home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
World of Shareware - Software Farm 2
/
wosw_2.zip
/
wosw_2
/
DATABASE
/
ZEPHYR4B.ZIP
/
ZEPHYR4.002
/
lha
/
ZEPHYR4
/
README.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1992-12-20
|
43KB
|
781 lines
ZEPHYR 4.0
FoxPro2-Compatible
Data Base Management
For Non-Programmers
INSTANTANEOUS RETRIEVAL FROM ANY DBASE DATA BASE
Up to 1000 times the performance of dBASE IV and
up to 1500 times the performance of dBASE III+
Query-by-Example and SQL Record Selection Support.
INTEGRATED WINDOWING ENVIRONMENT
Pull-Down Menus, Pop-Up Selection Windows, and
Mac-like Dialog Boxes Make Zephyr a Breeze to Use
UP TO 25 OPEN DATA BASES OF 1 BILLION RECORDS EACH
Supports 255 Indexes and 256 Fields per File
INTEGRATED EDITORS FOR REPORTS, LABELS, FORM LETTERS
Unlimited Design Potential Even for First-Time Users
TOTALLY CUSTOMIZABLE USER INTERFACE
Tailor Zephyr to Work Your Way in Just a Few Seconds
Complete Support for Foreign Dates and Numeric Fields
INSTANTLY ACCESIBLE PC TOOLKIT
Includes Sophisticated Editor, Form Letter Generator,
Screen Format Generator, Error Correction System and
FoxPro's Calculator, Calendar/Diary, and Puzzle for Fun
20K TSR & HIGH-RESOLUTION GRAPHICS DATA BASE SUPPORT
Load Zephyr as a 20K TSR and press a "hot-key" to toggle
to your other favorite programs. And add .PCX graphics
to your standard dBASE-compatible data bases with full-
256-color with resolutions up to 800 x 600.
Requirements: IBM-compatible personal computer with minimum 640K RAM
(490K free RAM), DOS 2.1 (3.1 for networks) or higher, hard disk with
3.5MB free, and virtually any monitor and display adaptor.
Enhancements: Zephyr thrives on 386/486 machines with expanded memory,
SuperVGA color displays, and a mouse.
VERSION 4 ENHANCEMENTS
For existing Zephyr users, here is a description of new features in Zephyr
4.0. Release notes for prior versions are included after the Ver. 4.0 summary.
Because Zephyr relies upon the FoxPro 2.0 data base engine, it brings a
previously unavailable level of power to the non-programmer. In tests against
IBM's finest mainframes running IBM's finest data base software (DB2), FoxPro
outperformed DB2 in search retrieval times by a margin of better than 4 to 1.
IBM's data base software alone costs more than your house! Now, that same
performance is available in every Zephyr application you build. Much of this
magic is the result of Fox Software's patented Rushmore technology. In a
nutshell, it allows users to index virtually every field in a data base with
compressed indexes consuming roughly one-sixth the space of comparable dBASE IV
indexes. Once a data base is indexed in this way, virtually all searches make
intelligent use of ALL these indexes to retrieve the desired data. In tests
against data bases of over a million records, retrieval times on a search are
typically limited by the speed of your printer and display screen.
Unlike prior versions of dBASE and FoxPro, Zephyr now allows you to build a
compound .CDX index file which contains index data on up to 255 different index
expressions. A compound index with the same file name as the data base is
automatically opened whenever the data base itself is opened. The simplest way
to create the compound index file is to do so when the data base is created or
revised. Choose the BUILD DATA BASE option from the BUILD pull-down menu.
After entering a field name, you will notice a shaded area immediately to the
left of the field name. Use the <LEFT> cursor key to move into this area.
Pressing the <SPACE BAR> will reveal an <Up> arrow signifying that the field
will be indexed in ascending order (A to Z). If you press the <SPACE BAR>
again, a <Down> arrow will appear signifying a descending index (Z to A). A
third press will eliminate the arrows which means the field will not be indexed.
