as if you were setting up a SEARCH. For instance, you might type the number for the header CITY. When you press <RETURN>, the Apple will first ask you to specify a SECOND HEADER. Press <RETURN> to ignore this option. Then the Apple will ask you to type the character or characters it is to look for under the column headed CITY. You might type the word MIAMI BEACH, as shown below:
SELECT RECORDS WHERE CITY= MIAMI BEACH
The Apple will then print out all the records in which the CITY entry BEGINS with the characters "MIAMI BEACH".
If you do not immediately press <RETURN> in response to the request for a SECOND HEADER, you can specify a second header and select records by TWO keys. For instance, you could print only those records that contain MIAMI BEACH listed under CITY and RELATIVE listed under COMMENTS.
6. SORT
You can sort your data file based on any key. Enter the header that you want the sort based on. Entering NAME, for instance, will order your database so that all the records are in alphabetical order by name.
If there are items that you would prefer sorted numberically, instead of alphabetically, a numberic sort option is provided. The numeric sort uses the VAL(X) function to determine the actual value of the data string. This means that 55C21 will be treated as the number 55, because VAL only evaluates the first characters, stopping at the first non-numeric character. Any string that does not have a digit in the first location will evaluate to zero.
7. TURN ON PRINTER
After this command, the Apple will prompt you for the character width of your printer (40, 80 or 132 column) and will adjust the output accordingly. With the printer option on, any command that normally causes output to be displayed on the screen (such as PRINT or LIST) will also send that output to the printer.
8. TURN OFF PRINTER
Turns off the printer option, so that the Apple's output is sent only to the monitor.
9. LIST
LIST will display and print the entire contents of the current database file, one item per line. If the printer option is not on, only one screen-full will be displayed at a time. Pressing <RETURN> will cause the listing to continue.
10. QUIT
Quitting will return you softly back to Applesoft BASIC. We hope you have enjoyed your trip...
