EView.DOC

EView The dBASE Database Utility, Version 6.05

SYNTAX EView [d:[\path]] filename
EView *.* - DOS wildcards okay
EView - pick list of available files

EXAMPLE EView ANYFILE - .DBF extension assumed
EView MYFILE90.dbf - .DBF extension optional
EView YOURFILE.qdb - .QDB extension required

USEAGE View & edit dBASE III+/IV and compatable databases


NEW Record duplication for data entry (press F7)

INTRODUCTION TO EView

Have you ever wanted to make a simple change in a dBase file, such as
updating an address in your mail list database? But loading dBase or
your application program was more hassle than it was worth. So you put
it off and it never did get done. Say someone has a new phone number. Or
you want to look up a ZIP code. On the other hand, perhaps you'd just
like to browse around more easily and quickly that you can even with
dBase itself. Maybe you need ASCII printout of the file or just a copy
of a single record. EView may be the answer.

EView is for folks who aren't programmers or who don't want to be
programmers. But if you are a techie, you'll immediately appreciate
EView's ease and numerous uses.

Feel free to share EView with your friends and colleagues and to upload
it to bulletin boards. Remember, however, that EView is not free. EView
is shareware and we hope that if you find it fast, easy and useful
you'll honor the shareware tradition and register your copy.

STARTING EView

There are three ways to start EView.

1) The easiest is to simply type EView. You are shown a list of .DBF
files in the current directory.

EView

2) If your file is dBase compatible but has a different extension,
you'll have to give the full filename (including extension).

EView yourfile.qdb

3) If the database is in another directory or drive, include the full
path name with the filename.

EView D:\LISTS\yourfile.dbf

EView D:\LISTS\*.dbf

EView D:\LISTS\*.*

A. USING EView

EView operates by pressing single, common sense keys. To LOCATE
something, for example, press the letter 'L'. To do a string SEARCH,
press 'S'. And so on. A few functions require a combination of two
keys (appending a record for example uses the Alt-A combination. This
is to make it more difficult to accidentally append an unwanted extra
blank record.)

For a menu press F10

For a list of keys and functions press F1

B. BROWSING

Once your file is loaded, use the cursor, page up, page down, home, and
end keys to browse around. Jump immediately to the top by pressing the
letter 'T' or bottom with B (Ctrl-PgUp and Ctrl-PgDn do the same thing).

C. SEARCHING

There are three ways to search your file.

1) Press the letter 'L' to LOCATE your object. You are presented with a
pick list of fields and asked to identify the one in which to look,
and then what to look for.

2) Here's a typical query: you want someone's address and you know the
last name ends in 'son' but you can't remember the first part. To do
a STRING SEARCH, that is to find a set of characters that may be
located anywhere within a field, use the 'S' option. You are
presented with a pick list of fields and asked to identify the one in
which to look, and then what to look for.

3) The quickest way to do a search is to use an index. This can be
hundreds of times faster than a string search. However, this also
means you have to have an index. EView allows you to create INDEXes
in a flash by simply pressing the letter 'I' and selecting the field
to index. After that, any time you press the letter 'F' (for FIND)
you are given a pick list of existing indices to use.

D. EDITING.

Any time you want to change the contents of a field, simply go to the
field and press the 'E' key. Pressing the 'Esc' key while editing
leaves the old contents in place. Pressing the ENTER key puts the new
contents into the database.

(NEW) To simplify data entry, you can append a copy of any record to the
end of your database by selecting the record and pressing F7. Then,
just change (edit) the appriate field(s).

E: VIEWING an entire record.

You can view up to 40 fields at a time by pressing the 'V' key.

F. ADDING/DELETING Records.

A sign in the bottom left corner indicates whether the SET DELETE
condition is set ON or OFF. The sign in the bottom right corner
displays a 'del' if the current record is 'deleted'; otherwise the
corner is blank.

To ADD a new blank record to the end of the database, press the ALT-A
key combination. You can then add information to that record with the
edit function (press the 'E' key).

To DELETE a record, go to the record and press the DEL key. This marks
the record for deletion but does not physically remove it. If you don't
want to remove it permanently but also don't want to see it in your
database, press the letter 'D' which toggles a switch on and off making
records marked for deletion either visible or not visible. After you
press 'D' the first time, the sign 'on' appears in the bottom left
corner of your screen. Pressing 'D' again changes the sign to 'off'.

To permanently remove all records marked for deletion, press the 'P' key
to PACK the database.

G. COPYING

You can copy your database to an ASCII text file by pressing the 'W' key
(for WRITE). You have three choices: Space separated fields (TXT),
comma separated fields (CSV), or standard positional records (SDF).

NOTE: if the DELETE condition is ON, only visible records will be
copied.

H. DIALING

A new feature in EView is a phone dialer. This may be useful for anyone
working with a mail list directory that has phone numbers. Move the
cursor to the phone number field and press the 'TAB' key. If the field
immediately preceding the phone number has an area code, EView will dial
that also. EView prompts you to press the SPACEBAR after the dialing is
complete.

If you try to dial anything except a phone number, EView just tells you
that it can't dial and returns you to the field.

EView FUNCTIONS

KEY FUNCTION
--- --------
F10 | Options menu
ESC | Return to previous screen
F3 | EXIT EView - return to DOS
F4 | Create new database
F7 | DUPLICATE this record - eases data entry chores
F9 | Display serial number, if registered
A | APPEND BLANK record to current database
C | CONTINUE search/locate
D | Toggle SET DELETE on/off - see bottom left of screen
E | EDIT current field
F | FIND (if indexed)
G | GOTO record number
I | Create new INDEX
L | LOCATE string
K | pacK database - permanently delete record(s)
S | STRING search
V | VIEW current record
W | WRITE to disk file - types TXT, SDF, CSV, TAB, WK1
TAB | DIAL this phone number
DEL | DELETE/RECALL toggle - current record - mark record for deletion
| - see bottom right of screen for status
ALT-A | APPEND records from disk file - supports TXT, SDF, CSF, DBF
ALT-P | PRINT screen to default device PRN
ALT-Z | ZAP database
ALT-X | Exit to DOS

KEY CURSOR MOVEMENT
--- ---------------
T | jump to TOP of file
B | jump to BOTTOM of file

PgUp | shift UP one screen
PgDn | shift DOWN one screen
End | shift to RIGHTMOST screen field
Home | shift to LEFTMOST screen field

Ctrl+PgUp | jump to TOP of file
Ctrl+PgDn | jump to BOTTOM of file

Ctrl+-> | shift screen RIGHT one field
Ctrl+<- | shift screen LEFT one field

Ctrl+Home | shift to LEFTMOST file field
Ctrl+End | shift to RIGHTMOST file field

If you find EView fast, easy, and convenient to use, a registration of
$15 would be appreciated. If you send $25 you will receive a diskette
with the latest version of EView. Also you won't have to look at this
screen each time you use it. Please state the version of EView that you
currently have. Comments and suggestions will be appreciated. Send
check or money order to:

W.E.D.C. Software
The Lauren - Suite 1004
1301 20th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036




Copyright (C) WEDC 1992. All Rights Reserved
Washington Education Development Corporation
Phone: 202 296-3205 CompuServe (71361,3562)