When the desired index is displayed, press <ENTER> to continue. If your data
base will be searched on most of the fields in the data base, we recommend
indexing every field EXCEPT the MEMO fields. This will result in most searches
using EQUALS, NOT EQUALS, GREATER THAN, LESS THAN, AT LEAST, and AT MOST being
virtually instantaneous. NOTE: Searches for something "CONTAINED IN" a field
do not achieve performance benefits from the Rushmore technology. Should you
need to add additional indexes to your compound index after the data base is
created, the file can be modified by choosing the REVISE OLD option from the
BUILD DATA BASE selection. If you need special indexes which use multiple
concatenated fields, these can be added from the BUILD COMMAND option. The
syntax is INDEX ON <expression> TO TAG <indexname> OF <CDX index filename>. Or
you may build indexes using Zephyr's pull-down menus in the usual way. Version
4.0 supports the old FoxPro indexes but defaults to the new .CDX indexes.
It should be stressed that the FoxPro programming language now includes
almost 1,000 programming commands and functions. A 1,000-page manual would not
begin to do justice to the new language. Nor would it be practical to force new
users to print such a document as part of a shareware program. For that reason,
we recommend that you consider purchasing FoxPro Made Easy for FoxPro 2.0 or an
equivalent book WHICH YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. Such books are available at most
major book stores. And, if all else fails, we sell these books to registered
users. Virtually EVERY COMMAND AND FUNCTION of the FoxPro language is supported
from the command prompt within the Zephyr program. However, our technical
support ends at the command prompt. It would take a year in a major university
to do FoxPro 2.0 justice. We cannot begin to do that by telephone. If this
sounds like a cop out, IT IS! We support Zephyr as a menu-driven data base
system for non-programmers.
RUNNING ZEPHYR AS A 20K TSR!
Zephyr takes advantage of application switching technology by allowing you
to load the software as a 20K terminate-and-stay-resident program. You then can
toggle between Zephyr and another application with a single keystroke. Zephyr
can be loaded as a TSR in several ways:
(1) From the DOS prompt, type ZEPHYR TSR. Zephyr will be loaded, and then
the DOS prompt will redisplay. You can then run any other program desired. To
toggle back to Zephyr, press <CTRL-ALT>. To return to your other application,
press <ALT-Z> from within Zephyr.
(2) From the DOS prompt, load Zephyr in the normal way by typing ZEPHYR.
When the main menu appears, press <ALT-Z> to return to DOS. Then run any other
program. To switch back to Zephyr, press <CTRL-ALT>.
(3) At the DOS prompt, create an environment variable named TSR and store
the name of a batch file to be run when you hot-key out of Zephyr. For example,
SET TSR=C:\SAMPLE.BAT tells Zephyr to run the C:\SAMPLE.BAT batch file whenever
the user presses <ALT-Z> from within Zephyr. Then create the SAMPLE.BAT file
using any desired DOS commands.
.PCX GRAPHICS FIELD SUPPORT IN ZEPHYR DATA BASES
Zephyr now includes built-in support to store, display, and print .PCX
graphics images as part of a standard Zephyr (or dBASE-compatible) data base.
In order to display or print graphics fields, you MUST have a CGA, EGA, VGA,
SuperVGA, or Hercules-compatible graphics card in your computer. In order to
print graphics fields, you MUST have a Hewlett-Packard LaserJet-compatible
printer. The time required to print graphics images on dot matrix printers
makes it impracticable to develop printing software for that environment.
Configuring Zephyr to support your graphics display is automatic in most
cases. If your computer has a graphics card, Zephyr will tell you this when the
program loads. In certain circumstances, Zephyr may identify your particular
graphics card incorrectly. This is particularly the case if you are using an
EGA or VGA card in Hercules-mode with a monochrome display. There also are some
so-called SuperVGA cards built into notebook computers which lack the necessary
RAM to do anything one would normally do in SuperVGA mode. In these cases, you
may need to manually set the appropriate video mode for Zephyr. We recommend you
first try Zephyr AS IS. Then resort to the manual method if you can't get an
image to display. A sample image is included which SHOULD work in BLAKBOOK.
To FORCE a certain graphics mode, you must set the VM environment variable
at the DOS level. Exit to DOS with Zephyr NOT running and type: SET VM=nn
where nn is a number representing the desired graphics mode.
If you have a Herc card or an EGA/VGA card in Herc mode, type: SET VM=99
If you have a SuperVGA, Zephyr can usually figure out the best resolution.
