
DataPage Maker(tm) : a Web DataPage creation utility.
============================================
DataPage Maker (DPM), Version 1.4.1, does the following:

a.  DPM transforms information, which is resident in a Microsoft(r) 
Access(tm) database, into text files called DataPages.  These text 
files are formatted to function as HomePages on the World-Wide Web 
(WWW) and consist of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) that
encapsulates the data extracted from tables in the selected database.

	(1).  DataPages are indented lists of ordered database records
	(2).  DataPages contain a hyperlinked record index at the top
	(3).  DataPages have checkboxes* to highlight specific records 
	(4).  DataPages are hyperlinked to other DataPages to turn pages
	(5).  DataPages explode foreign keys* to provide greater details

	* features activated in the Professional Version

b.  DPM operates on 386/486/Pentium class PC, using Microsoft (MS)
Windows(tm), Version 3.1 or Windows 95(tm).  DPM performs the
best with at least 8 Megabytes of RAM.  The DataPage Maker is written
in Microsoft's Visual Basic(tm) 4.0 and requires Visual Basic's Run-
Time executive, which is included in the distributed zip file set of 
DPMx.ZIP. DPM.ZIP has VB Run-Time & the MS Jet Engine(tm)
(VB40016.DLL & MSAJT200.DLL), while DPM1.ZIP has just VB 
Run-Time (VB40016.DLL), and DPM2.ZIP which has only the
minimium executable file set (DPM.EXE).

Special Note
============
The Professional Version of DataPage Maker creates multiple 
DataPages for larger database tables (with hyperlinked push 
buttons on the top & bottom of each datapage) and also provides 
a Web Forms feedback capability (feedback to the data provider) 
through utilization of checkboxes, with 'Submit' and 'Reset' 
buttons.

General Introduction
====================
DataPage Maker utilizes Microsoft's Visual Basic 4.0, Access 2.0 
databases, and MS Jet Engine 2.5. 

Limitations of DataPage Maker Version 1.4.1 are:

Twenty (20) Tables per Database -- fifteen (15) screen visible.

Twenty (20) Fields  per Table -- fifteen (15) can be SELECTED 
to be visible. (a new feature)

50,000 Records per Table (excess ignored) -- greater Record Numbers
can be accommodated by custom release of the Professional Version.


DataPage Maker assumes target databases follow design guidelines 
of Microsoft's Access 2.0/7.0 (databases with the 'MDB' file extension).
Once a Database is selected, a single Table must be selected from the 
list of possible Tables within that Database.  The Foreign Keys within 
that Table (keys that are Primary keys in other Tables), may be used 
to provide additional details to the keyed fields -- if that option is
selected.

Sequence of Operation
=====================
1.  Select a Database.  Using the Database File Selection window upon
startup, select both the Disk Drive & Directory containing the database
file, as well as the specific database File Name (of File Type MS Access
with an 'MDB' extension).  Once selected, press the "OK" button.

2.  Start Section.  Activate Start button and wait until the Database
Table Names are displayed in the 'Select Table' section.  The delay
is due to the collection of Table & Field statistics.  You may select a
Table prior to pressing the Start button if you know the number of the
Table in advance.  You may also select the Fetch Key Data checkbox,
as well as the Display Page Index checkbox.

	<<Start Button>>
	If the Database Path and Name in the boxes at the top-left
	of the screen are correct, begin the process by pressing the
	Start Button.   There will be a delay, while vital database
	statistics are being collected.  After this delay, the database
	Table Names will be listed and you will be required to select
	one of the tables.  Watch the color of the lights by each of the
	command buttons to guide your flow sequence through this
	process.  The Green Light near the 'Extract Data' button will
	indicate when it is time to proceed.

	<<Fetch Key Data>>
	In the Foreign Key Data section of the screen, there is a Fetch
	Key Data checkbox.  When checked, data such as Part Number
	(which is a Key or Index into another Table which contains the
	Name of the Part, the Price, etc.) is exploded into many details
	about that Part Number.  It is not necessary to check the Fetch
	Key Data button, unless there is a need to see some cross-table
	relationships.  Fetching Key Data is expensive in terms of time
	to explode the data and in the number of bytes in a DataPage.

