CP/M/CPM_CDROM.iso/enterprs/cpm/utils/s/trisoft1.lbr/HELP.3Z/HELP.3

Text File | 1992-11-06 | 15.0 KB | 450 lines

+ 1 DB
               *  Relational DataBase Management Help Menu  *



            Commands                                    Starting Out
     .........................         .....................................
     |  UPDATE     ORDER     |         |  DBM     ||  DataBase Management  |
     |  SELECT     GROUP     |         |  RECORD  ||  Record Definition    |
     |  SET        COMPLETE  |         |  FORM    ||  Form   Definition    |
     |.......................|         |  RULES   ||  Rules  Definition    |
                                       |  EQ      ||  Rule  Equations      |
                                       |..........||.......................|


     Getting Around A DataBase                     Other Stuff
.....................................  .....................................
|  DBKS  || DataBase Keystrokes     |  |  CDB    || Changing DB Structure  |
|  RR    || Revising Records        |  |  RG     || Report Generation      |
|  SE    || Searching a DataBase    |  |  LINK   || Linking DataBases      |
|........||.........................|  |.........||........................|
+ 1 UPDATE
1/1 WHAT NEXT?  <UPDATE>


UPDATE  is  used to input or revise information into a database.

UPDATE will allow you to use almost all of your standard editing
keystrokes only in the areas as defined in the FORM  and  RECORD
DEFINITION -that is, in the FIELD areas between the {  and   } .



<CTRL-Q>    Exit T/Maker UPDATE Editor




Warning:  T/Maker will not automatically  save your  update.  To
SAVE your UPDATE session, leave the editor and type: SAVE
+ 2 DBM
A DATABASE is nothing more than a structured way of storing information, and
is very similar to a filing cabinet.

We  will use  the  EDIT  command  to  build  our  electronic  filing system.

After our electronic filing cabinet "structure" is built,  we'll use  UPDATE
to enter  &  view information in file records.

............................................................................

A  T/Maker database is made up of many RECORDS.

1) The RECORD DEFINITION describes the information you wish to file & store-
   an "example" record of sorts. (Pieces of information are called "fields".)

        * Every database must have a Record Definition.

2) A FORM DEFINITION allows you to personally create Record-viewing screens.

3) A RULES DEFINITION allows you to perform math on and between data fields.
+ 2 RECORD
RECORD DEFINITION    ( How Information is stored within T/Maker )


*  A  Record Definition always begins with ... <RECORD>
                    and always ends   with ... <END>

*  " Fields " are placed in between these two markers.
   A  Record Definition  can contain up to 100  different Fields.

                             *  "Fields" are surrounded by BRACES
..........................      and are up to 80 characters wide.
|Example: Address Record |
|........................|   *  Every line begins with a  unique,
|<RECORD>                |      two digit line label or number.
|01 {lastname         }  |
|02 {firstname        }  |   *  Every line in a Record Def'n gets
|03 {address          }  |      a line label, even blank lines.
|04 {zip}                |
|<END>                   |
|........................|     (See  FIELDS for more on Fields)
+ 2 FORM
FORM DEFINITION   ( How Information is viewed on the screen )


While the Record Definition describes the basic storage layout of information,
the  FORM DEFINITION  allows us to present  our  Records  on the screen in any
order, manner, and design we wish.


*  A Form Definition always begins  with ...  <FORM>
                  and  always ends  with ...  <END>

*  Fields can be placed  anywhere  on the screen.

*  A FORM can be a maximum of:   80 characters wide and 24 rows long.

*  You can attach up to  7  different  FORMS to one database.

*  A Form Definition is defined before the Rules and Record Definitions.

*  You can insert as much "design-text" as you wish.
+
<FORM>
......................... EXAMPLE ADDRESS CARD ........................

 Last Name: {lastname }   FirstName: {firstname}

 Address: {address             }

 City: {city                }     State: {state}    Zip Code: {zip}
.......................................................................
<END>

<RECORD>
01 {lastname }
02 {firstname}
03 {address             }
04 {city                }
05 {state}
06 {zip}
<END>
+ 2 RULES
RULES DEFINITION  ( Math Relationship between fields )


We can turn our database in to a  type of  "spreadsheet"  by defining
"RULES" between different FIELDS in our database.

The RULES DEFINITION expresses the relationships that we want to SET.