If you want 800x600x256 resolution and have the necessary display RAM on your
VGA card, type: SET VM=42
If you have SuperVGA and display is a mess, try: SET VM=40 or SET VM=41
To force any VGA display into standard 320x200x256 mode, type: SET VM=19
Zephyr's .PCX viewer and printer is active in BROWSE, EDIT, and ADD modes
of the INPUT pull-down menu ONLY!
There are TWO WAYS to store .PCX images in your Zephyr data bases: (1) as
linked DOS files or (2) as MEMO fields in particular records of a data base.
To view .PCX images stored with a .PCX DOS file name, enter the name of the
file WITHOUT the .PCX file extension in any character-type field. For example,
if you have a PROPERTY field in your data base and you store HOUSE1 in this
field for a particular record, then HOUSE1.PCX will display when you activate
the .PCX graphics viewer. NOTE: HOUSE1.PCX must be in the \ZEPHYR4 directory.
In the alternative, you may import a .PCX image into a MEMO field for later
display. In INPUT BROWSE mode, position the cursor on the desired MEMO field in
the desired record. Press <F6> to import a DOS file. Highlight the desired .PCX
file, and press <ENTER>. When Zephyr's editor displays the file, immediately
press <ESC>ape without changing ANY of the data!
There are times when it is desirable to place .PCX images in a MEMO field
and other times when they are best left as individual DOS files. For example, in
a real estate application, one might wish to display a picture of the high
school for a particular area. In this case, retaining the .PCX file as a DOS
image would allow it to be used in displays for more than one house for sale on
the same street. This could save considerable disk space. On the other hand, a
.PCX image of the living room of a particular home might best be saved as a MEMO
field with the record for the particular home. This would assure that the
correct living room picture always was matched with its house. See BLAKBOOK.DBF.
To activate the .PCX file viewer, position the cursor on the desired field
of the desired record in BROWSE, EDIT or ADD records mode. Then press <ALT-V>
to VIEW the .PCX image. Open BLAKBOOK.DBF and try it on the Mundy record.
To print the image, you first must VIEW it. While it is displayed, press
<ALT-P> to print the image to any LaserJet-compatible printer. Pressing any
other key exits from the graphics display.
In BROWSE mode, only the image is displayed when you press <ALT-V>. In EDIT
or ADD records mode, the entire screen contents are displayed in addition to the
image. And, yes, you can move the image to suit your needs. It is possible to
display field data in and around a picture of a house, for example. This is
ideal for real estate applications!!
To move the image from its default, exit to DOS and set two environment
variables. The first (ZTOP) tells Zephyr where the top corner of the image
should begin. The second (ZLEFT) tells Zephyr where the left edge of the image
should begin. These numbers are computed in PIXELS and obviously change
depending upon the type display. Here are the widths and lengths, respectively,
of most display cards:
Display card WIDTH in PIXELS LENGTH in PIXELS
------------ --------------- ----------------
Standard VGA 320 200
Super VGA 640 480
Mode 40 VGA 640 400
Mode 42 VGA 800 600
EGA 640 350
CGA 640 400
Thus, to start the display of an image half way down the screen and half
way across the screen in standard VGA mode, you would:
SET ZTOP=100
SET ZLEFT=160
Then, run Zephyr again and check your work. Once the results are the way
you desire, these settings can be saved in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
If you are interested in a low-cost, full-color method to capture and
create images, here is a suggestion. Purchase the Computer Eyes video capture
board and the Canon XapShot camera. With this combination you can produce
images exactly like the sample homes which are distributed with Zephyr. Once
the images are captured, the software included with the image capture board can
convert them into .PCX files for use with Zephyr. The cost will be under $800.
AUTOMATIC PHONE DIALER
To use Zephyr's automatic phone dialer, you must have a Hayes-compatible
modem in your computer. And, you need to tell Zephyr which PORT is talks to.
At the DOS level BEFORE running Zephyr, type one of the following to identify
the COM port of your modem: SET PORT=1 or SET PORT=2. With some versions of DOS
and some modems, you also will need to issue the following command at the DOS
level: MODE COM1:2400,N,8,1. Finally, you will need to tell Zephyr whether your
phone line supports Touch-Tone service: SET PREFIX=ATDT for tone support or SET
PREFIX=ATDP for pulse dialing. Please note: The phone dialer sometimes works
and sometimes doesn't with DR-DOS 5.0 ... their problem, not ours!
