Business Heaven

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Business Heaven / Business Heaven.iso / maillist / zctl10 / zctl10.doc < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1993-06-16 | 12.0 KB | 297 lines

Program: Zip Code Tool Lite (ZCTL) Version: 1.0 Date: 06/15/93 Author: George Spafford Copyright 1993: All Rights Reserved Purpose: To have a zip code database that has a fair amount of search capabilities, but does NOT take a lot of drive space. Install: Copy the distribution files into one directory and then run the ZCTLGEN.EXE program if you have an 8088, V20 or 80286. Run ZLGEN386.EXE if you have an 80386 or above processor - this program is much faster than just ZCTLGEN.EXE. The database file that is created, ZCTL.DBZ is 4.6 MB in size (much smaller than the full blown ZCT.DBZ file that the Zip Code Tool uses - ZCT.DBZ is 12MB). ZCTL must be run from its host directory. It can NOT run from the path statement. To correct this problem, please read the SDS utility's doc files. This program does not support LAN based record locking. NOTE: ZCTQ, a special command line driven search program CAN RUN FROM THE COMMAND LINE AND DOES USE DOS TO FIND THE ZCTL.DBZ DATA FILE. ZCTQ MUST BE IN THE SAME DIRECTORY AS THE ZCTL.DBZ FILE. ======================== How to use ZCTL.EXE ======================== ZCT consists of a graphical user interface that can be accessed either with the keyboard or with a mouse. To access the menu with the keyboard, press just the ALT key and then release it. The left most menu item "Data" will be highlighted and you can then either press ENTER to show the menu or use the arrow keys to move. With a mouse, the menus are of the pull-down variety. In an attempt to cover this version of ZCT in an orderly manner, I am going to discuss the menu selections from left to right on the screen. The main menu is made up of the following submenus: DATA contains data related controls. REPORTS the report option. SEARCH contains several options to look up data. UTILS contains options relating to the program itself. INFO contains items relating to registering the program. QUIT Gee, I wonder what this does! It exits the program. Now let's look at each of the submenus in detail: DATA: Add Adds new records to the database. Only use this if you are adding an entirely new data entry. It is NOT for updating an existing entry. First clear the screen, enter your data and then select this option to save the information. Shortcut Key: CTRL-A Bottom This moves to the last record in the database according to the currently selected index. Shortcut Key: CTRL-B Clear Form This clears all of the input fields on the screen. Use this before you add data. Shortcut Key: CTRL-C Delete Use this to delete the currently viewed record. If you accidentally delete a record, do not exit the record and just use ADD to enter it back into the database. If you delete a record, move to another and then realize that it was a mistake, you can not recover the record. Update Use this to make changes to the record that is displayed in front of you. It is for making changes to an existing record. It is NOT for adding a record. Shortcut Key: CTRL-U Next Use this to move to the next record according to the currently selected index. Shortcut Key: CTRL-N Previous Use this to move to the prior record according to the currently selected index. Shortcut Key: CTRL-P Record Count This item displays how many records are currently in its main ZCTL.DBZ database. Top This moves to the first record in a database according to the currently selected index. It is the opposite of the "Bottom" command. Shortcut Key: CTRL-T REPORTS: Single Entry This prints out the currently displayed record. Shortcut Key: CTRL-R SEARCH: NOTE: USE STATE ABBREVIATIONS WHEN PROMPTED FOR A STATE NAME! IF THE PROGRAM CAN NOT FIND A MATCH, THEN IT WILL FIND THE CLOSEST ENTRY IT CAN BASED ON THE FIRST SEVERAL LETTERS. SEARCHES AUTOMATICALLY SET THE APPROPRIATE INDEX. Quick-Search This allows a user to quickly search the database for an entry on the basis of City Name, State abbreviation. For example: Saint Joseph, MI If you do not know how to spell an entire city name, just enter up to the point that you do know and the state name. For example: Saint, MI Shortcut Key: CTRL-S Zip Code Use this to find a record when you know the zip code. Area Code Searches for matches based on a given area code. UTILS: Reindex the Database ONLY USE THIS IF YOU ARE HAVING SEARCH ERRORS. This routine drops all indicies from the database and then recreates them. It is a rather lengthy process. INFO: Program Version Displays the program name and version. Print Registration Form Prints the registration form to the printer. User this option when you want to register ZCT with me. Enter Serial Number Use this to enter the registration data that I send you when you register the program. Display Serial Number This option displays who the copy is registered to and their serial number. The program will warn you if the serial number and user ID do not match. If you receive an error message, then use "Enter Serial Number" to re-input the data. Serial numbers do not use the letter "O" (Oh) - serial numbers always use the numeral 0 (zero). Thus, 99001A is 99, two zeroes, 1 and A. Enter the information EXACTLY as I give it to you. If you are getting registration errors for no reason, try the following: 1. Run ZCTL and re-enter your data under the INFO menu. 2. If #1 doesn't work, go to the directory where you have ZCT Lite and delete ZCTL.CFG and try step #1 again. 