Category : Network Files
Archive   : BTSUPP.ZIP
Filename : BS140.DOC

Bsupport 1.4x

Reference Manual

















(c) Copyright 1987, 1988 Information Architects
All Rights Reserved

TABLE OF CONTENTS



1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 About 1
1.2 Distribution 1
1.3 Registering 1
1.4 Diskette Files 1

1.5 Registration Form 2

2.0 INSTALLATION 3
2.1 System Requirements 3
2.2 Installation Procedure 3

3.0 USING BSUPPORT 4
3.1 Getting Started 4
3.2 Main menu 5
3.3 View function 7
3.3.1 View menu 7
3.3.2 View legend (multi-rec) 8
3.3.3 View legend (single-rec) 9
3.4 Putting it all together 10
3.4.1 Creating test files 10
3.4.2 Fixing data files 10
3.5 Bstop 11
3.6 Bcreate 11

4.0 TECHNICAL NOTES 12
4.1 Development Hardware 12
4.2 Development Software 12
4.3 Hardware Testing Environments 12
4.4 Software Testing Environments 12

Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 1


1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 About

Bsupport is a utility for Btrieve data files.
It performs the following functions:

- display file status and Btrieve version information
- display file data in character or hex format

- delete a single record or the file can be emptied of all records

- CREATE a new Btrieve file using the parameters of an existing file

- selectively COPY records from one Btrieve file to another
- selectively SAVE records to a DOS ASCII file

- SET or CLEAR the OWNER.


1.2 Distribution

Information Architects is distributing Bsupport by way of the
SHAREWARE concept. If you decide to use the product after trying it,
please register with us.

You are encouraged to copy and distribute Bsupport with the following
restrictions:

1. No charge is to be made for copying or distributing
Bsupport. User groups may charge a small fee to cover the
cost of diskettes and copying.

2. Commercial sale of Bsupport is prohibited without written
permission from Information Architects.


1.3 Registering

Register with us by filling in the registration form in the Appendix.

Registration benefits:
- Laser-printed manual
- Diskette of the latest release plus other utilities
- Support development of enhancements to Bsupport and additional
products
- Technical Support

1.4 Diskette Files

BS145.EXE - Main Bsupport program to view Btrieve files
BSTOP.EXE - Program to remove record manager from memory
BCREATE.EXE - Program to build a DOS file of CREATE parameters
BS140.DOC - Bsupport Reference Manual
AREACODE.BTR - Test Btrieve data file
------------
Btrieve is a trademark of Softcraft, Inc.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 2


REGISTRATION FORM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information Architects Phone: (517) 337-0714
1030 Blanchette Drive GENIE: IA
East Lansing, MI 48823 CompuServ: 76317,1056
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Registration Guideline
One registration per computer or developer.
Companies with multiple developers working on multiple computers may choose
the most cost-effective number of registrations. Networked computer users
should also register the lesser of developers/workstations or network price.

PRICE
ITEM QTY PRICE EXTENDED
-------------------------------------- --- ------ ---------
Bsupport 1.4x
Quantity 1 1 $ 35.00 $_____.__
Quantity 2 - 10 ___ 25.00 $_____.__
Quantity 10 + ___ 20.00 $_____.__
Per Network ___ 100.00 $_____.__

SUBTOTAL: $_____.__

Michigan Residents add 4% sales tax: $_____.__


Diskettes: __ 5 1/4" __ 3 1/2" TOTAL: $_____.__


Name: __________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

City: ________________________________ State:___ Zip:_________

Phone: (_____) _____-________ (Optional) Country: _____________

Payment method: _ Check Enclosed _ MasterCard _ VISA _ Send invoice

Card #: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Exp. Date: ___/___

Signature: ______________________________________________

Where did you get your copy of Bsupport ?

___ CompuServe ___ CS Novell ____ GENIE _____________________ Other
___ User group or club ____ Friend

Features you would like to see incorporated into future versions of Bsupport:
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 3


2.0 INSTALLATION

2.1 System Requirements

Bsupport will work with IBM XT, AT, and very compatible computers which
are equipped with a monochrome, CGA, or EGA board and monitor.
NOTE: Systems equipped with a CGA board will be slightly slower due to
"snow-checking" routines.

