AMOS PD CD/amospdcd.iso/351-375/apd358/address.doc

Text File | 1991-10-06 | 7KB | 128 lines

        Documentation for ADDRESS.AMOS - Written by Kevin E.A. Hall
        ===========================================================
                  (With assistance from Peter Cartwright)

This was written purely because I kept losing my fellow AMOS hacker Peter
Cartwright's address, and was getting fed up with it. I had an old routine
that 'pressed' graphic buttons in when clicked on and Pete had very kindly
helped me out with a bug I'd had with it, so I decided to use it in an
address book program.

This program is PD, all I ask is the usual waffle of 'Leave my name in as
original author if you change the program' and also leave the documentation
complete if you should upload this program into a BBS.

How to use it
=============

I've implemented mouse use as much as possible. The only essential keyboard
input needed is for the actual data entry and the need to press a key after
using the mouse to select a record to jump to. Due to suggestions by Pete
Cartwright V1.2b onwards have an extended keyboard option. (EKO)

I have written the data entry so that moving the mouse off a button will
automatically end your input (But will retain input so far - not clear it)
There is no need to hit return, but you can if you want.
When you've finished filling up a field you can move the mouse pointer onto
the next field to finish input and press the left mouse button to select that
new field. The current selected field will also automatically cut input if
you have filled it with the maximum allowed number of characters.
EKO is brought in by selecting a field with the mouse, and then using purely
the keyboard to enter records. You hit either the RETURN key or fill the field
with data and the program will automatically select the next field and 'move'
the cursor into it ready for data input.
The option to move the mouse off the field and enter data into other fields
first is always available for data entry. (As is EKO)

After you have filled all the fields you want to on a record, you must click
on the ADD button at the bottom of the screen, unless you are using EKO
whereas ADD will be selected for you when you finish with the last field.
The first field of the next record will now become active.

Using the mouse on the ADD button also applies if you are altering a record,
only more so. A very quick and dirty way I found to stop a bug that kept
happening when altering records was to turn off both the menus and EKO until
ADD had been selected. Therefore if you select ALTER from the menu, you have
to click the mouse on each field you wish to change. (Sorry, but i've always
been a hacker and no doubt always will!)

For V1.2a, I added the ability to enter phone numbers, however due to the
screen size I didn't have enough room left on screen to fit a nice graphic
phone number button. (Unless I did a major rewrite and I ask you honestly
would it be worth it?!) So the result was an extra menu option that lets you
enter phone numbers. The plus side of doing it from menus means that phone
numbers can be changed at almost any time. The minus is that you can't change
them when you have chosen 'ALTER' from the records menu!
Yeah I know, I'm weird - But what the hell!

If you totally fill up the address book (Set to 100) a window will open
telling you so and then the save data file requester will come up.
After the file has saved, the program will give you the choice to reset.
for you to continue with a new book, or to leave it, enabling you to look
through your book. And although data can be typed into record 101 it
cannot be added to the address book and the record will revert back to record
100 after each attempt to add data to record 101. I put that in to get the
fact across that when I say your book is full I really mean it is FULL!
If you need to change entries in a full book, it can be loaded as normal
and you will have access to everything except the option to ADD it.
(Unless you are either using ALTER then add will work for those records only
 or if you first delete some records - You can then add back to 100 again)

The records menu allows full control over selecting or changing records.
(and it was the easiest to write so it's the bit i'm happiest with!)
You can also, by using the left and right arrow keys, quickly advance
or go back a record. By keeping the key pressed you can rapidly skip
though a database.

The search option has been upgraded a lot from V1.1. Before it used to stop
at the first matched string and then show that record. Now it displays all
matched strings found in a window, along with the record number and after
you have pressed the left mouse button will display the first record found.
All subsequent left button presses will show the next record found. This
continues until it has displayed all matched records, or you attempt to
select a menu option.
V1.2b onwards will find all matched strings regardless of case.

Good ol' Pete came back with some suggestions after using V1.2a and I have
implemented all of them.
Pete had pointed out the iffy case coding in the search, and as mentioned
above it has been corrected.
He also pointed out a flaw in record entry. It would allow you to enter blank
records - It now needs a minimum of forename, surname and address line 1.
Pete also wanted to see a cursor when entering data, this has been included
(Mainly 'cos it was so easy to do - And not a Curs On in sight!)
The biggest request that Pete made, and caused me the most hassle, was EKO.

Also thanks must go to Pete for solving a Load/Save problem I'd had, by
writing the routine that the ADDRESS.AMOS program uses.
I have also added a short line that will add a .DAT onto the end of the file
if a file extension is not put in your save filename. All saves and loads
expect the filename to have a .DAT extension, so they're set to only show
you files that have a .DAT extension. It's a good habit to get into!
One point - Do not include commas into your data you input into a record.
Because of the way Pete's routine works, a comma will confuse it no end.

This program took about ten evenings (off and on) to write.

This should be the final version. I really do have better things to do in an
evening you know!!

I can be contacted at this address:

127 Buckingham Road
Norwich, Norfolk
NR4 7DF

Or by Email on CIX :  kevinhall

Kevin Eric Anthony Hall (Laugh and die!)
Irrelevant Software
(We're not just irrelevant - We're useless too.)
19th September 1991

Irrelevant Software - Writers of all things irrelevant on :
DEC VAX, IBM PC, C= Amiga, Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad CPC.

Shut up Ken, I'm not going to tell them about your Oric 1...