3. Did you use a capital letter Oh in place of a zero? 4. Did you type your user ID in exactly as it as given to you on your registration form that I sent you? Do NOT add spaces, change abbreviations, use different spellings, etc. You must type in the user ID and serial number EXACTLY as I give it to you. ---------------------- Fields on the Screen: ---------------------- City This contains the city name. State This contains the state's abbreviation. Zip Code This contains the record's zip code. Area Code This contains the record's area code. --------------------- Command Buttons: --------------------- On the screen are three command buttons that can be accessed via the mouse or by pushing ALT+ the highlighted letter. Previous Moves to the prior record. Next Move to the next record. Database pack: -------------- If, for some reason, you delete a lot of records, run PACK.BAT. If you do not delete a lot of records, then do not waste your time. This program only removes references to deleted records. Database Repair: ---------------- If the database becomes corrupt and rebuilding it is not an option, the run REPAIR.BAT to attempt to repair it. The recovery is greatlly affected by the level of corruption that has occurred. ---------- ZCTQ.EXE ---------- ZCTQ offers a quick and easy way to find data from the command line. It currently will only search based on the city and state name. It will use DOS to find the directory where it was executed from and it will then expect to find the ZCTL.DBZ data file therein. If you put ZCT Lite in a directory that is in your path, then you can run ZCTQ.EXE from anywhere on your computer. It is used as follows: ZCTQ city name, state Examples: ZCTQ Saint Joseph, MI ZCTQ East Lansing, MI ZCTQ Eau Claire, MI ZCTQ Detroit, MI The program will then find the matches and display them. Note, the program compares the database entries to the length of the search string. For example, "SAINT, MI" will list all of the cities in Michigan that begin with "Saint." ********************** THE ZIP CODE DATA FILE ********************** I am now using zip code data obtained from Action Plus Software. If you want to purchase the data, contact Thomas C. Leugers Jr. at 1-801-255-0600 and he will be glad to help you out. If you want the data, you must talk to Thomas - I will no longer be making my data files available for use outside of ZCT or ZCT Lite. -------- History: -------- v1.0 06/15/93 Initial release. The Zip Code Tool in its full blown version (12+ MB) takes a lot of disk space. A lot of people just need a program to find area and zip codes - nothing more. Zip Code Tool Lite is in response to this need. VI. REGISTRATION ZCTL IS SHAREWARE!!! IT IS NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN AND IT IS NOT CHEAP FOR ME TO MAINTAIN! If you find this program to be useful, please register it within 30 days of its initial use. If you continue to use it after this period of time, you are violating your license to use it. Only by registering the program can you legally continue to use it. And only by registering your copy can I continue to develop shareware programs such as this. A registration form and pricing information are in the REGISTER.DOC file. You can view it by typing REGISTER at the DOS prompt. Basically, the program is $20 per copy plus $5 for shipping and handling per order. Please send payments in American funds to (please no cash): George Spafford 3003 Lakeshore Drive #216 St. Joseph, MI 49085 I can be reached on the EXEC-PC and CHANNEL-ONE BBSes as well as Michigan Online: 19200-8-N-1 (616) 429-3414 Sysop: Zeke Torres Note: SDV and SDS are distributed with the ZCT package. If you register ZCTL, you can automatically use them. If you do not register ZCTL and elect to user either of the included programs, you must register them separately. SHAREWARE DISTRIBUTORS: You may distribute this program as long as it is made clear that you are only a distributor and that the program is not registered until they make payment to me. Please do not charge more than $5 per disk to distribute ZCTL to your customers. ::::: Legal ::::: THE ZIP CODE TOOL LITE PACKAGE (ZCTL) IS DISTRIBUTED AS IS. THE AUTHOR (GEORGE SPAFFORD) MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF APPROPRIATENESS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE AUTHOR ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, WAGES OR ANY OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF THE MISUSE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT PACKAGE.