#1/3:DISCLAIMER The BF-EDIT program comes "AS-IS", without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Under no circumstances shall Douglas K. Brecht be held liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of the use of, or inability to use this product, including but not necessarily limited to, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, or business information. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the reliability of this product. If for any reason the accuracy or reliability of this product is compromised, including reasons of oversight and/or negligence on the part of Douglas K. Brecht, your sole remedy shall be a refund of any registration fees paid. In lieu of a refund, Douglas K. Brecht may, at his option, fix the problem which caused the unreliability. REGISTRATION BF-EDIT is distributed as a shareware program. If you find BF-EDIT to be useful, and use the program, a registration fee of $10 is greatly appreciated. Registered users will be notified of future releases, and may write for support at the address below, or on Compuserve (#72701,2263). ALL users (registered or not) are encouraged to report any problems encountered in running BF-EDIT, and to suggest additional features or enhancements. I **hope** to have complete Search & Replace features soon, and possibly some kind of data conversion, that would output selected fields in various formats. Let me know what you'd like to see. Douglas K. Brecht RR#2 Box 198 Claremont, NH 03743 'nuff said..... now for the instructions..... WHAT BF-EDIT DOES BF-EDIT allows editing fixed record length files, such as Basic (or QuickBasic) random access files. This includes not only text, but data stored as integers, single or double precision numbers, and so on. BF-EDIT allows searching your files for either text or numeric values. BF-EDIT is a great debugging aid to quickly see what data is really in your files, without writing an edit program for every file structure you create. BF-EDIT is actually quite similar to the BROWSE feature in dBase WHAT BF-EDIT DOESN'T DO BF-EDIT does not edit variable length records (such as most sequential files). BF-EDIT does not edit Btrieve or dBase files. RUNNING BF-EDIT BF-EDIT requires 2 parameters, which may be specified on the command line or within the program. These 2 parameters are the TYPE FILE and the DATA FILE. The TYPE FILE (briefly) is a file that tells BF-EDIT what your field structure is (that the first 2 bytes of every record is the customer number (in integer form), and then the next 30 bytes contains the customers name, etc.). The DATA FILE is your fixed record length file. For more information on how to set up your type file, press F1 when prompted for the TYPE FILE name after these instructions. RUNNING BF-EDIT FROM THE COMMAND LINE When running BF-EDIT from the command line, the syntax is: BF-EDIT /T:type file /D:data file /S:start record /MBF /GO (ALL of the parameters are optional) /T:type file specify the name of the type file, including drive and path /D:data file specify the name of the data file, including drive and path /S:start record you may specify the lowest "legal" record number, such as to avoid accidentally editing header records /MBF specifies that the single and double precision numbers in your file are in MBF format. BASICA, GW-BASIC, and QuickBasic (version 1-3) files should use the /MBF parameter. QuickBasic version 4 and higher uses IEEE format files as the default, but also support the MBF format. /GO to indicate that you don't want to view the opening screen, or review your parameters before starting to edit. If you use the /GO option, you must have also specified the Type file and Data file.
#10/10:You have pressed ESC to quit the program. If you want to close the data file you are working in and exit to DOS, respond with Y [ENTER] If you DO NOT want to quit the program, respond with N [ENTER]
#15/10:You have pressed F9 to APPEND a new record. This means that a blank record will be added to the end of the file. Remember, BF-EDIT can not delete records, so once you respond Y [ENTER] the new record is there to stay. If you do not want to append a new record at this time, respond N [ENTER]
#20/10:You have pressed F2 to GOTO a specific record number. If you want to stay at the current record, simply press [ENTER] To go to a specific record, just enter the record number desired and press [ENTER]. You may choose any record number between the starting record and the maximum number of records in the file. If you don't know how many records there are, notice the message near the top right hand corner of the screen. It says "Record xxx of nnn". The last number is the number of records in this data file. If you don't know the exact record number, you can either GOTO a record number you think is close then PgUp or PgDn to find the correct one, or use the search key (F3) to find what you're looking for.
