GS_DBASE
Version 2.9
GRIFFIN SOLUTIONS
dBase III, III+ access
6 April 1993
(C) Copyright 1991-1993 - All Rights reserved
Griffin Solutions
102 Molded Stone Place
Warner Robins, Georgia 31088
(912) 953-2680
CompuServe 75206.231
---------------------------------------------------------------
These Turbo Pascal routines handle processing for dBase III+
files, including memo (.DBT), index (.NDX), and data (.DBF) files.
Use is made of object oriented programming to simplify the user
interface. Examples of the user interface is demonstrated in the
sample programs.
This release is valid for reading and writing of data, index, and
memo files. Routines will compile under either TP 5.5 or TP 6.
Expanded routines (i.e., window routines) are incompatible with
TurboVision. However, the dBase file access routines will work
in a TurboVision environment.
--------------------------------------
dBase is a trademark of Ashton-Tate
Turbo Pascal is a trademark of Borland
Shareware
---------
GS_dBase is copyrighted. It is not a public domain program. It is
being distributed as Shareware, which means that unmodified copies
of the software and documentation may be freely copied and shared.
I ask in return that should you find GS_dBase to be useful, you
become a registered user. You become registered by sending $25.00
to the address on the cover. By registering you will get:
o A copy of the latest version of the program.
o Automatic notification of major program updates.
o Technical support via Compuserve or by mail.
o A user's manual on disk. Sorry--printed manuals are too
expensive at this price.
The shareware philosophy is to pay smaller amounts for well-crafted
and useful software from developers who cannot spend the millions of
dollars on marketing necessary to compete with the large software
development companies. You benefit by being able to try a wider
variety of software products to find the ones that suit your
particular purpose. And the trial is free. The shareware developer
benefits from being able to distribute his work to a wider audience
than would be possible through normal channels.
Your share of the responsibility for shareware to continue, and to
support the development of more and better products is to distribute
your shareware programs to others and become a registered user of
those products you like and use.
FEATURES
--------
Welcome to GS_dBASE, a series of Turbo Pascal routines for management
of dBase III+ files. The routines are designed to do the following:
- Provide a simple user interface to read and write dBase III files.
- Allow creation, use and updating of multiple dBase .NDX index
files in reading and updating the dBase III data (DBF) files.
- Allow creation, use and updating of multiple Clipper .NTX index
files in reading and updating the dBase III data (DBF) files.
- Allow reading and updating of .DBT memo file entries.
- Allow creation of new dBase III files.
- Provide expanded routines to display, edit, and update dBase III
files.
- Provide a file handler interface that provides a simple disk
management capability and provision for LAN adaptability.
- Do all of the above using only Turbo Pascal--no assembly routines
are used.
- Apply Object Oriented Programming to create easily usable modules.
GETTING STARTED
---------------
This section will acquaint you with the files on the distribution disk
and show you a demonstration to quickly see what GS_dBase can
accomplish.
Distribution Files
The following programs should be on the accompanying disk:
File Size Date Use
DEMOB001 PAS 1156 02-24-92 Basic demo, used to create test file
DEMOB002 PAS 1955 02-24-92 Basic demo, simple dBase file list
DEMOB003 PAS 3118 02-24-92 Basic demo, more complex field retrieval
DEMOB004 PAS 2873 02-24-92 Basic demo, modifying dBase fields
DEMOB005 PAS 2327 02-24-92 Basic demo, appending dBase records
DEMOB006 PAS 2339 02-24-92 Basic demo, create and use an index
DEMOB007 PAS 2247 02-24-92 Basic demo, list a memo record
DEMOE001 PAS 2532 02-24-92 Expanded demo, screen display of fields
DEMOE002 PAS 3965 02-24-92 Expanded demo, screen display/edit
DEMOE003 PAS 4266 02-24-92 Expanded demo, screen display/edit of memo
DEMOE004 PAS 1956 02-24-92 Expanded demo, automatic screen display
DEMOE005 PAS 2264 02-24-92 Expanded demo, automatic screen edit
DEMOE006 PAS 2738 02-24-92 Expanded demo, select item from table
DEMOE007 PAS 3001 02-25-92 Expanded demo, window routines
DEMOE008 PAS 2035 03-02-92 Expanded demo, using Check_Func_Key
DEMOR001 PAS 4046 02-29-92 Relational file demo, file maker
DEMOR002 PAS 3215 02-29-92 Relational file demo, find master record
DEMOR003 PAS 3287 02-29-92 Relational file demo, find transaction
records
DEMOTV01 PAS 5895 02-24-92 TurboVision demo, interface technique
DEMOU001 PAS 1442 02-20-92 Utility demo, creating a dBase file
DEMOU002 PAS 3209 02-20-92 Utility demo, create dBase file and memo
DEMOU003 PAS 2765 02-23-92 Utility demo, making and managing indexes
DEMOU004 PAS 3398 02-27-92 Utility demo, using multiple indexes
DEMOU005 PAS 4314 02-24-92 Utility demo, tracking operation progress
DEMO_CMN PAS 6758 02-21-92 Common string and date field handling demo
DIRLIST 3818 03-08-92 This list
GSDBLOOK PAS 13427 08-03-91 Demo program shows many features
GSDBLOOK EXE 76000 03-03-92 Executable GSDBLOOK.PAS
GS_DATE PAS 8271 02-24-92 Date handling routines
GS_DB3WK PAS 13544 02-24-92 dBase file creation routines
GS_DBASE PAS 52161 02-27-92 dBase file access routines
GS_DBFLD PAS 50345 03-02-92 dBase field update routines
GS_DBL PAS 11609 02-28-92 Routine to convert double to/from
string
GS_DBNDX PAS 56202 03-01-92 dBase .NDX index handling routines
GS_DBNTX PAS 54724 02-26-92 Clipper .NTX index handling routines
GS_DBTBL PAS 9839 02-24-92 dBase memory table routines
GS_EDIT PAS 22820 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions memo editor
GS_ERROR PAS 2183 02-27-92 Griffin Solutions error handling
GS_FILEH PAS 10736 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions file handling
GS_GENF PAS 10591 02-29-92 dBase test file record creator
GS_KEYI PAS 20627 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions keyboard input
routines
GS_LST PAS 3796 02-28-92 Griffin Solutions printer handler
GS_MAKMO PAS 5470 02-24-92 dBase memo record builder
GS_OBJTS PAS 9497 02-20-92 Griffin Solutions basic collection
handler
GS_PICK PAS 7660 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions list selector
GS_SCRN PAS 7014 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions screen handler
GS_SORT PAS 5800 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions sort routines
GS_STRNG PAS 12615 02-24-92 Griffin Solutions string handling
routines
GS_WINDW PAS 7511 08-04-91 Griffin Solutions windowing routines
GS_WINFC PAS 3552 08-04-91 Window interface to use other window
programs
LOOKFILE DBF 5102 03-03-92 Sample dBase file for use with
GSDBLOOK.EXE
LOOKFILE DBT 15872 03-03-92 Sample memo file for use with
GSDBLOOK.EXE
TESTDATA FIL 5953 02-06-92 Data for test data record generation
WISDOM FIL 64237 02-20-92 Data for test memo record generation
INSTALLATION
------------
Installation consists of copying these disks to your hard disk.