To dial a number in BROWSE, EDIT or ADD modes, position cursor on the
CHARACTER field containing the phone number to be dialed and press ALT-D to
dial. That's all there is to it. Once you lift the telephone receiver, press
<ENTER> to disengage the phone line from the modem.
RELATIONAL TABLE LOOKUP & CALCULATED FIELDS
Table lookup allows you to "pop up" a table of choices for virtually any
field in any Zephyr data base. For example, if you stored part numbers in your
data base, you might want to give users a pop up list of parts to choose from.
When a choice was made, the part number would automatically be stuffed into the
data base. This eliminates errors and greatly simplifies the data entry process.
Zephyr's method of creating table lookup files is simple. You just build a
data base with the same name as the field with which you wish to use it. If the
name of your part number field is PARTNO, then you would create a PARTNO.DBF
file to store the table data. The data in the very first field of PARTNO.DBF is
displayed when the user presses the TABLE LOOKUP key <F8>. Once the user chooses
any entry in the table by pressing <ENTER>, Zephyr will automatically transfer
ALL matching fields of data from the table to the primary file's current record.
For those that like lists, a more detailed explanation of the necessary
requirements to create a table lookup file follows.
TABLE LOOKUP REQUIREMENTS:
(1) Must be in INPUT BROWSE, EDIT, or ADD records mode to use TABLE LOOKUP.
(2) Data base must exist with file name corresponding to the field name in the
primary file, i.e. the field from which you invoke table lookup. If the field
name is over 8 characters, the file name must be the first 8 char's.
(3) The lookup table MUST contain a field which EXACTLY MATCHES the field from
which table lookup was invoked, i.e. if the primary data base has an 8-character
ID field of type CHARACTER, the lookup table must have the same.
(4) The lookup table MUST be indexed on the lookup field using a compound
index with a tag matching the field name. This index is easily created when the
actual data base is built. Simply move cursor to left of field name and press
<space bar> to reveal <UP arrow>. Then <TAB> to next field.
(5) The lookup table need not be opened before the table lookup function is
invoked; however, it will be faster if it is. If already open, it will be used
as it is found. If not open, it will be opened for the table lookup operation
and then closed.
TABLE LOOKUP OPERATION:
(1) Position on the field from which you wish to invoke table lookup.
(2) Press <F8> function key to access the table.
(3) The table will be positioned on the record matching the current field
value in the primary data base, if any.
(4) The table displays the FIRST FIELD ONLY from the table. You may choose
what field to display by making it the first field in your table lookup file.
(5) The user can move through the table using HOME (top), END (bottom), UP,
and DOWN cursor keys. To choose a desired item, press <ENTER> or the <Left> or
<Right> cursor keys. To exit without selecting, press <ESC>.
(6) If a table item is selected, Zephyr moves data from ALL MATCHING FIELDS
in the table to the corresponding fields in current record of the primary data
base, i.e. the data base from which the table was invoked.
WARNINGS:
(1) Make certain that there are NO FIELDS in the table lookup file
with the SAME FIELD NAMES as your primary data base which you DO NOT WANT
transferred to the primary file. The data transfer is AUTOMATIC if the
field names match. You can avoid the problem by changing a field name
in the table lookup file.
ZEPHYR MEMO FIELD ENHANCEMENTS
Memo field manipulation has been enhanced dramatically. This includes the
way in which a memo field is activated as well as the ability to import data
into and export data from memo fields.
The custom format options in the BUILD ADD/EDIT FORMAT selection allow a
new EXPLODE function for memo fields. After choosing this option, a user can
simply position on a MEMO field and press <ENTER> to edit. In BROWSE, ADD, and
EDIT record modes, you now can import data into memo fields by positioning on
the desired MEMO field and pressing <F6>. In a similar way, you can export memo
field data by positioning on the desired MEMO field and pressing <F7>. Both
import and export functions are file-oriented. In other words, you can only
import an entire file into a memo field. And, you can only export an entire
memo field to a file. Both append and overwrite are supported in import and
export modes.
The data in MEMO fields need NOT be ASCII text. However, if an image or
data in some proprietary format is stored in the MEMO field, it may not display
properly with Zephyr's standard ASCII editor or .PCX file viewing utility.