#25/10:You have pressed F5 to export records. * This option exports records in a coma-delimited format, with quotes around each field. * You are now being asked to enter the name of the file that will contain the exported records. Enter the name of the file, including drive and path, if desired. * All fields that can be displayed on the screen will be exported; fields that are flagged as /IGNOREd in the format file will not be exported. This allows you to export just selected fields from this file. * You can export all records, starting at the current record, or just export selected records. * If you have previously searched (using F3 and/or F4) for particular records, then all records matching your search criteria, starting at the present record, will be exported. * If you have not used the search command since starting BF-EDIT, all records (starting with the current record) will be exported. If you have already used the search feature (such as to find the record you want to start exporting from) but don't want to export only certain records then simply press F3 (for search) and use CTRL-Y to erase any search criteria, then press [ESC]. Then press F5 to export records.
#100/5:WHAT IS THE TYPE FILE? The TYPE file is the file containing the information about the data file that you wish to edit. It tells the BF-EDIT program the names of the various fields, their type (such as String or Integer), and (in the case of Strings) their length. It can be on any drive, or in another directory. Specify the complete path name to find your TYPE file. HOW DO I CREATE THE TYPE FILE? The TYPE file must be pure text, and can be created using whatever text-editor you generally edit program code with. If you use a word-processor such as WordStar make sure that you do so in the Non-document mode. If you enter a non-existing TYPE file name on this line you will be asked if you want to create that file. If you respond with a Y, you can then create your TYPE file using BF-EDITs built in editor. WHAT GOES IN THE TYPE FILE? You must list the name and type of each field used in your file. An example of a TYPE file is: Custnam AS STRING * 30 ' last name, then first Custnum AS INTEGER Balance AS DOUBLE PhoneNum AS STRING * 18 Nil AS STRING * 6 Important: the total length of the fields listed in the type file must EQUAL the actual record length. If you do not use all the characters available, use "phony" fields (such as the field labeled "Nil" above) to make the total equal to the record length. THE RULES: GENERAL Each line in the Type file can contain an instruction, a comment, or both. Any line that does not have the word "AS" in it, or any line that starts with an apostrophe, is treated as a comment. Each line in the type file may be any length, however lines of 72 characters or less are recommended. Lines longer than that can not be edited in the BF-EDIT program. Capitals or lower-case letters are both acceptable. THE RULES: FIELD NAMES (labels) Each instruction line should start with the name of the field. These field names may be up to 12 characters long and may contain spaces. The only restrictions are that the field name may not be "AS", and should not have a forward slash "/" in it. The following are all valid field names: Cust Num Acct Balance Account Balance (only 12 characters, "Account Bala", will be used) Date Name The field name MUST be followed with the word "AS" THE RULES: NUMERIC ENTRIES The syntax for listing numeric fields is: fieldname AS [INTEGER, LONG, SINGLE, DOUBLE, CHAR] Integers are stored as 2-bytes in the file, Long integers as 4-bytes, Single precision numbers as 4-bytes, and Double precision numbers as 8-bytes. You will not be allowed to enter any value that is larger or smaller than that variable type allows. Quite often files will contain a 1-byte character that stores a value from 0 to 255. The value of those characters can be viewed or edited using the CHAR type. THE RULES: STRINGS The syntax for listing string fields is: fieldname AS STRING * length Strings can be from 1 to 65 bytes long. If your file has longer strings, you must divide them up among several smaller string fields, each no more than 65 bytes. For example, to list a string 80 bytes in length, you could do it like this: Descript1 AS STRING * 65 Descript2 AS STRING * 15 or like this: Descript1 AS STRING * 40 Descript2 AS STRING * 40 THE RULES: MODIFIERS In addition to specifying the fieldname, and type of variable, there are also certain modifiers than can be used at the end of a description line in the TYPE file. The following screens will describe them: THE /IGNORE MODIFIER You may tell the BF-EDITor to ignore any field that you do not want to display or edit from within BF-EDIT. This is commonly used to ignore "nil" fields; fields used as character placeholders without really containing any data. For example: Nil AS STRING * 6 ' /IGNORE Note that in the example above, the apostrophe is not required. Using the apostrophe before the modifier does allow you to use the TYPE file as an INCLUDE file in a QuickBasic program, however. THE /NUM MODIFIER Within BF-EDIT, fields that are always numeric (integers, longs, etc.) are treated differently than strings. Only numbers, decimal points, and plus or minus signs are allowed. Also, searching numeric fields allows you to look for a numeric range of values, rather than a specific string pattern. Using the /NUM modifier imparts those same conditions on string fields. An example would be if you store invoice totals as a string in your file. Since you don't want anyone accidentally typing in non-numeric characters, and you might want to search for an invoice value or range of values, you might want to include the /NUM modifier to the end of the description line, such as: InvAmount AS STRING * 10 /NUM This would restrict entry of that field to numeric characters, and allow you to search for invoice totals between, say, 1,000 and 2,000 dollars. THE /MBF MODIFIER If some of the Single or Double precision numbers in the Data file are in the MBF format, you can use the /MBF modifier on that line. Otherwise, the number will be interpreted as being in the IEEE format...and the number displayed will be wrong. BASICA, GW-BASIC, and QuickBasic before version 4 use only the MBF format.
