home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Shareware Overload
/
ShartewareOverload.cdr
/
misc
/
family2.zip
/
SECTION1.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1987-10-19
|
8KB
|
265 lines
Family History System Manual
CONTENTS
I. Introduction..............................................1
II. Getting Started
A.Creating working copies of the programs.................3
B.Beginning a Family History System work session..........4
1.MAIN MENU program, EXITing from the system............4
2.Importance of CURRENT DATE in system reports..........5
3.Setting default system parameters.....................5
4.Creating a set of Family files........................5
a.Adding a Name Record to the File....................8
b.Creating a Marriage or Family Record................9
c.Maintaining Address Information....................10
d.Listing CHILDREN of an Individual or Marriage......11
e.Climbing Ancestor Trees............................11
f.Searching the Name Records on File.................12
C.Importance of `backing up' system files................13
III. Family History System design
A.Use of Fixed Formatted screen displays.................14
B.Modular design, switching between programs.............14
C.System MESSAGES (use of ellipsis)......................14
D.Use of FUNCTION keys...................................14
E.Use of ESCAPE key......................................15
F.Full Screen mode of data update........................15
1.Updating screen displays (other than comments).......16
2.Updating Comment display.............................16
G.Segmented Screen in File Maintenance Program...........18
H.Changing the Screen Attribute Table & Error Tone.......19
1.Color/Monochrome support, setting default values
2.Changing frequency and duration of the Error Tone
I.Use of Printer Setup Table.............................21
1.Printer control codes
2.Form size
3.Multiple printer SETUP tables
4.Standard Setup tables
J.File Name Table........................................22
1.Use of multiple disk drives
2.Use of RAM disk
IV. Family History System Files and Datasets.................24
V. Report Descriptions
A. Definitions and Report Descriptions...................26
1.Ancestor Report.....................................27
2.Descendant Report...................................28
3.Relative Report.....................................29
4.Ancestor Charts.....................................32
5.Family Group Report.................................32
a.Identifying Group Reports to be Printed...........34
b.Printing Family Group Reports.....................34
B.Report Program Parameters..............................36
C.Report Program Work Datasets...........................37
Appendix A. Extended Options for Registered Users............39
Appendix B. Recording information for Entry into the system..40
Appendix C. Date Status Fields and Adoptive Relationships....43
Appendix D. DATECALC, a RAM Resident Date Calculator.........45
Appendix E. Logical File Record structure diagram............50
(C) Copyright 1985,1986,1987 by Phillip E. Brown
I. Introduction
This `Family History System' was written for the purpose of providing
a simple means for maintaining information about members of my own
family. However, I believe that it may prove useful to others who
have considered using their home computers to organize their efforts
in tracing their families' history but have not had the time to spend
on the programming required.
The system uses a set of `linked random access' datasets for storing
information about individuals including all family relationships. No
limits are placed on the number of relationships that may exist for
each individual or for the number of generations of ancestors or
descendants that may be recorded. Information for up to 3500 indi-
viduals may be stored on a single DS/DD diskette (up to 9999 on a hard
disk). The basic system produces Ancestor, Descendant, Relative and
Family Group reports and Ancestor (tree) Charts. Blank worksheets and
charts may be produced for recording information for entry into the
system. The programs are available in both interpreted and compiled
versions.
Requirements for running the programs in this system are:
1. an IBM PC, PCjr, PC XT, AT or compatible computer
2. 1 disk drive
3. an 80 column monitor
4. 128k of RAM memory (192k for GWBASIC, 256k for compiled
version)
5. for the interpreted version, the BASIC language (IBM BASICA,
GWBASIC or PCjr cartridge Basic)
6. Dos 2.0 or later is required for reading the distribution
diskette.
A printer is recommended for making full use of the system but is not
required for creating, maintaining or displaying information in the
system files.
The compiled version of the program is the preferred one for all users
except those who are running the system on a 128k PCjr. It provides a
3-10 fold improvement in performance over the uncompiled version and
avoids some problems that result from incompatibilities between IBM
Basica and some implementations of GWBASIC.
These programs are being made available for general use and copies may
be freely redistributed, provided no fee is charged for copies beyond
the expense of media, postage and handling incurred in producing them
unless permission is given in writing by the author.
Those who find these programs useful and would be interested in
receiving additional options (see Appendix A at the end of this
document) may become `registered' users by sending $35.00 to:
Phillip E. Brown
834 Bahama Drive
Tallahassee, Fla. 32301
1
Registered users will receive the most recent update to the extended
system (both interpreted and compiled versions) and will be notified
of future enhancements as they become available.
While I have encountered (and corrected) a number of errors during my
use of the system, there are no doubt errors remaining in some of the
programs, hopefully none serious. If you should find any, I would
appreciate very much your sending a description of the problem to me
at the address shown on the previous page so that I may try to correct
it.
Good luck in tracing your `roots'.
All Programs (C) Copyright 1985,1986,1987 by Phillip E. Brown
2