NOTE: Zephyr now allows users to import .PCX file images into a MEMO
field. These images then can be displayed using <ALT-V> provided the MEMO field
contents is NOT modified in any way. After import, Zephyr always displays the
MEMO field for editing. If you have imported a .PCX image, then press <ESC>
immediately after importing the image to assure that the image is not altered!
ZEPHYR FILE IMPORTING & EXPORTING
The FILE IMPORT and EXPORT options have been expanded dramatically to
provide support for many new file formats. The following formats are supported:
FILE FORMAT IMPORT EXPORT
----------------------- ------ ------
FoxPlus & dBASE III+ Yes Yes
Delimited Yes Yes
DIF (VisiCalc spreadsheets) Yes Yes
FW2 (Framework II data) Yes ---
MOD (MultiPlan 4.01) Yes Yes
PDOX (Paradox 3.5) Yes ---
RPD (RapidFile 1.2) Yes ---
SDF (System Data Format) Yes Yes
SYLK (MultiPlan) Yes Yes
WK1 (1-2-3 version 2.x) Yes Yes
WK3 (1-2-3 version 3.x) Yes ---
WKS (1-2-3 version 1-A) Yes Yes
WR1 (Symphony 1.1 or 1.2) Yes Yes
WRK (Symphony 1.0) Yes Yes
XLS (Excel 2.0) Yes Yes
ZEPHYR'S SQL SELECT
Zephyr now supports IBM's Structured Query Language through implementation
of the SQL (pronounced see-quill) SELECT statement. This can be issued from the
BUILD COMMANDS prompt to quickly retrieve data from multiple relational data
bases. As one of Zephyr's more powerful new features, you are urged to consult
a good primer on SQL or one of the new FoxPro 2.0 reference works for more
exhaustive coverage of the topic. Most community colleges and virtually all
colleges and universities provide semester-long courses on SQL. We obviously
cannot do it justice in a few pages. Before executing a SELECT command, we
recommend you issue the command SET TALK ON which will cause Zephyr to display
the query time and number of records found after a SELECT command is issued.
The basic SQL SELECT syntax is as follows:
SELECT [ALL | DISTINCT]
[<database>.]<select_item>
[AS <column_name>]
[, [<alias>.]<select_item>
[AS <column_name>] ...]
FROM <database> [<local_alias>]
[, <database>
[<local_alias>] ...]
[[INTO <destination>]
| [TO FILE <file>
[ADDITIVE] | TO PRINTER]]
[PLAIN]
[NOWAIT]
[WHERE <joincondition>
[AND <joincondition> ...]
[AND | OR
<filtercondition>
[AND | OR
<filtercondition> ...]]]
[GROUP BY <groupcolumn>
[, <groupcolumn> ...]]
[HAVING <filtercondition>]
[UNION [ALL] <SELECT command>]
[ORDER BY <order_item>
[ASC | DESC]
[, <order_item>
[ASC | DESC]...]]
A simple select statement is outlined below. For additional information, look
in the HELP file under the SELECT - SQL topic or consult FoxPro2 Made Easy.
SELECT [ALL | DISTINCT]
[<alias>.]<select_item> [AS <column_name>]
[, [<alias>.]<select_item> [AS <column_name>] ...]
Each <select_item> can be:
* A field from a database in the FROM clause.
* A constant specifying that the same constant value is to appear in
every row of the query results.
Field functions available for use with a <select_item> that is a field or
an expression involving a field:
* AVG(<select_item>) - Averages a column of numeric data.
* COUNT(<select_item>) - Counts the number of <select_items> in a
column. COUNT(*) counts the number of rows in the query output.
* MIN(<select_item>) - Determines the smallest value of <select_item> in
a column.
* MAX(<select_item>) - Determines the largest value of <select_item> in
a column.
* SUM(<select_item>) - Totals a column of numeric data.
You cannot nest field functions.
By default, ALL rows in query results are displayed. To exclude duplicates
of any rows, specify DISTINCT. You can use DISTINCT only once per SELECT clause.
The optional AS <column_name> clause specifies the heading for a column in
the query output. This is useful when you have a <select_item> that is an
expression or contains a field function and you want to give its column a
meaningful name. The <column_name> can be an expression, but cannot contain
characters (for example, spaces) that are not allowed in database field names.
FROM <database> [<local_alias>]
[, <database> [<local_alias>] ...]
Lists each <database> that contains data to be retrieved by the query.
