<CM>***This DI (document include code) must be the first code in the flat file.***</CM>
<HE><JU:RT><GP></HE>
<RD:Main><BK:"Top of Document">Example Document File
<RD>This is an example of Folio Flat File. To see what this file will look like when converted into an infobase, import the file EXAMPLE.FFF (located in your \VIEWS30\TUTOR directory).
<RD>Remember, a Folio Flat File is nothing more than an ASCII representation of a Folio Views Infobase. Anything that may be done in an infobase may be done in Folio Flat File, which makes the Flat File format invaluable when converting plain text into an infobase (the FSR search and replace utility is also useful). By placing Folio Flat File codes in the text, you can effectively create the infobase before you import it into Views. And with a good search and replace utility (such as FSR), you can rapidly build complex and useful infobases from large bodies of text without having to tweak it all by hand.
<RD>This example will show you what each of the codes look like in actual use. Pay close attention to the order that the codes appear. You should note that the following rules are always followed (if they are not, the Flat File will not work):
<RD:Section>Order of Code
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">1.<TB>Definition Codes are not found in the Document File; they are always placed in the Definition File (a sample definition file for this flat file is also stored in the \VIEWS30\TUTOR directory as EXAMPLE.DEF). Definition Codes are used to define Styles, Fields, Objects, and Levels before they are used in the Document File.
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">2.<TB>The Document File contains the Text of your infobase and all formatting and link codes.
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">3.<TB>In the Document File, the Definition Include code <<DI> must be the first code.
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">4.<TB>Record codes, if used, must be the first code in a paragraph. (At least one record code must be used per infobase. <<HR> codes are used to break paragraphs without breaking the record.)
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">5.<TB>Paragraph Style Codes, if used, must immediately follow Record codes (if used).
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">6.<TB>Paragraph-Based Formatting Codes, if used, must follow Record codes and Paragraph Style codes (if used).
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">7.<TB>All other codes, if used, must follow Record, Paragraph Style, and Paragraph-Based Formatting codes (if used).
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">8.<TB>All paired codes must end before the end of a paragraph (designated by a Record code or Hard Return code).
<RD><PS:"Extra Spacing">9.<TB>Comment codes may be used anywhere in either the Definition or Document file. Information included inside comment codes is ignored when the infobase is created.
<RD:Section>Simple Stuff
<RD>Below are some simple things that you can do with Flat File:
<RD:Subsection>Character Attributes
<RD><BD+>Bold On or <BD>Bold off, its your choice. Same with <IT+>Italics<IT> and <UN+>Underline<UN> (and all other Character Attributes).
<RD:Subsection>Character Formatting
<RD><FT:Arial,SN>Fonts<FT> <FT:"Times New Roman",SR>may be<FT> changed, <PT:14>as may the size<PT> <FC:0,0,255>and color<FC:255,0,0> of text<FC>. <SB:0.039>Subscript</SS> and <SP:0.039>Superscript</SS> are also supported.
<RD:Subsection>Paragraph Formatting
<RD><JU:FL><IN:0.5,0.5,0><FC:0,255,0><PT:11>You can do a lot to a paragraph -- this one is indented, fully justified, in a smaller font size, and all in Green text. It may not be pretty, but it serves well as an example.<PT>
<RD:Subsection>Character Styles
<RD><CS:"Char Style One">Character Styles</CS> are useful for formatting related sections of text consistently, and they are easier to use than <CS:Examples>continually applying the same set of formatting codes</CS> over and over.
<RD:Subsection>Paragraph Styles
<RD><PS:Paragraph>Paragraph Styles format entire paragraphs and allow you to place borders around them, change the line spacing, add all other Paragraph formatting codes to them, and add all of the character formatting as well.
<RD:Subsection>Highlighters
<RD><PN:"Pen One">Highlighters</PN> allow you to quickly note items of interest in an infobase. While you will rarely place a highlighter code in a flat file when you are building it, you<PN:"Pen One"> will often see them when you</PN> export an infobase into flat file format.
<RD:Section>Fun Stuff
<RD:Subsection>Links<BK:"Links (Examples of)">
<RD>Views provides 5 different kinds of links:
<RD><JL:Jump,"Jump Link Example">Jump Links</JL> take you from one point to another<JD:"Jump Link Example">.
<RD><PW:Note,2,1.5>This is the text of Popup Link. The text following the LT code serves as the link launch point.<LT>Note Links</PW> open up a small, separate window which may contain text or other information.
<RD><PL:Program,"hello.exe">Program Links</PL> cause another program to run -- in this case, a simple DOS file.
<RD><OL:Object,Glass,Bitmap>Object Links</OL> open an object in the infobase in its own window, which may then be sized or closed as needed.
<RD><QL:Query,"commonly used queries">Query Links</QL> perform a search on the infobase, which is useful for commonly used queries.
<RD:Subsection>Fields
<RD><FD:"Field One">Fields are used in Views</FD:"Field One"> just as they are in most databases. Information <FD:"Simple Field">stored in a field may be formatted</FD:"Simple Field"> and searched independently of the rest of the infobase, making fields a valuable organizational tool.
<RD:Subsection>Groups
<RD><GR:"Sample Group">Groups are topical collections of records. As many recor<JD:"Destination-1">ds as you wish may be placed into a group, and a record may be included in as many group as you would like.
<RD:Subsection>Records
<RD>Records are the basic building block of a Views infobase. Without them, the infobase would not exist.
<RD:Subsection>Levels
<RD>Levels are used to organize and format large sections of related information--and to do a few others things as well (see the Table of Contents Window and Reference Window sections in the Views Reference).
<RD:Subsection>Objects
<RD>Objects, usually graphics, may be placed anywhere in the infobase. They may be big,<OB:Eye,Bitmap,1.75,1.75> or they may be small;<OB:Eye,Bitmap,0.3,0.3> in either case, they may be sized when they are in the infobase so they look right within the context.
<RD:Section>Summary<BK:Summary>
<RD>There are other codes which may be used, but by now you should be getting the feel for what may be done with Flat File, how the codes appear, and how they interact. As you first start using Folio Flat File, we suggest that you use Part Two of the Flat File Documentation. It is all alphabetized and provides examples. Once you are familiar with Flat File, you may find that working with the Topically Arranged Part Three, which just has the codes and a few notes when necessary, to be much faster.
<RD>Good Luck, and Enjoy!
<RD><BP:0.75><AP:0.5<PN:Notes>(<BD+>Note:<BD> One good way to see how to build a series of Flat File codes for a particular effect is to create the effect in Views and then Save the infobase as a Flat File.)</PN>