PC DOS 2.0 or later

at least 128K of memory


2.2 Installation Procedure

Copy the BS145.EXE files to your hard disk or working diskette.
BSTOP.EXE
BCREATE.EXE
AREACODE.BTR

Print the manual using the DOS PRINT command
PRINT BS140.DOC
- or -
COPY BS140.DOC LPT1:
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 4


3.0 USING BSUPPORT

3.1 Getting Started

Btrieve must be loaded into memory for Bsupport to run. If it is not
there, a message will be displayed and Bsupport will terminate.

Test Bsupport against the AREACODE.BTR file using the following
instructions.

Bsupport is initiated by typing the program name at the DOS prompt
C>bs145
and pressing Enter. The logo screen will appear.
Press any key to bring up the Main drop-down menus.
- or -
the Btrieve file name can be entered as a parameter, i.e.
C>bs145 areacode.btr
The logo screen will appear here also, but pressing a key will jump
directly to the View function which will immediately display the file
data in a window.

- optional -
The owner name may also be entered on the command line following the
file name.
C>bs145 areacode.btr secret

Menus are activated by pressing the Alt key and the first letter of
the menu. The drop down menus are changed by using the left/right
arrow keys. A menu item is selected by moving the bar to the desired
option and pressing Enter -or- by pressing the key associated with the
first letter of the item. The bar is moved by using the up/down arrow
keys. The Esc key will always exit.

Legends are used to assist the user with the most commonly used
functions. NOTE: Due to space contraints, most, but not all of the
active keys are indicated in the legends. The more obvious key
functions (i.e., cursor movement) are not displayed.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 5


3.2 Main menu

Bsupport File View Options Quit

A - About
Displays a window of text with a brief description of what Bsupport does.

R - Registering
Tells where to register and send money if this documentation is lost.


O - Open
Opens a Btrieve file (drive:\path\file).
If required for any access, the OWNER is automatically requested.
If the owner access is set for read-only and you wish to delete
records or CLEAR the owner, enter the owner name on the
command line after the file name (at least a space between).

C - Close
Closes a Btrieve file.

R - Create
This function will create a new file with 0 data records from an
existing Btrieve file. WARNING, if the new file already exists
it will be overwritten.

E - Empty
This function will empty a Btrieve file of ALL records !!!!!
The only thing left in the file is the definition information.
This is accomplished by performing the following Btrieve calls:
OPEN, STAT, CLOSE, CREATE, OPEN.

S - Set Owner
This function will secure the file using the SET OWNER function.
The owner name may be up to 8 characters in length.
Type of Access codes:
0 - owner required for any file access
1 - Read-Only access without owner
2 - same as '0', but with data encryption
3 - same as '1', but with data encryption.
Refer to the Btrieve for manual for further details.

W - Clear Owner
This function removes the owner name from the file.

Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 6


3.2 Main menu (cont'd)

Bsupport File View Options Quit


V - View the data
This function will bring you to a new screen which will
display the file data in a window (See next section).

S - Stat information
Displays the Btrieve STAT function information in a
window. This includes the original file definition
information along with the current number of data and
key records. It can be exited by using the Esc key.

B - Btrieve Version
Displays the version of the Btrieve record manager
being used. It also indicates Network or Single-user.


V - Toggle Video Attr
This will toggle the video attributes(color/mono).
Usually needed when a monochrome monitor is used
with a color card.

S - Toggle Snow Checking (Off)
Snow-checking is not done when a monochrome or
EGA card is detected. If your monitor "snows",
use this to manually turn on the snow-checking.


Q - Quit Bsupport
Gracefully exit the Bsupport program.
If a file is OPEN, it will be CLOSEd
before the program returns to DOS.

S - Stop Btrieve
The same as Quit, plus it removes the
Btrieve record manager from memory.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 7


3.3 View function

The View function displays file data in multi-record or single-record
mode. The file can be browsed by any key, and a specific record can
be viewed by entering the key value.