<local_alias> is a temporary name for a <database>. If you specify a
<local_alias>, you must use the <local_alias> in place of the database name
throughout the SELECT command.
INTO <destination>
If INTO is specified, no output display is produced so if you include an
INTO and a TO clause in the same query, TO is ignored. If you don't include
INTO clause, query results appear on the screen and can also be directed to the
printer or a file with the TO clause.
<destination> can be:
* ARRAY <array> - Stores query results in a memory variable <array>.
* CURSOR <cursor> - Stores query results in a <cursor>. If <cursor> you
specify is the name of an open database, FoxPro closes the database and creates
a cursor without warning if you have SET SAFETY OFF. After the SELECT command
is executed, the temporary cursor remains open but is read-only. Once you close
the cursor, it is deleted. Cursors may reside on the SORTWORK drive.
* DBF <database> | TABLE <database> - Stores query results in a
<database>. If you specify a <database> that is already open, Zephyr closes the
database and reopens it without warning if you have SET SAFETY OFF. If you
don't specify an extension, the database is given a .DBF extension. After the
SELECT command is executed, the database remains open and is active.
After issuing a SELECT command, you generally can issue a BROWSE command to
view your data if you include the INTO DBF <filename> clause in your command.
Because SQL SELECT commands take some getting used to, you now can retrieve
your last 10 commands in the COMMAND WINDOW by pressing the <Up> arrow after
executing a command. When the prior command appears, move the cursor if you
desire to modify the displayed command. If you type a character in the first
character position, then the ENTIRE COMMAND WILL BE ERASED. Press <ENTER> to
execute your command after making any desired modifications.
SPECIAL NOTE:
SQL SELECT commands create data bases and work files which are opened in
one of the 25 data bases areas supported by Zephyr. Before executing a SELECT
command, make certain that there are several free work areas.
Once you complete your SELECT session, Zephyr needs to be restored to its
original view of the data bases which were in use before you began. When you
press <ESC> to exit from BUILD COMMANDS mode, you will be asked whether to
RESTORE ORIGINAL VIEW. Always type Y if you have executed SQL SELECT commands.
LOADING CUSTOMIZED DATA BASE VIEWS
Zephyr now allows you to start up using different view files. In this way
you can store different applications with the SAVE VIEW command, and then re-
start Zephyr using a user-defined view.
Assuming you have saved a view file with the name MYAPP.VUE, you could
load Zephyr with the MYAPP view by issuing the following command at the DOS
prompt: ZEPHYR MYAPP
If you wish to load Zephyr without the TSR and .PCX support and also load
the MYAPP view, then issue the following command: ZEPHYR LEAN MYAPP
NOTE: The view file ALWAYS must be specified as the LAST parameter. Thus,
ZEPHYR MYAPP LEAN will NOT work properly.
ZEPHYR MEMORY REQUIREMENTS
Zephyr and its FoxPro data base engine need lots of expanded memory to
really thrive. Zephyr can run in 480-490K of RAM on a vanilla 640K machine, but
it is NOT a pretty sight. Sluggish is the kindest word that comes to mind. If
you are in this environment, we recommend you start the program with the fol-
lowing command: ZEPHYR LEAN. This disables the TSR and .PCX image functions and
saves 50K of precious RAM space. Our recommendation: buy some expanded memory
while it is still inexpensive. Zephyr deserves it and will make you proud!!!
Another alternative is to upgrade to Microsoft's DOS 5.0. Even with a 1MB RAM
machine, the available memory for programs will be increased considerably.
ZEPHYR SAMPLE APPLICATIONS
To keep your shareware evaluation investment to a minimum, the shareware
version of Zephyr is distributed witha modest sample application. Use FILE OPEN
to open the BLAKBOOK.DBF file in the \ZEPHYR4 directory. Now use BROWSE to view
the various records. Some helpful hints are provided to get you started.
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Whether or not you decide to register and obtain an end-user license for
continued use of Zephyr, we value your comments and suggestions. As an incen-
tive to encourage you to write, we make the following offer. Send us a note
with $5 for shipping and handling, and we will send you a shareware copy of our
brand-new hard disk security software, Pearly Gates. It will protect your
hard disk against tampering and viruses. And you're welcome to pass it along
to your friends for evaluation.
