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BOOKSNX.DOC
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an OBJECTS::NEXUS(tm) application
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ BooksNexus(tm): book library records ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ (C) Copyright 1994 - 97 RCCO Research Associates ║
║ All Rights Reserved under International Conventions ║
║ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
BooksNexus Documentation
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ To read this documentation on-line most anywhere in the program, press │
│ the <Alt-M> key combination. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
BooksNexus is a simple-to-use, efficient recordkeeping system for individual,
professional or institutional book collection records; the materials are
presented and maintained in an attractive visually-oriented environment.
Books are normally maintained in book number order, with sort command
options to arrange the collection in order of title or author or category.
The user may view the sample entries in either Form View or Table View
format -- editing, deleting or replacing them with actual records of the
user's own library. Additional records may be appended in any number
required. Edits or corrections are easy and quick to make in either Form
or Table View.
The information is presented to the user initially in Table View format,
very similar in appearance to that of a spreadsheet; data items may be added
or edited in Form View format, via "hot-keys." Mouse support is provided
for scrolling through the data table; however, a mouse is not necessary to
utilize the program.
On-line documentation is available at the touch of a hot-key selection. A
pop-up calculator is also provided, via a hot-key choice.
BOOKSNX.DOC BooksNexus Documentation Page 2
An automatic report facility provides attractive on-screen and printed
reports. A printer selection utility provides for a wide choice of availa-
ble printers.
The View/Print Reports window offers the opportunity to preview on-screen
the appearance of the printed report. Again records may be sorted in any
of four ways, resulting in an attractive ASCII text report. Print output,
when selected, is sent to the selected printer.
The report output includes the Cost column field as the far right entry on
the Preview and Printed report; at the end of the report the total of the
Cost column is summarized to give a picture of total investment in the
collection.
A Book Labels printing utility is included for the creation of personalized
1 x 3.5" labels showing informational detail and, with program registration,
the user's name.
The program is simple to use and offers intuitive features commonly found
in RCCO Research OBJECTS::NEXUS(tm) applications.
The unregistered copy is not in any way limited as to the usefulness,
capacity, or reporting facilities of the program.
Easy batch file idea
─────────────────────
You may wish to create a batch file for your batch directory:
┌───────────┐
│ BOOKS.BAT │
└───────────┘
@ECHO OFF
C: (or whatever drive you use)
CD \BOOKSNX
BOOKSNX
Please consult your DOS manual if you are unfamiliar with creating batch
files. The above batch file will make operation of BooksNexus easier for
you.
If you have not yet created your batch file and simply want to get right
into the program, change to the \BOOKSNX directory and type:
BOOKSNX <enter>
to begin the BooksNexus program.
BOOKSNX.DOC BooksNexus Documentation Page 3
The main records table
───────────────────────
After the program loads behind the sign-on screen, the user is presented
with a selection of sorting options for the initial presentation of data.
After selecting a sort command option, the primary Table View screen is
shown. In this view, the cells (or fields) are displayed with horizontal
column headers indicating the different cell/field names; a multiple selec-
tion of records (or rows) indicate the different data entries. In Form View
( <Alt-E> or <Alt-N> ), a single data record is shown with the cell struc-
tures available in vertical presentation.
After you have had some practice dealing with the data table concept in
BooksNexus, you will find entry and maintenance of this table quite familiar
and simple. Simply view the included sample entries to start, add your own,
then delete or edit/overwrite the samples later on.
The entries in this table are sorted in any of four ways; they are then
maintained in sort order no matter how you choose to enter them.
The selection of cells available for data entry in BooksNexus are:
BOOK_NO (Book Number)
TITLE
AUTHOR
COST
RETAIL
DATE_ACQ (Date Acquired)
SOURCE
PUBLISHER
CATEGORY
YEAR (Year Published)
COMMENTS
The field for Book Number entry is of the type that will accept either
numerical or alphabetic data. A numerical type entry will be maintained
in sort order as long as there are leading zero placeholders (i.e., 001,
002, 003, etc.). The examples show an alphanumeric type sample entry
which is maintained in sorted order with an initial character followed by
numbers (ie, C001, C002, etc.). The alphanumeric format allows one to use
any combination of letters within the Book Number entry; for example,
different areas of interest may be grouped within the same table simply
by prefixing the number with a letter code. One might begin all computer-
related titles (as in the sample entries) with something like "C001" while
science fiction subjects may begin with "SF001" -- maintaining separation
between the two areas. The point here is that flexibility is provided for
creation of codes that will work best for the user's own library. The
codes may have the letter appended to the end of a number, as in "001C"
or "001SF." The Book Number cell may contain up to eight alphanumeric
characters. Further delineation within an area or library may be made
with the Category field (see the sample entries for ideas).
BOOKSNX.DOC BooksNexus Documentation Page 4
For the Author sort to be effectively maintained, the names should be
entered in the format,
Melville, Herman
That is, the last name is first to effect the alphabetical sort.
Similarly, titles should be entered:
Andromeda Strain, The
The Comments field is of the type that will allow passages of up to 70
characters of comment text to be entered for any record.
The other cells in both Form and Table Views are limited in capacity to
that which is shown on the screen. Their function and content should be
intuitive and easy to use.
Moving around
──────────────
In general, the <Esc> key or <RightMouse> will either advance the program to
the next screen or back up to the previous level; exceptions are noted on
certain screens, but in general <Esc> or <RightMouse> are the exit keys.
<LeftMou