TS Data Master - Field Editor Help (for Version 1.01 04.07.1994)


Gadgets and Menus in the Field Editor
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 The Project Menu
 - - - - - - -
 Load                       l - Load the field definitions file
 Save                       s - Save the field definitions with the old name
 Save As                    a - Save the field definitions with the new name
 Show Fields                o - Show the fields as a list
 Help                       y - Give help about the Editor
 OK                         O - OK with the definitions and exit to
                                the main program
 Cancel                     C - Cancel the definitions and exit
 
 The Edit Menu
 - - - - - - -
 Insert                     i - Insert a new field
 Delete                     d - Delete the current field
 Change                     h - Change the places of two fields
 Move                       m - Move the current field to a new place
 Copy                       c - Copy the definitions of the current
                                field to another field
 Clear                      j - Clear the definitions of the current  field
 Clear All                  J - Clear all field definitions
 Sort Incremental           z - Sort the fields in alphabetic order
 Sort Decremental           Z - Sort the fields in inversed alphabetic order
 
 Gadgets in the message window
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Number of Flds               - The number of the fields
 Field                        - The current field whose definitions
                                are displayed on the definition window
 
 Gadgets in the definition window
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Type                         - The field type (String, Integer,
                                Float, Type or Boolean)
 Title                        - The field title (max. 13 characters)
 Explanation                  - The field explanations
 Text Length                  - The maximum length of text with 
                                string, type and boolean fields
 Min                          - The minimum value of a number field
 Max                          - The maximum value of a number field
 Number of Alts               - The number of alternative texts
 Alt. Text No.                - The alternative text number
 Unit                         - The unit of a number field
 
Gadgets in the file functions 
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 Directory                    - The open drawer
 File                         - The selected file
 Parent                     p - Return one drawer back in the root directory
 Cancel                 <ESC> - Exit without any operations
 Load/Save            <ENTER> - Alternatively load or save


How to define a database?
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 (1). Call the Data Master (see chapter 4.1).
 (2). Select the Field Editor Menuitem from the Project Menu.
 3. Type the number of the fields in the Number of Fields Gadget and
    press the <ENTER> key. Now there is the first field of the data-
    base on the screen and you can start editing it as below is
    advised.
 4. Select the type of the field with the Type Gadget. The possible
    types are, like earlier, titled 'String', 'Integer', 'Float',
    'Type' and 'Boolean'. 
 5. Enter the field title in the Title Gadget and press <ENTER>
 6. Write the field explanation in the Explanation Gadget and press
    <ENTER>.
 7. If the type is string, set the maximum length of the field data
    by using the Text Length Gadget.
 8. If the type is integer or float, ...
    8.1. Write the minimum and the maximum values in gadgets Min and
         Max and confirm with the <ENTER>. If you don't want the
         limitation, type 'N' in the gadget. Now on this gadget
         appears a text 'No Min' or 'No Max'.
    8.2. Type the field unit in the Unit Gadget.
 9. If the type is type or boolean, ...
    9.1. Set the maximum length of one piece of text with the Text
         Length Gadget.
    9.2. Determine the number of the alternatives by using the Number
         of Alts Gadget if the field type is type. 
    9.3. Select one of the alternative texts with the Alt.Text No
         Gadget.
    9.4. Write the respective text in the string gadget at the right
         side of the Alt.Text No Gadget and press the <ENTER> key.
    9.5. Move to the next alternative text (go back to section 9.3),
         until all texts are given.
 10. Select the next field with the Field Gadget, and go to section 4.
 11. After you have defined all fields correctly (remember to confirm
     definitions with the <ENTER> key), select the OK Menuitem from
     the Project Menu, and the program returns to the main program.
 12. Now the program asks for the estimated number of records, and 
     then the program allocates memory for these.
 13. If there wasn't enough memory, the program returns to the section
     12.
 14. If there was an old database before calling the Editor, the
     program asks if you want to copy the old database to the new
     database. If you don't want or if there wasn't any old database, 
     jump to the section 16.
 15. Now you are asked if you want that the program copies the old
     database to the new one considering the field titles. If you
     answer negatively, this is done so that the data of the old field
     number x is copied to the new field number x. Otherwise, the 
     program copies only those fields that have same titles in both,
     old and new, databases.
 16. Now the definitions should be ready, and you can start to edit
     the records itselves...