	<<Display Page Index>>
	In the Directory of Records section of the screen, there is a
	Display Page Index checkbox.  When checked, each DataPage
	will contain an indexed list of the Record ID's that are to be
	viewed below (on that page).  The Page Index is very handy
	because one may jump (hyperlink) into the middle of records,
	right to the desired record.  When desired, you may jump back
	to the top of the Page Index to scan for the next desired data.
	There is a small expense in this feature, some process time and
	some additional amount of increase in bytes per DataPage.



3.  Select Table Section.  When the Green Light is illuminated by 'Extract
Data' button, select the desired Table by clicking one of the radio buttons
in the Select Table Section -- if you haven't already done so.  Data from
this selected Table will be utilized throughout the DataPage(s). 

	<<new feature>> 
	There is a way process each Table in Database (one at a time)
	and eliminate some (not all) of the overhead of a complete run.
	Once you select a Table and let the "Extract Data" button builds
	the support files (Tab_xx.DAT, where xx=table number), you
	will not be required to press the Extract Data button for the next
	Table.  To over-ride the non-Green Light Status of the DataPage
	button, one simply needs to select the radio button right on
	the "DataPage" button.  This selected radio button authorizes
	you to bypass Data Extract -- assuming the data in the LAST
	FULL RUN of the DataPage Maker is still current data.


4.  Extract Data Section.  Data records are pulled from the Fields of the 
selected Table.  Support files are built for the DPM system and remain
valid for the next run, as long as the selected Database remains the
same and as long as the Table Data does not change.
(see <<new feature>> above)

	<< Extract Data Button>>
	Once the desired Table has been selected, the 'Extract Data' 
	procedure retrieves applicable records from the database and
	stores the data, in preparation for the addition of HTML
	characters.  Database information must be encapsulated in
	HTML in order to be displayed on the WWW.  If the amount
	of the data is too large for one WWW DataPage, the necessary
	number of DataPages (max = 99) will be created (featured only
	in the Professional Version). 

5.  DataPage Section.  The extracted data is packaged in an HTML 
wrapper and placed into a DataPage.  During this process Foreign
Key data is exploded if the Fetch Key Data checkbox is checked and
a Directory of Records is assembled if Display Page Index is checked.

	<<DataPage Button>>
	DataPage Maker creates a minimum of three (3) files within
	the same directory that the SOURCE database (*.MDB) 
	file exists.  The files are named dxxyyyzz, where xx = is the
	DataPage Page Number, yyy = the first three letters of the 
	Database Name and zz = the sequential Table Number, within
	that database.  The file named dxxyyyzz.htm is an HTML
	DataPage displayable on WWW.  The companion files are
	named dxxyyyzz.jpg, which is the logo displayed at the top
	of each DataPage, and 'dp.jpg', which is the 'turn-page' graphic. 

	Example:  The 4th Page of data from the 2nd Table, of a
	database named 'prices.mdb', is labeled 'd04pri02.htm', and
	the companion files are labeled 'd04pri02.jpg' and 'dp.jpg'.
 

6.  Stop Section.  There is very little else that needs to be done when
the Green Light is illuminated by the "Stop" button.  Clicking this
button simply closes down all files & forms in a graceful fashion.
This close-down may be accomplished at any time during this
process -- realizing that recovery is possible only by a re-start.

	<<Stop Button>>
	Make note the Database Path (upper left-hand portion of the
	screen) and especially the DataPage Name (listed directly
	below the 'Stop' button).  This information is required when
	you display the DataPage on a Web Browser.
 
6.  Viewing Data within Selected Table.  The Data Control slider 
bar on the right-hand side of the screen, is associated with the selected
Table.  Data from a maximum of fifteen (15) Fields may be viewed by
use of the slider bar.