The SET command "sets" the RULES in motion.
                                                  A RULES DEFINITION:
...................................
| Example: Calculating Sales Tax  |    * Always begins with...<RULES>
|.................................|
|<RULES>                          |    * Always ends   with ...<END>
|Tax = (Quantity * Price) * 0.065 |
|Total = (Quantity * Price) + Tax |    * Always is defined:
|<END>                            |        Before a Record Definition
|.................................|        After  a Form Definition.

  (See SET for more on command; See EQ for more on Rules Equations)
+ 2 EQ
RULE EQUATIONS


A  "RULE"  will  define  or  calculate  the  value  of  a  Field  in relation
to other Fields in a database.  A rule is "SET" in motion by the SET command.

Defining  a  "relationship"  is  just like  writing  a  simple  (or  complex)
formula on a chalkboard.

        *  The following operators may be used for Rule Equations  *
.............................................................................
 +   addition        |   <   less than     |   <=   less  than  or  equal to
 -   subtraction     |   >   greater than  |   >=   greater than or equal to
 *   multiplication  |   =   equal to      |
 /   division        |  <>   not equal to  |
.....................|.....................|.................................
  contains    e.g. "the" contains "h"    |   not    logical "not"
  within      e.g. "h" within "the"      |   and    logical "and"
  among       e.g. "A" among " A  B"     |   or     logical "or"
.........................................|...................................
+ 3 WHEN
WHEN STATEMENTS

A WHEN statement allows you to "selectively" calculate database
RULES "if" certain conditions or criteria are met.

The WHEN condition is the "situation" that  must be  "true"  in
order to carry out the first part of the equation.


<RULES>
   Price 9,999.99 = Price
   Tax = (Qty * Price) * 0.065   WHEN State =  CA
   Tax = 0                       WHEN State <> CA
   Total 999,999 = (Qty * Price) + Tax + Shipping
   Comment = "Great Sale!"  WHEN Total > 1000
<END>


NOTES: That we can specify "format" and "accuracy" of numerical
       fields by putting a "Model Number" after the field name.
+ 2 SET
1/1 WHAT NEXT?   <SET>




SET "sets" in motion the numeric or character equations as defined
in the RULES DEFINITION.





            ( See  RULES  for Rules Examples )
+ 2 FIELDS
DATABASE FIELDS

A FIELD is a piece of information.  It is defined by a FIELD NAME
surrounded  by  BRACES.

Field Justifiers can be placed anywhere between the  {  and   } .
.....
| > |  Defines  numerical field  and is right justified.
| < |  Defines  character field  and is left  justified.
| - |  This symbol will  center  information in a field.
|...|
If you do not specify a field "type", the default is:

(1) a char field,   or  (2) To the previously defined field type.

Examples:

{<lastname}     is char field for last name and is 10 chars wide.

{>total}    is numeric field for value total and is 8 chars wide.
+ 2 DBKS
* T/MAKER DATABASE KEYSTROKES *

<ESC>  >      Insert Record
<ESC>  <      Delete Record

<ESC> <up>    Record Up
<ESC><down>   Record Down

<ESC> <A>     Move to First Record
<ESC> <Z>     Move to Last  Record

<CTRL-P>      Advance to Next Word
<TAB>         Advance to Next Field
<ESC> <TAB>   Previous Field

<ENTER>       First Field, Next Line
<ESC> <ENTER> Next Record, First Field
+
CHANGING SCREEN FORMS

You can display data with up to 7 different types of Screen Forms.

<ESC> <F>    Scrolls through each Form Definition.

................................................
|<FORM>                                        |   * Example: Name Entry *
|       Form 1: Enter First Name: {firstname}  |
|<END>                                         |     In UPDATE Mode, type:
|                                              |
|<FORM>                                        |     [ESC] F to view FORM 2,
|       Form 2: Enter Last Name : {lastname }  |     [ESC] F to return to 1.
|<END>                                         |
|                 .............................|
|<RECORD>         |
|01 {firstname}   |
|02 {lastname }   |
|<END>            |
|.................|
+ 2 RR
*  INSERTING & DELETING & MOVING & COPYING RECORDS  *


<ESC>  >   Insert A Record    (Inserts a blank Record)


<ESC>  <   Delete A Record    (Deletes the currently displayed Record)


<CTRL-F>   Copy to the Buffer
                                             NOTE:
                                                The Buffer will only
<CTRL-G>   Move to the Buffer                   hold  one   complete
                                                record.   Also,  the
                                                Buffer automatically
<CTRL-D>   Insert (Dump) Buffer                 empties   when   you
                                                exit the UPDATE mode.