To order, send your name and mailing address together with $5 in U.S.
currency. No checks please!
Release 1 Notes: A small utility program (MEM.COM) is included. By typing
MEM at the DOS prompt while positioned in the \ZEPHYR4 directory, this program
will tell you the amount of memory installed and available on your machine.
Version 1.01 Notes: A filter assist mode has been added. Whenever the select
filter option is chosen, the standard filter editor popup will display. If you
understand Boolean logic, just type your desired filter and press <CTRL-ENTER>.
If you wish to cancel an existing filter, press <DEL> then <CTRL-ENTER>. If you
wish to exit from the filter editor and leave the filter as is, press <ESC>. If
the filter is set to blank or is already blank, pressing <CTRL-ENTER> will then
trigger the filter assist mode. Windows will display allowing you to select the
field to be used for the filter, then the desired relation, then a value. This
process may be repeated for as many conditions as are desired in the filter.
Version 2.0 Enhancements: Zephyr has provided record-level edit checks since
its introduction. Field-level edit checks now are supported as well. These
are automatically generated as part of the BUILD ADD/EDIT FORMAT option. The
difference in the two is that record-level edit checks are executed whenever a
data entry screen is completed (SAVED). Field-level edit checks are executed
as each field is entered on the screen. Thus, if there are data entry errors,
the user is prompted for a correction immediately rather than when the entire
data entry screen has been completed. Depending upon the type of field, three
types of field-level edit checks now are supported: validity checks, picture
templates, and lists of values.
Validity checks allow the user to automatically define what conditions must be
met for a field entry to be accepted. This is the REVERSE of record-level edit
checks which define when an ERROR has occurred. For character, date, and
numeric fields, Zephyr will automatically write the necessary code to force an
entry in a field, i.e. a character or date field must be non-blank and numeric
fields must be non-zero. Any other validity check using a legal FoxPro expres-
sion is also permissible. If you write your own, you may also specify an error
message to be displayed when the error is encountered.
Picture templates allow the user to define the format for a particular data
entry field. For example, you could force all data to upper case. Or zip
codes could be forced into a format of 99999-9999 where the 9's represent
numbers which must be entered separated by a hyphen in position 6 of the zip
code field. A picture template for date fields defaults to 99/99/99 while a
logical field template defaults to Y (meaning only Y or N is acceptable as an
entry in the logical field).
List of values (or TABLE LOOKUP) is supported for character fields. If you
select this formatting option, Zephyr will prompt you to enter a list of
acceptable values for the field separated by commas. For example, if you had
a field named COLOR, you might wish to specify the acceptable colors. These
would be entered as follows: RED,GREEN,BLUE,INDIGO,VIOLET. When the user moves
into the COLOR field, the first color specified will display unless a COLOR
selection already has been made. The user can simply press the <SPACE BAR> to
toggle through the acceptable choices, pressing <ENTER> when the appropriate
color is displayed.
To utilize field-level edit checks, you first must build your data base. Once
built, make certain that the desired data base is selected by examining the
name of the active file in use on line 24 of the screen. Then choose the BUILD
pull-down menu, highlight the ADD/EDIT FORMAT, and press <ENTER>. When asked
whether to ADD CUSTOM FORMAT OPTIONS, type Y.
For each field in the data base, you then will be prompted whether to ADD A
CUSTOM FORMAT. If you wish to, then type Y and <PgDn>. Otherwise, type N.
Depending upon the field type, a pop-up window will display the available types
of edit formats available. When you have chosen all desired options, press the
<ESC> key. This process will repeat for each field unless you change MORE
CUSTOM FORMAT OPTIONS to N. Each of the custom format options is explained
below. These differ depending upon the field type of each field. Therefore,
the explanation below is keyed to different field types supported by Zephyr.
CHARACTER FIELDS:
Validity check - This means you want to specify a Boolean logic expression
which defines when the data in the field has been entered
correctly. Highlighting this option and pressing <ENTER>
will display a window in which you can enter the conditions
which must be met and the error message which should be dis-
played if the condition(s) are not met. With character
fields, Zephyr automatically writes the code to REQUIRE an
entry in the character field. If this isn't desired, press
<CTRL-Y> to erase the code and enter your own.
