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Monster Media 1993 #2
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1993-06-24
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dbMAX(tm) Version 1.31
Copyright (c) 1991-1993 David A. Kennedy.
All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION
============
dbMAX is an xBASE utility that will allow complete multi-user access to
any xBASE databases and indexes. The program uses a CUA-type menu system
with Brief(R)-style hot keys and can browse databases in up to 250 moveable,
sizable windows. Almost every Clipper(R)/dBASE(R) command is available,
allowing dbMAX to replace the dBASE Assist/Control Center or Computer
Associates' DBU utility. dbMAX also has a partially open architecture,
allowing programmers to create their own menus and operate on dbMAX
internal data structures.
COMPILE and LINK
================
To compile and link dbMAX you will need Clipper 5.01 or Clipper 5.2.
Batch files (CL50.BAT for Clipper 5.0x and CL52.BAT for Clipper 5.2) are
provided to you to automate this task. Linking can be performed with
.RTLink, Blinker, or any other dynamic overlay linker. .RTLink and Blinker
link scripts are provided. The CL??.BAT files and the .LNK files are set
up assuming you have no other third-party linker or libraries, so you may
want to edit these files.
The Clipper 5.0 .OBJs included on this disk support only the DBFNTX driver.
The Clipper 5.2 .OBJs disk support only the DBFNTX, DBFNDX, DBFCDX, and
DBFMDX drivers.
See the SHAREWARE section below for information on obtaining the source
code.
THIRD-PARTY LIBRARIES
=====================
A third-party library, either DBMAX50.LIB for Clipper 5.0x users or
DBMAX52.LIB for Clipper 5.2x users, is used by dbMAX. This library is a
collection of public domain assembly, C, and Clipper routines that can be
used in lieu of other third-party libraries. The functions in this library
are NOT critical to the operation of the program and can be removed and/or
worked around. See FIXUP.PRG for details.
If you want to use your own libraries, FIXUP.PRG contains all the third-
party functions called by dbMAX re-written using Clipper code, so that none
of the original source code needs to be modified. Simply remove or modify
the functions in FIXUP.PRG as required for your own libraries and link it
in. If you do use the FIXUP code, make sure that the dbMAX .LIB is the
last 3rd-party library in your link file. This allows your routines to be
linked into the .EXE instead of those in the dbMAX .LIB.
RUNNING dbMAX
=============
The only file you need to run the program is DBX.EXE. All other files are
optional. A missing DBX.INI file will cause a warning message to appear.
Select Options|Save to make this warning go away.
To run dbMAX, type DBX at the DOS prompt. DBX /? will list all the command
line parameters that can be used.
Syntax: DBX [database] [index] [switches]
where: database = name of database, extension not required
index = name of index, extension not required
Switches: /C<n> = columns to display (default=80)
/D<name> = database driver name (default=DBFNTX)
/R<n> = rows to display (default=25)
/S = single-user (default=multi-user)
/T = temporary files drive (default=current)
/U<file> = use specified .INI file (default=DBX.INI)
/V<file> = use specified .ENV file (default=DBX.ENV)
/? = help screen
The parameters can appear in any order, except that the database name must
appear before the index name. Please note that the following additional
parameters can be specified as long at they appear BEFORE any others:
//E:<nExpanded> = amount of EMS to use (in KB, default=ALL)
//F:<nHandles> = number of file handles to use (default=50)
//X:<nKbytes> = amount of conventional RAM to exclude
//CGACURS = fixes possible cursor problems (default=ON)
//SWAPK:<nBytes> = maximum swap file size
//SWAPPATH:'<path>' = path where VMM swap files are placed
//TEMPPATH:'<path>' = path where temp index/sort files are placed.
NETWORKS
========
When running dbMAX in a network environment, BE SURE to set the temporary
files drive to a LOCAL DRIVE or your personal drive/directory! The temporary
files drive is not the same as the one specified by //SWAPPATH and //TEMPPATH
above. Having these three parameters point to a RAM disk will provide the
best performance.
Installing dbMAX on a network is not recommended since other users can
overwrite your initialization and environment files. This can be worked
around by running dbMAX from a batch file as follows:
DBX /U<userdrive:\DBX.INI> /V<userdrive:\DBX.ENV> /TC:\ %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
TIPS & TRICKS
=============
- When entering expressions into dbMAX that contain references to a related
database, you MUST use the work area number instead of the alias name. The
area number is displayed after the file name on the help line.