#101/7:The DATA FILE is your file that you wish to edit with BF-EDIT. It must be a fixed record-length file, such as a Basic random access file. Files with variable length records (such as most sequential files) can not be edited with BF-EDIT. Specify here the complete path name to the file, such as: D:\ACCT\CHECKFIL.DAT
#102/10:The START RECORD is the first record that you want to see when you begin editing your file. It also becomes the lowest record number that you can edit. Normally,you would leave it at "1", so that you can edit all of the files records, including the first one. Some files use the first record (possibly more) as special "header" records. You might want to avoid accidentally editing those records, or they might even have a different field structure than the rest of the file, so by setting the STARTING RECORD at the first real data record, you avoid accidentally corrupting those records.
#120/3:EDITING THE DATA This is the screen where you can view and/or edit your data file. In string fields, you can enter any text, upper or lower-case. In numeric fields, you can only enter the digits 0 through 9, decimal points, and plus or minus signs. You can delete the character the cursor is blinking on by pressing the delete key (or CTRL-G). You can insert a space by pressing INS (or CTRL-V) Other editing functions are: CTRL-T deletes all text from the cursor to the right CTRL-Y deletes the entire field CTRL-R restores the field to whatever text was there when you began editing this field (NOTE: Once you edit a field and then leave the field, CTRL-R does not restore that field. Use F7 to restore the entire record to its pre-edited condition). MOVING FROM FIELD TO FIELD You can move up and down the screen, from one field to another, using the up and down keys (or CTRL-E to move up, CTRL-X to move down). If there are more than 20 fields defined in the TYPE file, only 20 fields at a time will be displayed. You can scroll the screen downward by using the down arrow, or go all the way to the last field in this record by pressing the END key. You can goto the first field in this record by pressing the HOME key. You can move from the current record to the previous or next record by pressing PgUp or PgDn. Doing so automatically saves any changes you may have made. You can not go beyond the files last record this way, or before the starting record specified on the opening screen (or in the Command line). F2 - GOTO If you press F2 you will be asked which record to go to. You can specify any record in the file from the starting record to the files last record (the last record can be seen by noticing the message near the top right hand corner of the screen: "Record xx of nn", where nn is the last record). If you want to stay at the current record instead, press ESC F3 - SEARCH Pressing F3 allows you to search for records that contain specific information. To do a search, first move the cursor to the field that contains the information you wish to search for. For example, if you are looking for customers whose last name is "Smith", then go to the Customer Name field and press F3. There are two types of searches, Numeric and String. If you are in a string field, you will always search for a specific string (such as "Smith"). BF-EDIT will find the next match, and ignores upper or lower case in its search. If you are in a numeric field (one defined as an integer, double precision, etc., or a string field that has the /NUM modifier in it) then you will do a numeric search. This allows you to enter a range of values to look for. For example, you can tell it to search for customers with a balance of more than $1000.00 For more information on how to do a search, press F1 after pressing the F3 key. F4 - CONTINUE After beginning a search (using the F3 key) and finding the first matching record, pressing F4 will continue the search from the current record. This saves you the trouble of having to specify the search criteria over and over again. F5 - EXPORT * This option exports records in a coma-delimited format, with quotes around each field. * You will be asked to enter the name of the file that will contain the exported records. Enter the name of the file, including drive and path, if desired. * All fields that can be displayed on the screen will be exported; fields that are flagged as /IGNOREd in the format file will not be exported. This allows you to export just selected fields from this file. * You can export all records, starting at the current record, or just export selected records. * If