The file can also be displayed in single-rec mode to put more of the
record on the screen. Single-rec mode will display the record data in
in ASCII, hex, or format the data with a ruler template. Single-rec
mode also allows several file manipulation features:
1. F2 will copy the record to another Btrieve file.
2. F6 will delete the record from the file.
3. F7 will save the record to a DOS ASCII file.
See the function key legend in section 3.3.3 for more details.



3.3.1 View menu

File Key: 1 Column: 1

K - Key Value ...
This allows input of the record key to be displayed at the top of the
screen. The input fields are the same length and type as the segments
they represent. Binary keys are entered as decimal numbers and are
converted to a 2 or 4-byte binary number prior to file access.

S - Start Column ...
This allows input of the first record column to be displayed on the left
side of the window. This parameter can also be changed using the
Left/Right arrow keys. ^Left and ^Right will accelerate this by skipping
5 columns at a time.





Key:
The key being used
to retrieve records.

Column:
The 1st record column
displayed on the left
side of the window.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 8


3.3.2 View legend (multi-rec)

F1=Help
Displays a help screen.

F2=Stat
Displays STAT information for the file.
Described in the Main menu section.

F3=Dec Key
F4=Inc
Increment or Decrement the Key.
This will change the index being used to retrieve records from
the file. NOTE - this goes into effect with the next browse
request (single-step or full screen scroll).

<-Dec Column
->Inc
Increment or Decrement the column.
This will change the column of the record to be displayed at the
right side of the window. The current column number is displayed
in the upper right side of the screen on the menu line. Holding
down the Ctrl key at the same time will change the column by 5.

+ PgDn = Scroll
- PgUp
These keys are used to browse through the file forward or
backwards. The '+' and '-' will read a single record, while the
PgDn and PgUp keys will scroll the entire window.

^Home=Top File
^End=Bottom
(Ctrl-Home/Ctrl-End)
These keys will bring the first record in the file to top of the
screen or the last record to the bottom. Eliminates the need to
enter a key value to do this.

Enter=Select
Pressing the Enter key will display the record which is
highlighted by the cursor bar and display it in single-rec mode.

Esc=Exit
Pressing escape will exit the View function.

- Others -
Cursor movement keys. The Up/Down arrows, Home, and End keys move
the cursor bar around the window to select a record for single-rec
mode display.

Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 9


3.3.3 View legend (single-rec)

F2=Copy
This will copy the record being displayed to another Btrieve file.
When the first record is copied, a file name will be requested.
The record is written to key 0. The file is closed when the VIEW
function is exited.

F6=Delete!
This will delete the record being displayed. A message screen
will verify that this is your intent.

F7=Save
This is similar to the BUTIL Save command, except that selected
records can be saved to a sequential DOS file for analysis or
updating by a text editor. When the first record is saved, a file
name will be requested. WARNING - the DOS file is opened with the
"w" option, which means an existing file with the same name will
be written over. This file is used until the VIEW function is
exited. At that time, the DOS file is automatically closed.

F9=Hex
F10=Ruler
Records can be displayed with a ruler to help analyze the data or
be displayed in hex. When switching between multi/single record
modes, the last display type (character, ruler, hex) will be
used.

Esc=Quit
Pressing the Esc key will return to multi-rec mode (no menus here).

PgUp=Scroll
PgDn
These keys will scroll the single record being displayed if it

does not fit on the display. The number of record characters
which can fit on the screen varies by display type.

+=Next Rec
-=Prev
As on the multi-rec screen, '+' will read the next record and '-'
will read the previous record.

^Home=Top File
^End=Bottom
As on the multi-rec screen, the keys will display the first or
last record in the file.

One last note on the single-rec screen. When displaying the key at
the top of the window, the binary keys are expanded to their decimal
equivalent before being put on the screen.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 10


3.4 Putting it all together

This section explains how to combine Bsupport functions to complete
some typical tasks.