- Since dbMAX does not use report form (.FRM) files, users who want to print
a "canned" report can use the Window|Heading (F3), Window|Column, and
environment functions to set up a dbMAX session and then save it to an
environment file (.ENV). The file can be reloaded (Ctrl-F10) and the
database printed when required. Grouping is not possible. Subtotals will
be calculated for all numeric columns automatically; to prevent totals,
convert the column to a character type by using Window|Heading and the
STR() function.
- Opening database files in exclusive mode on networks will noticeably
improve performance when browsing, indexing, filtering, etc. F4 toggles
the open mode.
- The About option (on the Help menu) will indicate the amount of RAM
available to dbMAX on the help bar.
- To run dbMAX under Windows(tm), add a DBX.PIF file that runs dbMAX using
the following recommended parameters:
Program Filename: dbx.exe
Optional Parameters: /r25 /uc:\dbmax\windows.ini
Video Memory: Text
Memory Requirements: KB Required: 640 KB Desired: -1
EMS Memory: KB Required: 256 KB Limit: -1
XMS Memory: KB Required: 256 KB Limit: 256
Display Usage: Windowed
Execution: Background
Close Window on Exit
If you want, set the Multitasking Foreground Priority to 1000+. A dbMAX
icon, DBMAX.ICO, is supplied for use with Windows.
If using Blinker 2.00 or earlier make sure you set BLINKER OVERLAY
PAGEFRAME OFF and BLINKER CACHE EMS 0,100%. Alternatively, the Program
Filename in the dbMAX .PIF should be changed to reference the following
batch file:
@echo off
set blinker=/op0 /ce0,100
dbx %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
set blinker=
KNOWN PROBLEMS
==============
The software is intended to be used by knowledgable xBASE users/programmers
and as a result error handling has been minimized to reduce the size of the
.EXE file and speed up the program.
1) Use of BOTH dBASE(R) and any Clipper(R)-based program such as dbMAX
to edit databases can lead to corrupted files! DO NOT use dBASE to
edit, append, or pack records. dBASE places end-of-file markers at the
end of database files while Clipper does not: this can lead to files
that will contain records that cannot be accessed. Also, .NTX index
files and record-locking schemes are not compatible between the two
systems. To be safe, do not use dBASE to change any database that is
used by dbMAX (or any other Clipper system).
2) Changing files in a network environment may cause other users to
experience problems. For example, revising a database with an index
active while someone else is revising it without the index will cause
the index file to become corrupted and, as a result, may cause the
database to become corrupted also. For best results when editing a
database on a network, each user must be sure to open all indexes
associated with that file before making any changes.
3) Entering an illegal filename or pathname will cause a run-time error.
Opening a corrupted database or index may cause a run-time error.
4) Browsing the same database in two windows can lead to problems if you
do something like ZAP the database in one window and then try to browse
the other (can only happen on local drives).
5) Entering invalid color settings may cause menu items to be invisible.
Quitting dbMAX and re-running the program may restore the original colors
if they were not saved; otherwise, you will have to delete the DBX.INI
file to restore the default settings.
6) Using DOS versions earlier than 3.30 may cause multi-user problems on
networks due to lack of support for COMMIT and is not supported.
7) Some users have reported that their PCs lock-up occasionally during
swapping (swaps occur when shelling to DOS and calling hyperhelp). This
appears to be due to an EMS conflict between QEMM and Overlay(). Using
the BADEMS switch in the DBX.INI file will fix the problem; use of the
//X switch may also be required.
8) Environment (.ENV) files created with versions of dbMAX prior to 1.25
are not compatible with this version!
9) The Utils|Copy command will allow you to copy a database over another
open database. This will definitely corrupt the target file.
10) Attempting to use both DBFCDX and DBFSIX RDDs will cause your computer
to lock up. If you have the option, use DBFSIX instead. Also, unless
you are a registered user, use of SuccessWare's MachSIx library will
only improve the performance of the Filter command. To link in the
library, follow the instructions provided with the software. Versions
of DBFSIX before 1.1c cannot be used concurrently with the HiPer-SIx
driver.