It is recommended that backup copies be made. You will likely want
to reload the database files as you 'play' with and change them while
running the demonstrations.
DEMONSTRATION
-------------
To get the feeling of the speed and features of GS_dBase, let's run a
demonstration program using GSDBLOOK.PAS.
1. Compile and run GSDBLOOK.PAS to get a feel for the ease with
which a program can be designed that allows selection, editing,
and deletion of dBase records.
2. Execute GSDBLOOK without any other parameters.
A. You will be presented with a selection of all .DBF files
in the current subdirectory. Make sure LOOKFILE.DBF is
highlighted and press return.
B. Next will be displayed a list of all index files in the
subdirectory, if there are any .NDX files. If any are
displayed, just press Escape.
C. A menu consisting of options to Edit, Append, Select,
Print, Pack, and Exit will appear. The Select option
is the only one that is not immediately obvious.
Use the cursor keys to highlight the Select option
and press return.
D. You will be presented with a list of field names included
in the database. Highlight 'LASTNAME' and press return.
E. You will then be asked to provide select criteria.
For example, To get a selection of all last names that
start with 'G', you can press 'G' and return. For all
starting with 'GR', press 'g', 'r' and return. To get an
alphabetical list of all records press enter with the
select field empty.
F. Highlight the name you wish to see. Use the home, end,
and cursor up and down arrows to select. The record will
be displayed for editing. As an alternative, you may
append a new record by selecting 'Append' at the end of
the list.
G. Once the record is selected, any field may be updated.
To access a memo field, use the cursor keys to highlight
the field. When the field is highlighted, it will change
from '-- memo --' to ' Edit? '. Press 'y' to call up the
memo field in the editor.
H. When editing is complete, press F10 to exit.
Pressing [Esc] will exit the editor without saving the
changes.
I. You may then select another record. Press [ESC] when done.
3. This program offers a choice of selecting, editing, appending,
printing, or packing records. The printing routine allows you to select
the fields you wish to list. When all desired fields have been picked,
press Escape. You will then be asked if you want to print the listing.
CHANGES
-------
Major changes in GS_dBase Version 2.8:
--------------------------------------
- Multiple indexes (up to 16) are allowed.
- Clipper indexes (.NTX) are allowed to replace .NDX files by
changing one Uses statement in GS_DBASE.PAS.
- A File_TOF flag is added to test when access to a Prev_Record
record is made while at the top of the file.
- Required memory is reduced by 10K by eliminating the need for
the numeric coprocessor emulation to handle numeric key expressions for
.NDX files.
- Disk cache routines are eliminated in GS_FileH. Processing
speed is maintained by adding a node 'stack' in index processing to
handle the most frequently used index nodes.
- A 'Zap' procedure is now included.
- More demonstration programs are provided to show the basic,
expanded, and utility features available.
Major changes in GS_dBase Version 2.5:
--------------------------------------
- Dates are now handled as longint values using their Julian Date.
This simplifies date calculations. See GS_Date unit for details.
- A windows interface is added to facilitate use of other window
handling packages to replace GS_Wind. GS_Wind is renamed GS_Windw.
See GS_Winfc unit for details.
- Additional string handling functions have been added.
See GS_Strng unit for details.
- A StatusUpdate routine is available to allow the programmer
to capture the progress of long-running routines such as Pack and
IndexTo.
ORDER/REGISTRATION FORM
Quan. Program Unit Price Total
____ GS_dBase Ver 2.8 $25.00 _______
Overseas Shipping $3.00 _______
Total: _______
_____ I have included a check for : _______
(Canadians send Canadian POSTAL MONEY ORDER made payable in US $.)
DISK SIZE (circle one): 5.25" (360K) 3.5" (720K)
5.25" (1.2M) 3.5" (1.4M)
** Includes one year free support, current diskette w/manual on disk.
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DAY TIME PHONE (in case of questions): ___________________________
How did you hear about this program? : ___________________________
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SHAREWARE!
Griffin Solutions
102 Molded Stone Place
Warner Robins, Georgia 31088
(912) 953-2680
CompuServe 75206.231
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