
DATABASE
--------

1.  Accessing dBASE II and III data files
2.  Using Wildcards in filter formulas
3.  dBASE III date translation
4.  General notes


>>> Transfer from Framework to dBASE II and dBASE III

Transfer of data from Framework files to dBASE II and dBASE III
is simple.  Use the Write DOS Text File (in the DISK pull-down
menu) to create an ASCII Text File that has each record on one
line, with each field delimited by commas and surrounded by
quotation marks; in other words, a DELIMITED WITH " file that is
compatible with dBASE II and III.  For instance, suppose we use a
Database frame such as the one below:

     Name                   City                Phone
     =======================================================
     Public, John Q.        Atlanta             404/555-3543
     Stubinsky, Phred T.    Mountain View       415/555-6543
     Holiday Spa            Westminster         714/555-9877


If you were to write this frame to a disk file, the result is as
follows:

     "Name","City","Phone"
     "Public, John Q.","Atlanta","404/555-3543"
     "Stubinsky, Phred T.","Mountain View","415/555-6543"
     "Holiday Spa","Westminster","714/555-9877"

The first record is simply the field names as defined in the
Framework Database.  After that, each record is on a line of its
own, in a structure that can be read by the dBASE command:

     APPEND FROM <filename> DELIMITED



--End--


>>> Wildcards in Filter Formulas

Framework Database filters (used to select a "working set" of
records on a condition) will accept wildcards in the same way
they are used on the DOS command level.  If, for example, you
want to filter a Database for the third and fourth characters of
a five character field, the formula would look like the
following:

Team = "??db?"

Other possible commands are as follows:

Name = "*mith"
Address = "AT*"
Zip = "04??0"

The above wildcard approach is preferable to using @mid since
either of the following will cause @mid to stop filtering and
return an error:

- a blank field (null string)
- a string that is too short



--End--


>>>>> dBASE III date translation

When using dBASE III to filter data records into Framework,
Fields defined in the date format are not preserved in their
normal structure of MM/DD/YY, but instead come out in an eight
digit character string.  For example, an entry for April 8th,
1984 would be entered in dBASE III as 04/08/84, but would come up
in a Framework Database as "19840408".

There is a way to convert this information from the eight-digit
character form to a Framework-readable date form.  The formula is
as follows:

@date(
@value( @mid( datefield, 1, 4 ) ),
@value( @mid( datefield, 5, 2 ) ),
@value( @mid( datefield, 7, 2 ) )
)

This formula reads the date information from the number string
and converts it into parameters for the @date function of
Framework.  This formula will need to be entered or replicated
for each record filtered into the Database, to ensure accuracy.
Use the COPY (F8) to copy the formula to each record.


--End--


>>> FORMS VIEW

Adding fields to a Database toggled in FORMS VIEW (F10) will
display the additional fields on top of the other fields.  When
adding fields to a Database, you need to use DRAG (F3) to get the
FORMS VIEW frames in the desired positions.


>>> Numeric display

Numbers are displayed as 15 significant digits and then rounded.
A zero will be displayed for each digit added to a number with
more than 15 digits.


>>> Removing All Columns

Framework prohibits the deletion of all rows/columns of a
Spreadsheet or Database (by using the Remove Row and Column
options in the EDIT pull-down menu).  If one desires to delete
all the Database rows and columns, the simplest way is to delete
the entire Database or Spreadsheet.  (Go to the
Spreadsheet/Database border and press the Del key).



--End--