11) Several "bugs" in dbMAX have been found that are due to Clipper problems.
To resolve these problems, this author recommends using Clipper 5.01a.
. The ACHOICE() command was revised in Clipper 5.2b and as a result the
hot-keys on all pulldown menus will not be highlighted properly.
. When using Clipper 5.2x and opening a file in a networked environment,
your machine may lock up or reboot. This happens most frequently when
opening a database more than once.
. When opening a database with a large number of fields, you may receive
a "TBROWSE(0) Limit exceeded" error when dbMAX builds the browse
object. Code to trap this error has been implemented in this version
of dbMAX. However, when using Clipper 5.2x, opening certain databases
will lock up your machine when dbMAX builds the browse object. This
only happens for certain databases, others (larger or smaller) may
work fine. This problem does not occur under Clipper 5.0x.
. When using Clipper 5.01 and DBFSIX 1.1b, if you attempt to delete a
tag from a .CDX with the database opened in shared mode, you will get
an "exclusive required" error. This error does not occur under
Clipper 5.2. Upgrade to DBFSIX 1.1c to solve the problem or only
delete tags from .CDX files when the database is opened exclusive.
ETC.
====
If you have any comments/suggestions/fixes for dbMAX, send them to me,
Dave Kennedy, via CompuServe Mail (76300,2164) or regular mail ONLY
(no phone calls, please!) and I'll gladly consider them. Please keep in
mind that the main goal for dbMAX is maximum performance with minimum
bells/whistles/crap (I hope I've done this).
"FREEWARE"/"SHAREWARE" LICENSE AGREEMENT
========================================
FREEWARE - the dbMAX program is considered to be free, in that as long as
the distribution of the program is performed as detailed below,
no payments or other licensing agreements need to be made.
If you would like to register your copy of dbMAX, send US$20
and in return I will send you a master diskette with a compiled
and linked .EXE (capable of accessing Clipper, dBASE III/IV, and
FoxPro indexes) and automated installation program, so that dbMAX
can be used by people without the Clipper compiler or even
knowledge of what a compiler is. This disk also includes the
Clipper 5.01 and 5.2 .OBJs. Also included is automatic
notification via CompuServe e-mail/postcard when the next
version of dbMAX is available.
SHAREWARE - By sending a check or money order for US$35, I will send you a
disk containing a linked .EXE (capable of accessing Clipper,
dBASE III/IV, and FoxPro indexes), the INSTALL.EXE file along
with the Builder source code, and the source code for dbMAX and
the hyperhelp text. You will also receive notification via
e-mail or postcard when the next version of dbMAX is available.
The source generally conforms to Computer Associates' coding
guidelines and is fully commented where necessary, exactly like
FIXUP.PRG and MYFUNC.PRG. Recipients of the source are asked not
to distribute the code or modified executables to any other
person.
The order form is available by printing out ORDERFRM.DOC.
* * *
This software is an original work by David A. Kennedy and is released into
the public domain with restrictions. The software, with the exception of
the source code, can be USED, COPIED, and DISTRIBUTED on an UNLIMITED BASIS,
as long as no fee is charged for its use, copying, or distribution. All
rights to the program worldwide are reserved by David A. Kennedy.
Unauthorized duplication, distribution, modification, or decompilation of
this software is expressly prohibited.
You are encouraged to copy and share dbMAX with others. PLEASE distribute
all the files in the original .ZIP. This is this a REQUIREMENT for
distribution as SHAREWARE.
THE SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE ENTIRE RISK TO THE RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE
SOFTWARE IS ASSUMED BY YOU.
David A. Kennedy will not be liable for any special, incidental,
consequential, indirect or similar damages due to the loss of data, loss of
business profits, business interruption or any other reason, even if David
A. Kennedy has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
This is a legal agreement between you, the end user, and David A. Kennedy.
By using or distributing this package, you are agreeing to be bound by the
terms of this Agreement. If you do not agree to the terms of this agreement
promptly destroy (erase) all copies of the software.
The Help! Engine (HELP.EXE) is property of Flambeaux Software, Inc. and
specifically IS NOT placed into the public domain. All rights worldwide are
reserved by Flambeaux Software, Inc. Modifications to the Help! Engine are
prohibited.