you have previously searched (using F3 and/or F4) for particular records, then all records matching your search criteria, starting at the present record, will be exported. * If you have not used the search command since starting BF-EDIT, all records (starting with the current record) will be exported. If you have already used the search feature (such as to find the record you want to start exporting from) but don't want to export only certain records then simply press F3 (for search) and use CTRL-Y to erase any search criteria, then press [ESC]. Then press F5 to export records. F7 - RESTORE If you begin editing a record, perhaps accidentally, you can cancel any changes you have made by pressing F7. This will restore the original contents of the record to the screen. Note: once you leave a record, its original contents can not be restored. If you feel this might be a problem, you should copy the data file to a backup copy before using BF-EDIT. Then edit only the backup copy. F8 - FORMAT Pressing F8 will allow you to edit the TYPE file you are currently using. This allows you to correct any mistakes you may have made when originally setting up a field. For example, perhaps you forgot to make the total of the field lengths equal to the record length, or now wish to make a string field behave like a numeric field by adding the /NUM modifier. Once you have pressed F8 and are formatting the TYPE file, press F1 if you need more help. F9 - APPEND The only way to add new records to a data file is to use the APPEND function. This will add one record, and default the data to all blanks for string fields, and 0 for numeric fields. Note that records can not be deleted using BF-EDIT, so don't APPEND records unless you are sure. F10 - CLOSE Pressing F10 closes the current data file, and gives you the option of specifying a new TYPE file, DATA file, or starting record. The current files will be the default responses. This is especially handy for using the current TYPE file to edit a different DATA file with the same structure.
#150/2:FORMATTING the TYPE file This screen allows you to create or edit the Type file. You will specify the type of information your data file contains. An example of a Type file is shown: 'format for CUSTOMER.DAT file Cust Num AS Long Last Name as string * 25 First Name as string * 20 Acct Balance as Double /MBF Acct Type as Integer Nil as string * 5 /IGNORE 'to fill out to 64 byte record length The various items in this sample will be explained on the next few screens. Important: the total length of the fields listed in the type file must EQUAL the actual record length of your data file. If you do not use all the characters available, use "phony" fields (such as the field labeled "Nil" on the last screen) to make the total equal to the record length. As you type in your comment and instruction lines, the number of bytes in the data file record is shown to the far right; first the number of bytes used on this particular line ("--" if none, such as for comment lines), then the number of bytes in the data record so far. The number to the far right on the last line of the type file MUST be the record length of your data file. THE RULES: GENERAL Each line in the Type file can contain an instruction, a comment, or both. Any line that does not have the word "AS" in it, or any line that starts with an apostrophe, is treated as a comment. Each line in the type file may be any length, however lines of 72 characters or less are recommended. Lines longer than that can not be edited in the BF-EDIT program. Capitals or lower-case letters are both acceptable. THE RULES: FIELD NAMES (labels) Each instruction line should start with the name of the field. These field names may be up to 12 characters long and may contain spaces. The only restrictions are that the field name may not be "AS", and should not have a forward slash "/" in it. The following are all valid field names: Cust Num Acct Balance Account Balance (only 12 characters, "Account Bala", will be used) Date Name The field name MUST be followed with the word "AS" THE RULES: NUMERIC ENTRIES The syntax for listing numeric fields is: fieldname AS [INTEGER, LONG, SINGLE, DOUBLE, CHAR] Integers are stored as 2-bytes in the file, Long integers as 4-bytes, Single precision numbers as 4-bytes, and Double precision numbers as 8-bytes. You will not be allowed to enter any value that is larger or smaller than that variable type allows. Quite often files will contain a 1-byte character that stores a value from 0 to 255. The value of those