Night Owl 6/Night Owl's Shareware - PDSI-006 - Night Owl Corp (1990).iso/007a/rwshel11.zip/README.DOC

Text File | 1991-11-19 | 14KB | 331 lines

    WARNING: Only users of Clarion Professional Developer and Report
    Writer(tm) will be able to benefit from the files included in
    this .zip file.

                         RW Shell Version 1.1

    In order for you to see this .app in short order, I have included
    .exe files. However, these were linked with RT Linker so you must
    have a copy of clarion.rtl and rtlinkst.com in your path (or tell
    the program where they are at when prompted) to use it. Otherwise,
    compile the .app's normally to view its operation.

    Please copy your printer.ctl into the directory you test this .app
    in, and be sure rrun.exe or reporter.exe is in the DOS path or
    is in the current directory to run the program.

    PURPOSE: To call Report Writer(tm) reports from Designer
    applications.

    FILES INCLUDED:

    BBSBASE.DAT   -  Sample BBS data file
    INSTRPT1.DEF  -  Report definition for instructions report
    MPBBSDB.DEF   -  Database definition for sample data
    PORT.APP      -  Application file for port assignment
    PORT.EXE      -  Port assignment .exe linked with RT Link
    README.DOC    -  File you are now reading
    REPORTS.DAT   -  Data file for report definitions
    REPORTS.K01   -  Key file for report names.
    REPORTS.K02   -  Key file for instruction number.
    REPORTS.MEM   -  Memo file for report instructions
    RPTSDB1.DEF   -  Database definition file for instruction data
    RWPORT.DAT    -  Data file for Port Assignments
    RWPORT.K01    -  Key file for port order/port assignment
    RWPORT.K02    -  Key file for port order
    RWS.HLP       -  Sample help to include in designer app
    RWSHELL.APP   -  Application file for RW Shell
    RWSHELL.EXE   -  RW Shell .exe linked with RT Link
    RWSRPT1.DEF   -  Report definition for BBS report

    DISTRIBUTION: Feel free to copy, modify, include, exclude, any
    and all ideas in the rwshell.app file. I take NO responsibility
    for anyone making extra trips to the bank after utilizing ideas
    that have come from at least 4 different sources.

    NEW FEATURES:

         - Help is vastly improved and expanded.

         - NEW report instruction area

         - Report and database path lengthened

         - MOST importantly, files can be sent to screen, disk, a
           predetermined file name in current directory, or to
           LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, COM1, or COM2.

    HISTORY:

    After reviewing the RW_IN_DE.ZIP file I downloaded from Clarionet
    (Clarion Software Corporation's BBS) for calling Report
    Writer(tm) Reports from Designer applications, I still felt a few
    things were missing since everything was combined (definitions
    and printing) on one screen. Course, the techs at Clarion aren't
    supposed to do all our homework (except for those HIGH designing
    fees - smile), so here is an alternative.
                                Page 2

                         RW Shell Version 1.1

    EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Clarion Professional Developer
                      Report Writer(tm)
                      AND all your favourite computer
                      equipment to run the above.

    CREDITS:

    Paul, Tech 22, Clarion Software Corporation

    Cynthia Marr

    Sam, Diversified Technology Solutions

    Myself, Dave Troxell, Encourager Software

    OBJECTIVES:

        1. Let the user choose printing to the printer, disk, or to
           the screen.

        2. Have a separate screen for report definitions, so that
           end-users wouldn't have to look at report definitions by
           accident.

    After reading Sam and Cynthia's tips, and starting with Paul's
    basic .app from RW_IN_DE.ZIP,  I developed the rwshell.app with
    the criteria I had in mind. I've included some help screens that
    will at least give you a start on developing some of your own.

    Lots of room for improvement, but I'd like to think that Paul had
    something similar in mind when he gave us a good starting point.

    SOME of those improvements include:

    Thanks to the prompting of RJ Dollard on Clarionet, I decided to
    include built in support for LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, COM1 and COM2.


    Here are two methods that I have devised. One is to make the
    DEVICE field in the memory file a string long enough to contain
    the information and under the choices selection, for example:

    ╔════════════════════════════════════════════╗
    ║                    Field                   ║
    ║                                            ║
    ║  Field Name :DEVICE                        ║
    ║  Description:Report Device Name            ║
    ║  Type       :String                        ║
    ║  Length     :  6                           ║
    ║  Picture    :@s6                           ║
    ║  Value      :
    ║  Choices    :S P-LPT1 F P-LPT2 P-LPT3 F-COM1 F-COM2 F-SAMPLE.RPT
    ║  Dimensioned:
    ║  Type Mode  :AsIs      Ins  Ovr  AsIs      ║
    ║  Required   :No        Yes  No             ║
    ║  Immediate  :No        Yes  No             ║
    ║  Num Lock   :No        Yes  No             ║
    ║  Left Just  :No        Yes  No             ║
    ║  Upper Case :Yes       Yes  No             ║
    ║  Help ID    :                              ║
    ╚════════════════════════════════════════════╝

                                Page 3

    If you don't understand the F-COM1 in the choices selection for
    the Report Device field, you need to read the section on working
    with serial printers and Report Writer, and you must do a DOS MODE
    statement before entering your report program.

    A second method is to use a table pick list, which is included in
    this update of RW Shell. In order to create the data for that pick
    list and not have it included as part of the RW Shell code, I have
    included a small port.app (there is also an .exe for it). It is
    VERY simple to use and no help is given.