3.4.1 Creating test files

Btrieve test files can be easily created by performing one of these
groups of Bsupport functions:
1. Create a null Btrieve file by using the Create function on
the main Bsupport menu under File. This will OPEN an
existing Btrieve file, perform a STAT, and then ask for a new
file name before performing the CREATE function. The model
file will be CLOSEd and the new file OPENed.
2. Open the file used as a model for the Create.
3. View the data.
4. Select a record for single-rec mode.
5. Press F2 to COPY the record, a new Btrieve file name will
be requested. Type in the name of the file just CREATEd.
The record has now been copied to the new Btrieve file.
6. Press the + key to view the next record.
7. Press F2 to COPY a 2nd record to the file.

Steps 6 and 7 may be performed until all the records desired are
copied. You may also return to the VIEW multi-rec screen, jump
to another part of the file, then return to single-rec mode and COPY
additional records to the file. Remember - the Btrieve file which is
being copied TO is not closed until the VIEW function is exited and
you have returned to the main Bsupport menu.

- OR -
1. Build a DOS ASCII file of CREATE parameters using Bcreate.
2. Edit the DOS ASCII file. Enter a valid ACS file name and make
other necessary changes.
3. Create a null Btrieve file using BUTIL and the DOS ASCII
file which contains the CREATE parameters.

Build a DOS ASCII data file from the model used to build the
CREATE parameter file.
4. Use Bsupport to VIEW the records.
5. Press Enter to select a record.
6. Press F7 to SAVE the record to a DOS file.
7. Continue SAVing records the same as with the COPY function.
8. Exit Bsupport.
9. (OPTIONAL) Use a text editor to modify the data records.
10. Use BUTIL to load the records into the null Btrieve file.


3.4.2 Fixing data files

The second method could also be adapted to fixing or repairing Btrieve
records. After SAVing the records, DELETE the SAVEd records, modify
the SAVEd records with a text editor, re-load with BUTIL.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 11


3.5 Bstop

This program will remove the Btrieve record manager from memory.
Use it in batch files. Distribute along with your applications.

C>BSTOP

3.6 Bcreate

This program will build a DOS ASCII file of Btrieve CREATE parameters
using an existing Btrieve file as a model. This is useful for files
which were CREATEd prior to Btrieve 4.00, building test files, setting
up a CREATE for files built with Xtrieve.

C>BCREATE

The DOS file can now be edited with a text editor and read into BUTIL
to CREATE a null Btrieve file.





































------------
1. Btrieve and Xtrieve are a trademarks of Softcraft, Inc.
Bsupport 1.4x Reference Manual 12


4.0 TECHNICAL NOTES

4.1 Development Hardware

IBM PC-AT (9-MHz) [1]
2048K memory, 20M hard disk
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
Enhanced Color Display


4.2 Development Software

Compiler/Assembler:
Microsoft C 5.0 [2]
IBM Macro Assembler 2.00 [1]

Screen Management:
C WINDOWS 1.15 from Syscom Software
Assembler routines by Information Architects

Editors:
Action Diagrammer from KnowledgeWare, Inc. [3]
KEDIT 3.52 from Mansfield Software Group

Documentation:
Prepared with PC-Write 2.71 from Quicksoft [4]



4.3 Hardware Testing Environments

Development System (see above)
CPU's - IBM XT, AT, PS/2 [2]
Monitors/cards - Monochrome, CGA, EGA, VGA


4.4 Software Testing Environments
Operating Systems - PC-DOS 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Novell NetWare 2.00 [5]
File Manager - Btrieve 3.15, 4.00, 4.03, 4.04, 4.10 [6]

NOTE: Although the program will run in a network environment,
the code for record locking during the delete function
is NOT complete.





------------
1. IBM, XT, AT, and PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business
Machines, Inc.
2. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
3. Action Diagrammer and KnowledgWare are trademarks of KnowledgeWare, Inc.
4. PC-Write and Quicksoft are trademarks of Quicksoft
5. Novell and NetWare are trademarks of Novell, Inc.
6. Btrieve is a trademark of Softcraft, Inc.