Forms
=====
The Professional Version of DataPage Maker has a Forms 'Submit' and 
'Reset' capability with checkboxes built into each DataPage, to permit 
the user to select specific data records by marking the checkboxes 
and submitting those marks, via E-Mail, back to the owner of the 
database.  Two things must occur in order to activate this feature:
(1) the destination E-Mail address must be specified so the submitted
Forms may be sent to the desired location and (2) a CGI Script should
be implemented on the Web Server which is home to the database
owner.

HTML Specifics
==============
The DataPage Maker produces a HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
file,  appropriate for display of WWW DataPages, representing one (1) 
Table (Entity) from the source Database.  The maximum size of a HTML 
DataPage is approximately 60,000 bytes and DataPages that approach
this maximum size are truncated.  The number of DataPages that will 
be generated for each database Table is dependent upon the disk space
available and less than a total of 99 DataPages.  (only the Professional
Version of the DataPage Maker produces more than 1 DataPage per
Table).

Questions, Problems, and Comments
===========================
Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order, refunds, 
registration options, product details, technical support, volume 
discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, non-credit card orders, 
etc. must be directed to Entity Master System.  Another way to 
communicate with us, is to visit our HomePage on the WWW.


Visit us at http://www.entity-master.com/e-m.htm to record problems,  
get the latest news, products, & advisories.  You can also Register 
on-line and download DataPage Maker over the Internet.  We encourage 
you to Register your DataPage Maker shareware.  To insure that you 
get the latest version, PsL notifies us on the day of your order and 
we ship the product directly to you. [ Reference PsL Product #14431 ]

Contact
=======
You may contact Entity Master Systems by mail: c/o Dave Fashenpour, 
714 Regency Court, Friendswood, TX 77546; or by phone at 713-996-
0819.

You may send E-Mail to either: 76461.2413@compuserve.com or 
ems@entity-master.com -- but best of all, visit our HomePage at: 
http://www.entity-master.com/e-m.htm.

Product Registration
====================
We have contracted with Public (software) Library (PsL) to process 
any orders that you may wish to place with your valid MC, Visa, 
Amex, or Discover cards. Reference PsL Product #14431. PsL may be 
contacted via any of the following methods:  Voice: 800-242-4775 
(7 a.m.- 6 p.m. CST, except Friday afternoons).  FAX: 713-524-6398. 
E-MAIL: 71355.470@Compuserve.Com. You may also mail credit card 
orders to PsL, P.O. Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235. 

THE ABOVE NUMBERS ARE FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY.  
THE PROGRAM AUTHOR CANNOT BE REACHED AT THE
ABOVE NUMBERS. 

Reasons to Register
===================
When you Register with PsL, you will receive the full set of
DPM diskettes, which contains the DataPage Maker Professional (PRO)
Version and user documentation.  As a registered member you will
receive individual assistance with difficulties you may experience
and you will also receive bug-fixes and features-update notifications, 
as they occur.

E-Mail Customization
====================
To set your own E-Mail address, in order to receive comments 
from DataPage users, do the following:  

1) Begin with a Green Lite on 'Start'.  (but don't press button yet)

2) Replace 'Database Path' (at the top left of the screen) with 
your E-Mail address followed directly by '@@@'.  (For example, 
if your address is 'ems@entity-master.com', then enter 
'ems@entity-master.com@@@') 

3) Press the Start button.  (Database Path will be reset 
automatically & your E-Mail address will be permanently stored.) 

Help with Error #3356
================
DataPage Maker Version 1.4.1, cannot open databases exclusively.  
If you experience 'Run-Time Error 3356'  that states 'You cannot 
open this database exclusively', an easy fix is to change the 
status of the file.  A file status of 'Read Only' can be corrected 
at the DOS level by typing 'attrib <file name.MDB> -r'. + 

(c) 1996 Entity Master Systems, All rights Reserved
DataPage Maker(tm) -- Trademark of Entity Master Systems
Microsoft(r) -- Registered Trade Name, Microsoft Corp.
Access(tm) -- Trademark of Microsoft Corp.
Visual Basic(tm) -- Trademark of Microsoft Corp.
Jet Engine(tm) -- Trademark of Microsoft Corp.
