"MARKER FILE HELP"

"Sorting place MARKER (MARKER) files record the current  group to disk."
"You may also record the content of the counters and the names you gave"
"then when they were were computed, if any."

"Suppose that we have defined a  group  by doing  one  or  more  select"
"records sorts.  We need to divide our current group into two subgroups"
"and process them individually, then re-load the entire group and print"
"a report.  By writing a MARKER file after  defining the main  group we"
"can fearlessly destroy it by doing another select records operation."

"Then, after processing the first subgroup, we re-load the MARKER file."
"The second exclusive sort rejects the records we just processed  so we"
"can process the remainder.  After we do, we re-load the  MARKER file a"
"second time and print the list containing data we just calculated  and"
"wrote into the records."

"DATAMAGE offers two ways to re-load a MARKER file: You may replace the"
"current group with the  records  contained in the MARKER file,  or add"
"them to the current group.   If you opt to append records the counters"
"will be zeroed by the program during loading. If you are replacing the"
"current group the counters written in the MARKER will be loaded."

"Another use of a MARKER  file is to pass the  INTERNAL  record numbers"
"(file sequence numbers)  of  the current  group and  up to two numeric"
"datas to another program.  The POWER MAIL  and  POWER COPY programs in"
"this package accept MARKERs written by this program."

"Suppose you are processing a mailout-compatible file  and you  want to"
"send a sales blurb to everyone in Texas.   You would sort  all records"
"for TX as the state,  then use F10 to create a  MARKER called MAILOUT."
"Then, exit the BASE program and select #3, print mass mailing from the"
"system access screen.  When the POWER MAIL program starts it loads the"
"file, then the MARKER, and prints  the  sticky labels  only  for those"
"records contained in the MARKER--the Texas records."

"WARNING: The MARKER files are only good until a record has been edited"
"deleted or entered.  Then the state of  the file has  changed  and the"
"MARKER may no longer be accurate.  Using the example above, a new rec-"
"ord may be entered, and it might have TX in the state code field."

"It wasn't in the file when we made our MARKER so it isn't in the  file"
"we recorded.  If we go ahead and mail to those in the old  MARKER file"
"the new record will be passed over."

"Even worse, a record in the MARKER could have been deleted and another"
"record,  entered since the  deletion and  automatically  placed in the"
"hole left by the deleted record, could be included."

"There is only one  way  to permanently define a group:  Create a MACRO"
"that makes a MARKER during execution."

"RESTORE REAMINING RECORDS OPTION"

"The MARKER FILES can also be used to record a BINARY INDEX.  When  you"
"sort the group of records into order the BINARY INDEX is created.  You"
"may then BINARY SEARCH the records."

"By saving the group in a MARKER FILE you preserve it's order. When you"
"need to search the group again on the  same field you can re-load your"
"MARKER file, which is lots quicker than sorting the group again."

"Many programs offer this BINARY SEARCH  on selected fields for which a"
"bulky index file must be kept.  The file is automatically updated."

"DATAMAGE offers the power of BINARY SEARCH on every field,  the record"
"numbers and the counters.  No file is required, nor is it necessary to"
"declare the field as indexed. All you need do to BINARY SEARCH a field"
"is to point the sort routine at it and place  your records in order on"
"it.  The rest is automatic.  Just hit F-5, and go BINARY."

"The value of an MARKER FILE is it's ability to speed sorting.  You MAY"
"have an index file, you may not.   You may re-index your file whenever"
"you wish.  You are free to do what you need."

"If you enter/edit/update records while the BINARY  INDEX is active the"
"program will upadte it autoamtically.  But it WILL NOT save the index"
"file for you.  You may do so by pressing F-10, but sooner or later we"
"all forget.  When you do it's no big deal."

"To update a BINARY INDEX file you first load the old MARKER.  Then you"
"use the  RESTORE REMAINING RECORDS  option of the  MARKER  function to"
"add the records that have been entered since your last re-index.  Most"
"of your records are now in order, and the SORT routine will make quick"
"work of the rest. Finally, over-write your MARKER file with the index."