    VERY IMPORTANT: I'm sure this has NEVER happened to anybody during
    development or with a client, so I'm only saying this so
    ABSOLUTELY no one will ever get embarrassed when it does! When you
    use a Designer coded application and it can't find a .dat file, it
    may start doing the dance of oscillations, followed by your
    infamous DOS 3 finger salute. Now if you defined in the file
    definitions to create a new file, and it has a table with an
    update form, no problem. But, RW Shell is a good example of a
    table (SHO_PORT procedure - SEND Reports) WITHOUT an update form.
    You DON'T want your end user to modify the table pick list for
    SEND reports. That's why I included a stand alone .app (port.app)
    for you to create the data. Just make sure RWPORT.DAT is in your
    own or client's subdirectory when you fire your program up. No, I
    didn't think it's ever happened to anyone, just checking.

    Basically, there are 3 fields in the port.app:

    Port Name:
    These must be VALID Report Writer 'O=' Output selections,
    For example: P-LPT1  P-LPT2  F-COM1  S  F  F-FILENAME.EXT

    Port Description:
    Instead of the cryptic names given in the choices example such as
    P-LPT1, your end-user sees a name like Parallel Port 1 or whatever
    you choose.

    Order #:
    This number determines where on the table pick list, your port
    description will be placed.

    Here is the sample data for your convenience.

    RW Port Name     Port Description   Port Order Number

    S                Screen                 1

    P-LPT1           Parallel Port 1        2

    F                Disk File              3

    P-LPT2           Parallel Port 2        4

    P-LPT3           Parallel Port 3        5

    F-COM1           Comm Port 1            6

    F-COM2           Comm Port 2            7

    F-SAMPLE.RPT     Named Disk File        9




                                Page 4

    There should be enough on-line help to use the new table pick list
    in the new RW Shell (actually it's pretty straight forward).

    Use the on-line help for information about using serial printers
    and also read the section in the Report Writer manual about serial
    printers as well.

    REPORT INSTRUCTIONS:

    You may or may not find this last feature useful. It's one way to
    provide on-line report instruction help for you or your client
    that can be easily changed. Let's look at it another way. Maybe
    you have developed on-line help in describing how a report
    operates. If it's hard coded, you'll have a real maintenance
    problem. But, let's say you used chlp.exe to create it. Now, you
    figure, I'll just change the .hlp file when I need to modify my
    report instructions. Why not modify it on-site if necessary, and
    give your client a chance to print report instructions for
    themselves if necessary.

    That is the aim of the new report instruction procedures. If you
    don't want your clients to have the ability to modify
    instructions, only print them or view them online, use a password
    protecting operation for the table.

    The same record holds information for both the report definitions
    and the report instructions. In this example file, you use
    separate tables to modify them, respectively. However, you may
    want to do a 2 page update form and combine them, or 1 screen and
    shorten the memo viewing size. I kept them separate so a end-user
    could just view the instructions, and see as much as possible on
    one screen without scrolling.

    If you have clients that also use Report Writer, this gives them a
    chance to add instructions about their reports. So there are some
    advantages.

    The report instruction number is generated automatically and
    cannot be modified in this example. There is a sample report for
    printing the instructions. The memo field is 60 characters wide
    and up to 53 lines long. I purposely chose this for a one page
    printout.

    A sample print the instructions report is given for your
    convenience.



    CONCLUSIONS:

    I hope that the new features will assist you in making a better
    design for yourself or your clients. If while using Designer and
    Report Writer, you have often thought about a feature you want to
    implement, but could not find the time to design, or you're still
    just learning the Clarion PRO tools, drop a line to the two BBSs
    listed at the end of this doc, or to my business address. As I
    have the time, I'll consider developing such suggestions into
    future updates of RW Shell. Or maybe you have a unique solution.

    In the beginning of coding programs for the first personal
    computers, a sizable number of programmers swapped code, or wrote
    programs that became Public Domain. You probably enjoy a number of
    small utilities on your computer that fit that category.

                                Page 5

    Often times you'll benefit from some free idea exchange. So I
    encourage you to share some of your ideas. The Clarion .app
    format has been a great forum for exchanging ideas. I personally
    believe those who share freely on small ideas will financially
    benefit in the long run. Something to consider. Thanks for your
    positive comments thus far and constructive criticism.

    Solution needed: Small stand alone product (commercial, shareware,
    or PD - without runtime fees), that allows an end-user to import
    printers from the matrix.ctl or laser.ctl into their own custom
    printer.ctl without owning Report Writer.

    Here's Paul's original readme.doc for the advantages of using
    Report Writer reports inside a Designer application.

                 Integrating Report Writer With Designer

    This application allows you as a developer a quick and easy way
    to integrate Report Writer reports into designer.  A few
    advantages of using Report Writer from within an application are:

        1.  Adding a new report to an existing application does not
            mean you will need to re-gen code, re-compile, and
            re-translate.  All you need to do is create the report
            and database defs in Report Writer and then copy them on
            to the Clients computer.  No more finding out that after
            you add the new report that you've run out of memory !

        2.  No more duplicate app files because one client wants
            REPORT_A and another client wants REPORT_B.

        3.  The advantage and ease of using a pick list of reports.


    To integrate this w/ your apps all you need to do is use the
    CTRL-G option in Designer and copy each procedure into you app.
    Also use CTRL-G to copy the file definition from this
    application.

    CLOSING REMARKS:

    My thanks to all for contributing their ideas, and requests, and
    to Clarion Software Corporation for their award winning products.

    I'll be available through the following BBS's for additional
    comments or questions.

    Clarionet - User Name - DaveT

    Exec-PC   - User Name - Dave Troxell [phone]
                Conference: Office Software   Topic: Database
                (registered users only)

    or at the following address:

        Encourager Software
        PO Box 1060
        Highland City, FL 33846-1060

    Clarion and Professional Developer are trademarks of Clarion
    Software Corporation.

    Report Writer is a registered trademark of Clarion Software
    Corporation.