GETTING STARTED This chapter describes how to install Flexbase on your computer. EQUIPMENT Flexbase will work on the IBM PC, IBM XT, IBM AT, and fully IBM PC compatible computers. Your computer must have at least 256K of main memory (RAM) and be equipped to use double-sided diskettes with 360K bytes of storage (as a minimum). Flexbase does not require a graphics card. Your Operating System (DOS) must be version 2.1 or later. FLEXBASE DISKETTES Your Flexbase package includes two diskettes. Diskette number 1 contains the Create, Access and Utilities systems. Diskette number 2 contains the Sort and Report Generation systems. Follow the instructions in this chapter to make the Flexbase system bootable, i.e. you can put either diskette into drive A: and start the computer. Which diskette you actually use at any given time will depend on which Flexbase facility you wish to use. If you have a hard disk, you can copy both diskettes to the hard disk and have all the Flexbase facilities available at once. In addition to the Flexbase diskettes, you will need a few blank diskettes. These must be formatted before you work with Flexbase. You will use these diskettes to save the work you do with Flexbase. CARE AND HANDLING OF YOUR DISKETTES Diskettes are sensitive storage devices. If they aren't handled properly, they can be damaged, losing the information stored on them. In general, if you treat them carefully and keep backup copies, you can count on overcoming any mishaps that may occur. Always handle a diskette by the edge. Never touch any part of the recording surfaces. Store diskettes in the envelopes they come in. This will keep dust, smoke and anything else off the recording surface. Always make backup copies of any diskette containing important data. FORMATTING DISKETTES Before you can use a diskette to store Flexbase information on, it must be formatted. Use the following procedure to format a blank diskette. Two Diskette System 1. Place your DOS diskette into drive A. 2. Type Format B: and press Enter. Note: DOS prompts you to insert a blank diskette into drive B. 3. Place a blank diskette into drive B and press Enter. Formatting takes several minutes. When it is finished, DOS will prompt you to format another diskette. If you wish to format another diskette, press Y and at the prompt, repeat step 3, otherwise, press N. Hard Disk System 1. Be sure that the hard disk is the default drive and that you are located at the directory on the hard drive that contains the DOS format program. 2. Type Format A: and press Enter. Note: DOS prompts you to insert a blank diskette into drive A. 3. Place a blank diskette into drive A and press Enter. Formatting takes several minutes. When it is finished, DOS will prompt you to format another diskette. If you wish to format another diskette, press Y and at the prompt, repeat step 3, otherwise, press N. MAKING BACKUP COPIES OF THE FLEXBASE DISKETTES Flexbase is not copy-protected. You should make backup copies of the diskettes before using them. If anything should happen to your original diskettes, you will have your backup copies to depend on. If you are using a hard disk system, your original Flexbase diskettes can serve as your backup copies. Two Diskette System Use the following procedure to backup your two Flexbase diskettes. 1. Place your DOS diskette in drive A. 2. Type format b:/s and press Enter. Note: You will be prompted to insert a blank diskette into drive B. 3. Place a blank diskette into drive B and press Enter. Formatting takes several minutes. When it is finished, you will be prompted to format another diskette. Type N for no and the A:> prompt will appear. 4. Remove the DOS diskette from drive A and replace it with Flexbase disk number 1. 5. Type copy *.* b: and press Enter. DOS will display a listing of the files as they are copied from the diskette in drive A to the diskette in drive B. 6. Remove the diskette in drive B and label it. 7. Remove the Flexbase distribution diskette from drive A and repeat steps 1 thru 6 for the other Flexbase distribution diskette. INSTALLATION For a hard disk system, place the Flexbase distribution diskette (number 1) into drive A and at the DOS prompt type CINSTALL and press Enter. The installation program will make a directory on your hard disk (named FLEXBASE), and move the files from the floppy diskettes to the hard disk. At the completion of the file transfers, the installation program will ask you if you wish to append the éCONFIG.SYSé file at the root directory. If you do not have a CONFIG.SYS file, or if your CONFIG.SYS file does not contain the following statements FILES = 20 BUFFERS = 24 as a minimum, then type Y, otherwise type N. For a two diskette system, use the following procedure to generate a CONFIG.SYS file. This file should be copied to each diskette that you may possibly boot up the computer with. 1. Place the DOS diskette into drive A. 2. Place the Flexbase diskette number 1 (working copy) into drive B. 3. Type COPY CON B:CONFIG.SYS and press Enter. 4. Type FILES = 20 and press Enter. 5. Type BUFFERS = 24 and press Enter. 6. Press the F6 function key and then press Enter. 7. Remove the diskette from drive B and repeat steps 1 thru 6 for each Flexbase diskette that you may possibly boot up the computer with. STARTING FLEXBASE To start Flexbase, simply place diskette number 1 (for two diskette systems) into drive A, or go to the directory where Flexbase is located (for hard disk systems), and type FB, then press Enter. To start the report generator or sort programs, follow the general rule above for two diskette and hard disk systems, but, type FBR or FBS and then press Enter. Note: The FB stands for FlexBase, FBR stands for FlexBaseReport, and FBS stands for FlexBaseSort. Flexbase system modules can also be started from the command line. This means that you can create or access a database without using the main menu. You can also print a report (if the report format file exist), with a minimum of keystrokes. The following formats display the inputs required at the command line. To create a new database from the command line input FBC filename or FBC \subdir\filename To access an existing database from the command line input FBA filename or FBA \subdir\filename To print a report automatically from the command line input FBR database filename,report format filename or FBR \subdir\database filename,\subdir\report format filename OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Graphics Hardware Flexbase does not require a graphics card. It has been designed to bring you the best non-graphical screen displays possible. Activating The Print Screen Key Many times, you will want to get a ásnap-shotá of the current screen display and print it on your printer. Flexbase does not interfere with the DOS PrtSc capability. Anytime that you wish to print the current screen contents, follow the procedures prescribed in your DOS manual for activating the PrtSc key. Using a Serial Printer If you plan to use a serial printer with Flexbase, there is some setup necessary to ensure that no program interruptions will occur. Refer to Appendix D for details.