Category : Databases and related files
Archive   : DATAMAGE.ZIP
Filename : SELECTNM.HLP

"SELECT RECORDS BY NUMERIC COMPARISON HELP"

"When records are selected by numeric comparison, a data pertinent to"
"the record is targeted to be compared to a test value. The comparitor"
"and target may be keyboard entries, another data, or one of the two"
"counters the program provides for each record. The purpose of record"
"selection, whether numeric or alpha comparison is used, is to discon-"
"tinue the processing of those records not adhering to the specified"
"parameters; to exclude them from the current group."

"In a datafile detailing products sold there is a segment containing"
"the current price of the item. Its' number is three. To work with a"
"group of records selling for a dollar or more we need to exclude the"
"items whose price is $.99 or less. To do so, we use the select-numeric"
"routine. Menus guide you through the setup of the EXCLUSIVE SORT you"
"need to perform."

"First of all you will select the target of the OPERATION. If you have"
"done previous exclusive sorts you may, until you use a counter field,"
"sort the entire file and add the survivors (records passing your test)"
"to the current group, ending up with a group of records that match one"
"of multiple criterion."

"When you store the results of a calculation in a counter field you"
"will lose the option of adding records to the group; new records would"
"not have had their counters computed as the rest."

"Since we have done no previous record selects no option of target for"
"our operation will be offered on the screen; it must be all records."

"Then select as the target of the SORT the data in number three: price."

"In this case our comparitor is the same for all records, though it"
"needn't be. It is a keyboard entry of 1.00. So, the data in segment"
"three in all records will be compared to the same value: 1."

"Finally we must choose a comparison mode. Use equal to/greater than."
"We could also use .99 as comparitor and greater than as the process."

"Before the datafile is read and processed the program re-displays your"
"input and allows you to re-specify the sort parameters if you have"
"made keying or logic errors."

"When you return to browse the records not passing your test will not"
"be displayed. Nor will subsequent calculations, sorts, prints, finds"
"or total/averages include the non-survivors. For all intents and pur-"
"poses these records are not in the file until you press F11."

"The data you used as the target of your sort will be displayed in the"
"secondary screen area so you may visually confirm the results of the"
"process. To remove it from the browse screen press F18, then three."

"You may do as many record selects as necessary to define your group."

"It may SEEM that another feature this program could offer would be to"
"perform multiple selects simultaneously. In fact, you would be LOSING"
"a very important feature UNIQUE to the DATAMAGE by doing so: You have"
"an opportunity to see the affect of each and every operation done."