<CTRL-C>   Clear Buffer
+ 2 SE
SEARCHING A DATABASE



<ESC> <'>    Search for a string


<ESC> <&>    Continue the search





Note:  Always Home the Screen before searching a database.
+ 2 SELECT
1/1 WHAT NEXT?   <SELECT>

SELECT  allows  you to extract particular information from  a  database.

 Options:
   *  FILE-NAME  (or choose IT when SELECTing from  current work space.)
   *  LIST       (To list all  possible Field Names you can  SELECT  on).
   *  WHEN       (SELECT conditionally - that is, using WHEN statement.)

                 ( See help topic WHEN for more information.)
............................................................................
Example:

1/1 WHAT NEXT?    SELECT IT WHEN REGION = West and REVENUES > 5500 END


NOTE:  SELECT "cuts out" the un-SELECTED records from current work space.
Therefore,  never  do a SAVE after a SELECT unless you RENAME the current
work space first (else you will lose the "temporarily" discarded Records).
+ 2 CDB
CHANGING A DATABASE


Accomplish changes to the structure of a database by using the SELECT Command.


    Step-by-Step:

1)  Make sure you have the database SAVEd on disk.

2)  GET database file and jump into the editor.  Make appropriate
    changes to the  Record Definition  and  Forms Definition.

3)  Move your cursor to the <END> line of  Record Definition, and
    Exit the Editor.   ( <END>  should be at Top of your Screen.)

4)  Type:    CLIP AFTER  1/1

5)  Type:    SELECT (filename) END
+ 2 RG
REPORT GENERATION



* Set up report as a Record Definition.(These reports don't take up much space)

* Make sure all field names in all Record Definitions match exactly.

* Use the SELECT command to  select the information from an existing
  database into your "custom-made" report.




NOTE:   The resulting report should be RENAMEd and SAVEd if you want
        to use the report "mask" to create future reports.
+ 2 LINK
LINKING DATABASES


You can "link" identical  databases together with the <CONTINUE> filename
option.  With the CONTINUE, you can SELECT and COMPLETE across databases.

      *  Database Record Definitions must be identical.

      *  The last line of each file will contain <CONTINUE> and the  name
         of database that is next in line.



Example:
.....................
|So this will be    |      To  "link"  DBASE1  and  DBASE2 together,
|the end of this    |      at  the  end  of  DBASE1,    include  the
|file.              |      <continue>  [filename to be continued to]
|<CONTINUE> DBASE2  |      marker.
|...................|
+
 -----  LINKING CON'T

To SELECT certain information from "linked" databases, type:


1/1 WHAT NEXT?   SELECT (filename) when ...    to begin the process.


(When using  SELECT  with  the  IT instead of specifying a filename,
the  <CONTINUE>  request is ignored.)


When you  SELECT across databases, the resulting database  or report
MUST  fit in the  work  file.   If you  still need more  space,  try
SELECTing in blocks.   Here's an example:


 1/1 WHAT NEXT?   SELECT (filename) from 1 to 100 when CITY = CA end

                  SELECT (filename) from 101 to 200 when CITY = CA end
+ 2 ORDER
1/1 WHAT NEXT?   <ORDER>



Use ORDER to sort a database.



T/Maker will prompt you for the following information:

   ascending or descending?
   numerical or characters?
   field name?    (field to be "ordered" on)



Because you can abbreviate these answers,  never  use
A, D, N, or  C  as the name of a database Field.
+ 2 COMPLETE
1/1 WHAT NEXT?   <COMPLETE>



COMPLETE links information from two or more separate  database  files.
It brings in  data  into the work file on the basis  of  a  KEY FIELD.


If you have partial  data  in one file that can  be  "COMPLETED"  with
the  data in another file, simply specify the name of that other file,
and the key field that is common to both files.



        ( See Reference Manual under "COMPLETE" for examples. )
+ 2 GROUP
1/1 WHAT NEXT?   <GROUP>


GROUP  summarizes data in a database work file and presents a report of
its results.

* For numerical values, GROUP will "total" the values in the key field.
* For character values, GROUP will simply present the  key field label.

GROUP on as many key fields as you wish. (LIST displays all keyfields.)


Note:
   Always RENAME a GROUP report if you intend to SAVE it, or else  you
   will lose the database Records that made up the report.

   Always enter names in the exact same way they are spelled.

             ( See Reference Manual for GROUP Examples. )
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