characters can be viewed or edited using the CHAR type. THE RULES: STRINGS The syntax for listing string fields is: fieldname AS STRING * length Strings can be from 1 to 65 bytes long. If your file has longer strings, you must divide them up among several smaller string fields, each no more than 65 bytes. For example, to list a string 80 bytes in length, you could do it like this: Descript1 AS STRING * 65 Descript2 AS STRING * 15 or like this: Descript1 AS STRING * 40 Descript2 AS STRING * 40 THE RULES: MODIFIERS In addition to specifying the fieldname, and type of variable, there are also certain modifiers than can be used at the end of a description line in the TYPE file. The following screens will describe them: THE /IGNORE MODIFIER You may tell the BF-EDITor to ignore any field that you do not want to display or edit from within BF-EDIT. This is commonly used to ignore "nil" fields; fields used as character placeholders without really containing any data. For example: Nil AS STRING * 6 ' /IGNORE Note that in the example above, the apostrophe is not required. Using the apostrophe before the modifier does allow you to use the TYPE file as an INCLUDE file in a QuickBasic program, however. THE /NUM MODIFIER Within BF-EDIT, fields that are always numeric (integers, longs, etc.) are treated differently than strings. Only numbers, decimal points, and plus or minus signs are allowed. Also, searching numeric fields allows you to look for a numeric range of values, rather than a specific string pattern. Using the /NUM modifier imparts those same conditions on string fields. An example would be if you store invoice totals as a string in your file. Since you don't want anyone accidentally typing in non-numeric characters, and you might want to search for an invoice value or range of values, you might want to include the /NUM modifier to the end of the description line, such as: InvAmount AS STRING * 10 /NUM This would restrict entry of that field to numeric characters, and allow you to search for invoice totals between, say, 1,000 and 2,000 dollars. THE /MBF MODIFIER If some of the Single or Double precision numbers in the Data file are in the MBF format, you can use the /MBF modifier on that line. Otherwise, the number will be interpreted as being in the IEEE format...and the number displayed will be wrong. BASICA, GW-BASIC, and QuickBasic before version 4 use only the MBF format.
#170/10:NUMERIC SEARCH You can search for numeric values in this field by specifying a low and high value to search between. The search will be made on the field shown. That is the field that your cursor was in when you pressed F3. If that was not the field you wanted to search in, cancel this search, move the cursor to the proper field, and press F3 again. To cancel this search, blank out both search criteria (use CTRL-Y) and press ESC. You should enter the low value of the range you want in the top box, and the high value to search for in the lower box. TO FIND A SPECIFIC VALUE Let's say you want to find a specific invoice with an amount of 211.37. You should enter 211.37 in both boxes, making it both the low and high value to search for. TO FIND ENTRIES GREATER THAN A SPECIFIC VALUE Suppose you want to find all customers with a balance of $1,000 or more. Simply enter 1000 in the top box, make sure the bottom box is blank (BLANK, NOT A ZERO!) and press ESC TO FIND ENTRIES LESS THAN A SPECIFIC VALUE Let's say that you want to find all customers with a negative balance. Leave the top box blank, and enter "-.01" in the lower box. This will allow you to find all records with a balance less than zero. If you had wanted to find all records with a balance of zero OR less, you would leave the top box blank, and enter a zero in the bottom box. This helps to show the difference between leaving a box blank (which means it is ignored) and a zero (which can be searched for).
#180/12:STRING SEARCHES BF-EDIT allows you to search for a particular piece of text. The search will be made in the field shown. That is the field that your cursor was in when you pressed F3. If that was not the field you wanted to search in, cancel this search, move the cursor to the proper field, and press F3 again. To cancel this search, blank out the search criteria (use CTRL-Y) and press ESC. You should enter the text you are searching for into the box. The search ignores upper and lower case. The search also looks for matching text anywhere in the field, not just the first few characters. You can enter a search string up to 8 characters in length.
