DataImp MAIN (c) Patrick Bell, 1996. ------------------------------------------------- Installation (Please read README.TXT) ------------ DataImp is a module based database library utility. It enables easy and detailed input of information about collections people may have. The first modules available are for video recordings, photography and music. Other modules available soon will be for Books and Birds. Suggestions for other topics are welcome. DataImp is very fast & configurable and the data files (although detailed) take up little room due to relacement of duplicate information with codes. When run the program also creates: *.CFG - saves the screen layouts and position when you exit; *.DEF - saves your default settings; *.USR - the user defined text files. The program has error detection built in and all menu options should be safe to try out. Anything likely to be dodgy (such as deleting files) will bring up an "Are you sure?" type dialog. The program has been extensively tested and has never crashed except when too little memory is available. The program uses 28K of system memory and an additional 28-39K of RAM. [See "Memory related items" at the end of this manual.] General program information --------------------------- All screens are fully configurable with font zooming and different levels of detail. The menu options are as follows: [In the following list the left hand column denotes the key press for the function] Where examples are used they will usually refer to the VIDEO module but the principle will be the same for all modules. Data ---- F Find (multi) You will be offered a choice of items on which to perform the search. The search is the 'AND' type i.e. it will search for records containing a match for 1 item AND another. This allows you to be quite specific in your match criteria. You could then append to this list any other matches you wish by repeating the Find on a different selection. The "More MATCH options?" gives you a second screen of fields to search on. As this list could contain records also found in the previous search you have the option (from the Match screen) to delete all duplicate records. G Go to (text) If you enter some text it will jump (in the direction specified) to the first occurrence of this text. The search takes place on all the text fields within your data file. You can use "wildcards" to aid your search. The directions you can choose are Forward from start, Forward from here, Backward from end & Backward from here. If you wish to find all the incidences of this text then the "Find" option should be used. J Jump to (ref) This is similar to "Go to" but you enter a main reference number (e.g. the tape ref) instead of text. R Refresh This redraws the screen - it is particulary needed when you have made changes to the User defined text. S Sort As the name implies this allows you to sort your datafile. You can choose up to 3 fields to sort on. This is very fast, thanks to John Boyce. As well as sorting it allows you to group your recordings. This function also works on Matches and so you could match the whole database and sort on a different field allowing you to instantly swap between two views of the same information. General Data Entry ------------------ Enter Add When you choose to add another record you are initially offered data from your last edited record - this makes entering a number of similar entries very easy. In modules with consecutive linked entries you will be offered the next reference automatically i.e. if you are on tape 12 position 4, you will be offered tape 12 position 5. If this is occupied then you will get a message and be offered the next one. This will occur automatically until you find a free slot. You can of course choose your own reference - if the reference does not exist (i.e. the Tape does not exist) you will be prompted to enter it. Some data entry information runs to two screens but you can choose to ignore the second screen. If you wish to copy an entry from another record then highlight it, press to bring up the information, to leave the Edit screen and then press to use the Add option. Delete Delete This deletes the highlighted entry. You will be asked to confirm it. Tab Edit This allows you to change the details of the currently highlighted entry (but not its reference). (If you wish to move the information to a different reference then see the copying information under Add). V View This brings up a window of more detailed information about a record. You can scroll up or down your list in this view. The cursor will relocate on the last viewed entry when you exit from this view. Config ------ Q Defaults This allows you to choose: Autosort: On / Off Redraw speed: Fast redraw (redraws in the background and then copies it to the front more quickly. This also mimics WIN95 in that it appears to scroll chunks of the screen) / Normal (Saves 8K - draws the screen a line at a time) plus other options which are module specific. U User defined text Data items which occur frequently are editable by the user. You can give up to 20 descriptions of up to 20 characters each but the total number of characters must not exceed 225. The number that appears to the left of each description is the reference that will be stored in your datafile. This means that if you swap one description for another then all the records that you had described as one will now be the other - therefore alter these with care or your descriptions could become meaningless. If you choose the last option "Print user defined text" then the contents of all the user defined files will be sent to a WRD file called USR?????.WRD where ????? is the module name i.e. USRVIDEO.WRD. Z Zoom in/out There are eight zoom settings (four sizes and two fonts), which coupled with the Detail and Comment settings allow as much or as little information to be displayed as required. H Font settings Similar to the zoom option. M Screen settings This alters the amount of information visible on the screen. N File functions -------------- This contains a submenu with the following options. E Open existing Open a different data file for this module N Create new Create a new data file for this module D Delete Delete a data file for this module B Backup This makes a copy of all your DataImp datafiles in a separate directory. To restore them, in the event of your datafiles being corrupted, just copy them back to the relevant APP\DATAIMP\..... directory. I have left the restore process to be done manually as it gives greater control over the file selection. C Compress This compresses all datafiles - it is not usually necessary unless you have been Editing or Deleting many records with the Autosort switched off. The files are automatically compressed whenever you Sort them or Exit from the program. I File info Displays details about the sort fields, file size & location and free space. O Output to Data Outputs current screen to a DATA file with all dates, times and codes converted into text. Special ------- T Registration If you have registered then you just type the code I send you into this box. This removes the restrictions and nag screens. I About General information about me and the program. Y Print setup This is the same as the setup in the built-in Psion applications. * Print preview Again similar to the built-in preview. If you wish to print the second page of four then use preview and when this page is previewed select Print from the Preview sub-menu. P Print The same as above but it skips the preview. X Exit Exits the program. Module specific --------------- Any menu items present in your module and not listed here should be found in the Module specific text file. Memory related items -------------------- This program has been written to provide the maximum amount of detail within the minimum amount of memory. It achieves this by replacing all commonly occuring data with codes. For example the recording type "General entertainment" is replaced by the number 01. This achieves a memory saving of about 15 to 1. This does mean that if you wipe or corrupt the *.USR files then the User defined information will be meaningless. If they are wiped the program will replace your descriptions with the codes ?01 to ?20. I suggest using the "Print user defined text" option in case you ever need to retype them. Memory usage: Flash redraw uses 8K; Matches / Find - uses 9K plus creates datafile of all the matches. To clear the Match screen then search for something that does not exist such as ZZZ and then 'Overwrite'. Reduce the amount you type for the text fields. With no text a record takes up only 40 bytes approx! Speed related items ------------------- The speed of the program is basically down to the amount of data on the screen. If you enlarge the font and reduce the detail the redraw will be significantly faster than with all information displayed. If you wish to see the information in detail for one recording then use the View option. Miscellaneous ------------- Please feel free to contact me with any queries / suggestions - however bizarre! Email : 101456.3524@compuserve.com Snailmail : 6 Redgate Close, Torquay, TQ1 3UG. Homepage : http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Patrick_Bell/