home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
/ Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 4 / Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume 4 (1993).iso / database / flexbase.exe / CHAP1.TXT < prev    next >
Text File  |  1987-07-10  |  12KB  |  163 lines
  1. WELCOME TO FLEXBASE                                                        
  2.                                                                            
  3.     Flexbase is designed to provide you with the easiest method of storing 
  4. and retrieving information.  The screen displays and command execution     
  5. have been designed to allow you to spend more time at the keyboard,        
  6. getting things done, rather than browsing through the manual looking for   
  7. assistance.                                                                
  8.                                                                            
  9.     This chapter is an orientation to Flexbase.  It provides a quick intro 
  10. to the main parts of the program and the organization of this manual.      
  11.                                                                            
  12.                                                                            
  13.                                                                            
  14. WHAT IS A DATABASE?                                                        
  15.                                                                            
  16.     A database is any organized collection of information.  This could be a
  17. telephone directory, a listing of client information, personnel information
  18. or recipes, etc.  Computer database programs allow you to handle such data 
  19. in electronic form so that you can quickly enter, access, or alter the data
  20. whenever you wish.                                                         
  21.                                                                            
  22. The database is made up of several components:                             
  23.                                                                            
  24.    -  Fields                                                               
  25.    -  Records                                                              
  26.    -  File                                                                 
  27.                                                                            
  28.     A field is the area that contains a particular item of information,    
  29. such as a name, address, city, state, etc.  A collection of fields make up 
  30. one record in the database and one or more records are maintained in the   
  31. database file.                                                             
  32.                                                                            
  33.     Flexbase allows you to have up to 50 fields in each record, and up to  
  34. 65,536 records in the database.  The maximum number of records that you    
  35. will be able to store into your database may be less than the 65,536       
  36. maximum if your disk space is limited.                                     
  37.                                                                            
  38.                                                                            
  39.                                                                            
  40. FLEXBASE COMPONENTS                                                        
  41.                                                                            
  42. There are five major systems within Flexbase. They are:                    
  43.                                                                            
  44.    -  Create                                                               
  45.    -  Access                                                               
  46.    -  Utilities                                                            
  47.    -  Sort                                                                 
  48.    -  Report Generation                                                    
  49.                                                                            
  50.     The Create, Access and Utilities systems are on disk number 1 and can  
  51. be executed from the main Flexbase menu.  The Sort and Report Generation   
  52. systems are on disk number 2 and can be executed by typing FBS or FBR from 
  53. the DOS command line and pressing Enter.                                   
  54.                                                                            
  55.                                                                            
  56. Create                                                                     
  57.                                                                            
  58.     The Create system provides you with all of the procedures required to  
  59. build a new database from scratch, or to modify the structure of an        
  60. existing database.  Refer to Chapter Three.                                
  61.                                                                            
  62.                                                                            
  63. Access                                                                     
  64.                                                                            
  65.     The Access system allows you to store and retrieve information into a  
  66. database that has been built with the Flexbase Create system.              
  67.                                                                            
  68.     You will be able to enter new records into the database as well as     
  69. display, edit and delete existing records.                                 
  70.                                                                            
  71.                                                                            
  72. Utilities                                                                  
  73.                                                                            
  74.     Flexbase utilities are provided to assist you while you are within the 
  75. Flexbase system.  There are two types of utilities:                        
  76.                                                                            
  77.    -  DOS-like Commands                                                    
  78.    -  Data manipulation                                                    
  79.                                                                            
  80.     Each of the utilities that fall within these catagories are explained  
  81. in detail in subsequent sections.  Refer to Chapter Six.                   
  82.                                                                            
  83.                                                                            
  84. Sort                                                                       
  85.                                                                            
  86.     The Flexbase Sort system allows you to physically reorder the records  
  87. in the database using the user selectable sort order criteria. Refer to    
  88. Chapter Eight.                                                             
  89.                                                                            
  90.                                                                            
  91. Report Generation                                                          
  92.                                                                            
  93.     The Flexbase Report Generation system provides you with a 66 line by   
  94. 132 column report design area, so that designing reports, ranging from     
  95. mailing labels to preprinted forms and invoices, requires only a few key   
  96. strokes.  Refer to Chapter Seven.                                          
  97.                                                                            
  98.                                                                            
  99.                                                                            
  100. FLEXBASE FEATURES                                                          
  101.                                                                            
  102.                                                                            
  103. Calculated Fields                                                          
  104.                                                                            
  105.     You can enter formulas into any field for automatic calculation of     
  106. values.  Flexbase has a set of built-in date, mathematical and logical     
  107. functions (see Appendix B) to assist you in designing an efficient and     
  108. productive database.                                                       
  109.                                                                            
  110.                                                                            
  111. Sorting                                                                    
  112.                                                                            
  113.     Flexbase uses key files to maintain a sorted order of the data within  
  114. the database.  This allows you to retrieve and display the data in         
  115. ascending, decending or unsorted order.                                    
  116.                                                                            
  117. The FBS system is provided to allow you to physically reorder the contents 
  118. of the database if desired.                                                
  119.                                                                            
  120.                                                                            
  121. Executing Commands                                                         
  122.                                                                            
  123.     Flexbase menus provide you with several methods of executing a desired 
  124. command.  Each command menu has a reverse video cursor, that can be moved  
  125. over the desired option and then press Enter.  Or, select the option by    
  126. pressing the highlighted letter within the option name.                    
  127.                                                                            
  128.                                                                            
  129. Help Assistance                                                            
  130.                                                                            
  131.     Flexbase has been designed with a comprehensive help system that will  
  132. assist you during Flexbase sessions.  This provides you with on-line       
  133. assistance at the touch of a key so that your work can continue without    
  134. the needless interruptions of having to page through the manual.           
  135.                                                                            
  136.     The help indicator F1 will be displayed whenever help is available.    
  137. Press the Esc key to close the help window and continue with your work.    
  138.                                                                            
  139.                                                                            
  140.                                                                            
  141. LEARNING TO USE FLEXBASE                                                   
  142.                                                                            
  143.     You need to do a few things to prepare Flexbase to run on your         
  144. computer.  Turn to Chapter Two ("Getting Started") for step by step        
  145. directions.                                                                
  146.                                                                            
  147.                                                                            
  148.                                                                            
  149. APPENDICES                                                                 
  150.                                                                            
  151.     The appendices provide helpful information relative to Flexbase.       
  152.                                                                            
  153.                                                                            
  154.                                                                            
  155. ASSUMPTIONS                                                                
  156.                                                                            
  157.     We assume that you have an IBM PC with two diskette drives, or an      
  158. IBM XT with one diskette drive and a hard disk.  If you have an IBM PC     
  159. compatible computer, or an IBM AT, you should have no trouble running      
  160. Flexbase.  If your keyboard layout is different from the IBM family of     
  161. keyboards, you will need to consult your computer manual to find the keys  
  162. equivalent to the IBM keys.                                                
  163.