Picture template This enables you to define the format for data entered into
this field. There is no default. To force the field to all
upper case, you would enter an ! for each character position
in the field. For other examples, see the HELP file descrip-
tion of the @ SAY picture templates. Or consult the FoxPro
Made Easy reference book.
List of values - This permits definition of a list of acceptable values for
this field. As explained above, these values are typed in
exactly as they should be displayed for the user. Separate
each value from the next with a comma. Do NOT include a
space after the commas unless you want that to be part of the
value entered.
DATE FIELDS:
Validity check - If chosen, it defaults to requiring a non-blank date to be
entered. You may desire some other checks. For example, to
force entry of a date which is NOT in the future, the correct
expression for a field named FILINGDT would be as follows:
.NOT. EMPTY(FILINGDT) .AND. FILINGDT<=DATE()
Picture template The default, if chosen, is a picture template of 99/99/99.
LOGICAL FIELDS:
Validity check - There is no default expression. This typically would be used
to force a logical field to match some other data which pre-
viously has been entered. For example, if there were a
SPOUSE field and a MARRIED logical field (in that order), we
might want to force the MARRIED field to True if the SPOUSE
field were NOT empty. Remember, however, that the SPOUSE
field would have to appear on the data entry screen first to
make this work correctly. The correct syntax would be --
.NOT. EMPTY(SPOUSE) .AND. MARRIED .OR. EMPTY(SPOUSE) .AND.
.NOT. MARRIED
Picture template If chosen, this option defaults to Y. This tells Zephyr to
force data entry for this logical field to accept only Y or
N. Without this picture template, Y, N, T, and F are all
acceptable entries for a logical field.
NUMERIC FIELDS:
Validity check - The default, if chosen, is to force a non-zero entry into a
numeric field. Other possible uses for this might be to
assure that a numeric calculation is correct. For example,
if a data base had a FILINGDT and ENDINGDT field as well as
an AGE field, we might want to make certain that the AGE
field correctly reported the number of days between the other
two date fields, e.g. ENDINGDT-FILINGDT=AGE
Picture template There is no default picture template. This could be used to
specially format a numeric field, perhaps to display a cur-
rency symbol as part of the field data.
MEMO FIELDS:
Validity check - A special Zephyr function has been added to allow you to
program an EXPLODING MEMO WINDOW whenever the user presses
the <ENTER> key while positioned in a MEMO FIELD. Choosing
the VALIDITY CHECK option for a MEMO FIELD will cause the
necessary EXPLODING WINDOW code to be written automatically.
The syntax is EXPLODE("fieldname"). You need not change
this AT ALL, if this is the desired effect. No error message
is necessary or appropriate with exploding memo windows.
REMEMBER!!! Field-level edit checks only apply in ADD and EDIT modes on the
INPUT pull-down window. They are NOT executed while in BROWSE!
Enjoy!
ZEPHYR 4.0 ORDER & INVOICE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| User Name | |
|----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| Address1 | |
|----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| Address2 | |
|----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| City State ZIP | |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Quantity | Description |Item Cost| Total |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | Zephyr 4.0 Single-User License with | 50.00| |
| | soft-bound manual | | |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | Zephyr 4.0 Network License | 250.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | FoxPro2 Made Easy (U.S.) | 30.00| |
| | FoxPro2 Made Easy (Foreign) | 50.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | WAMPUM Single-User License | 50.00| |
| | Index: ( ) Clipper ( ) dB3+ | | |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | WAMPUM Network License | 250.00| |
| | Index: ( ) Clipper ( ) dB3+ | | |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | WAMPUM Soft-Bound User Guide | 20.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | dLITE Single-User Lic & manual | 30.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | MenuMaker Screen Generator | 20.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | Badge-O-Magic Single-User | 50.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| | Badge-O-Magic Deluxe Version | 99.00| |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------|-------|
| **** | Shipping and Handling per order | 5.00 U.S| |
| **** | $5 U.S. / $10 Canada & foreign |10.00 for| |
|==========|======================================|=========|=======|
| | GRAND TOTAL w/ SHIPPING |*********| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Include check or money order in US dollars payable to:
Ward Mundy, PO Box 1169, Atlanta, GA 30301 USA.
For credit card orders: ( ) VISA ( ) MasterCard Expire Date _____________
Signed: ______________________________ Card Number __________________________
*** For fastest service, FAX your credit card order to 404/237-1167. ***