Category : Paradox DBMS
Archive   : DTAFND.ZIP
Filename : DBN.HLP
The Enter key forward searches the records for an entry in *
the highlighted field that matches the FIND line and its *
search operator. Ctrl/Enter does the same except it searches*
backward. The Tab and Shift/Tab keys select the operator *
which can be: *
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[=] Equal [>=] Greater or Equal *
[<] Lesser [<=] Lesser or Equal *
[>] Greater [or] Logical Or *
[not] Not Equal *
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The OR operator allows up to 6 FIND entries, separated by a *
vertical [|] bar, to be searched for at the same time. In *
order to access FileEdit mode, the user must supply the *
correct password when requested by the PASS sign. *
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The multi record View image is accessed with F1. This is *
only allowed when the user is in the FINDER mode. *
FileEdit mode is used to change, add or delete information *
in a data record. The Enter key will move whatever is on *
the EDIT line into the record at the field that is *
highlighted. After doing so, the highlight bar is moved *
down to the next field in the record. If the EDIT line is *
blank then the information in the field is deleted. EDIT *
character fields longer than 40 characters by first pressing *
the Right Arrow key which opens a window showing the entire *
field. *
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FileEdit mode also allows records to be appended, copied or *
marked deleted, none of which is allowed in FIND mode. *
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FILE displays the .DB files in the default directory and *
is used to change the default drive and directory. *
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The Up/Down arrow keys position the highlight bar for loading*
a new .DB file. Keying Enter on a highlighted .DB file *
will load it into DataFinder. Esc will exit back without *
changing the data file. *
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The MARK toggle places or removes a mark at the beginning *
of the highlighted field. It indicates that the field will *
be included when data is extracted for a newly created .DB *
file or a CUT operation. *
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The F4 CUT function first clears the Cut/Paste buffer and *
then copies the MARKED data in the presently selected record,*
allowing it to be pasted back into the program that was in *
use when DataFinder was invoked. As many as 1024 characters *
can be moved from the record at a time. *
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The Ctrl/F4 CUT does not first clear the Cut/Paste buffer. *
It appends data until either the buffer is full or the F4 Cut*
function is called. This allows for data to be collected *
from more than one record and even from more than one file, *
before performing the paste. *
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After the DataFinder window closes, use the second hot-key *
(one more than the window hot-key) to paste the MARKED data. *
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F5 selects the field separator for the CUT function. *
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This allows data to be brought back into another program *
in more useful ways. For instance, the Enter key <ͼ (CR), *
Tab key or Space [ ] are good with word processing programs. *
[] or [] on the other hand are more useful for entering *
data into the columns or rows in a spreadsheet. *
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Ctrl/F5 allows you to have the Enter key <ͼ (CR) as the *
record separater regardless of your field separator choice. *
This is most useful when using the Ctrl/F4 cut function to *
bring data from multiple records back into a text document. *
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EXTRACT requests a filename and then creates a .DB file *
with the fields that are MARKED. *
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It then forward searches the file from the present record to *
the end. The MARKED fields in each matching record will be *
appended to the newly created .DB file. *
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Ctrl/F6 functions like EXTRACT except that after creating the*
new .DB file, it moves you immediately into it. The MARKS *
are left in place so that a second extraction can be started *
with little effort. *
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The CASE toggle allows the user to specify whether or not *
the case of the letters should be taken into consideration *
when conducting a search. *
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If CASE is 'N' (not a factor) and the word -example- is on *
the FIND line then a search will be successful if a record *
has the entry -example-, -EXAMPLE- or even -ExAmPle-. *
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If CASE is 'Y' (is a factor) and the word -example- is on *
the FIND line then a search will be successful only if the *
record has the entry -example-. *
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The PEEK toggle allows the user to successfully match the *
FIND line entry with any part of the searched field. Only *
[==] or [OR] are usable when PEEK searching. *
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If PEEK is 'Y' and the entry -mo- is on the FIND line, then *
a search will produce matches with fields having entries *
like -motor-, -remove-, or -dynamo-. The CASE toggle is *
fully functional when using the PEEK function. *
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When PEEKING a date field, a search is successful if a match *
is found in the month, the day or the year. *
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DITTO opens a new record, appending it to the end of the *
file. The contents of the presently selected record are *
then copied into it. Lastly, the file marker is moved so *
that the newly copied record becomes the active one. *
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RSEARCH will autoload the next listed .DB file, search for *
a matching field and then a matching record. *
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The Ctrl/F9 RSEARCH function continues the search into the *
next .DB file in the event that no matching field is found *
in the newly loaded file. *
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APPEND opens a new record at the end of the file. It is *
cleared and ready to receive new data. The file marker is *
moved so that the new record becomes the active one. *
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The Up and Down arrow keys move the highlight bar through the*
fields one at a time. In longer records, use the Shift key *
with the Up/Down arrows to move the bar 15 fields at a time. *
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To view an alphanumeric field longer than 40 characters, hit *
the Right Arrow key. A window will open showing the whole *
field. When using the Right Arrow key on a currency field or*
on a number field, the user is positioned at the first record*
and the field is analyzed. The field sum and average for all*
records along with the minimum and maximum values are shown, *
followed by the standard deviation. *
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PgDn selects the next file record and PgUp the previous one. *
Home positions you at the first record and End at the last. *
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The Shift/Function key combination gives help for each of the*
individual Function key operations. *
Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!
This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.
But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/