💾 Archived View for spam.works › mirrors › textfiles › programming › hpbook.txt captured on 2023-06-16 at 20:10:50.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PopDBF (tm)
"Instant Access to X-Base Files"
Version 4.0
User's Manual
_______
____|__ | (R)
--| | |------------------
| O___|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| O | Professionals
-----| | |--------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
Copyright (c) 1989-1991 Bowen Software, All Rights Reserved
PopDBF User's Manual
Table of Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Overview of PopDBF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4.1 How to Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4.2 Registration Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.5 What is "Shareware" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.6 ASP Ombudsman Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.8 Trademark Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.9 License Agreement, Disclaimer and Warranty . . . . . 9
1.9.1 Shareware Version License . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.9.2 Registered Version License . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.9.3 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1 Installing PopDBF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 Executing PopDBF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.1 Running PopDBF in Memory Resident Mode . . . . 11
2.2.2 Running PopDBF in Non-Resident Mode . . . . . 12
2.3 Modifying AUTOEXEC.BAT to Load PopDBF . . . . . . . . 12
2.4 Removing PopDBF from Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.5 How to Invoke PopDBF (Using the "Hotkey") . . . . . . 13
2.6 Command Line Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
/A<A|B|E|S> Default action . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
/C<C|M|O> Color scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
/D<dir> Initial PopDBF Directory . . . . . . . 14
/E<size> Edit buffer of size bytes . . . . . . 14
/F<num> Maximum of num fields . . . . . . . . 15
/G<num> Maximum of num files . . . . . . . . . 15
/H Command line syntax and options . . . 16
/I Ignore hotkey, toggles on and off . . 16
/L<dir> Directory where master .FRQ file is
located . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
/[!]P[file] Use "Pass-Thru" non-resident mode . . 16
/R<size> Read buffer of size bytes . . . . . . 17
/S<D|E|N> Swap to Disk|EMS|None . . . . . . . . 17
/T<B,C,I,V,W,Z>
Toggle indicator defaults . . . . . . . . . . . 18
/U Uninstall (remove) from memory . . . . 19
/X<file> File name for swapping to Disk . . . . 19
/Y<file> Initial PopDBF File . . . . . . . . . 20
i
PopDBF User's Manual
Table of Contents
3 Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.1 Generic Help (Alt-F1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.2 Context Sensitive Help (F1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4 Alt Menu (Alt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.1 Alt Action Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.2 Alt Toggle Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.3 Toggle Indicator Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5 Cursor and Lite-Bar Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.1 The "Wordstar" Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6 Pick File (Alt-P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.1 Select Directory/File/Index (Enter) . . . . . . . . . 26
6.2 Move to Parent Directory (BackSpace) . . . . . . . . 26
6.3 Change Directory and/or Drive (F2) . . . . . . . . . 26
6.4 Enter A Specific File (F3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.5 Change File Specification (F4) . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.6 Change Default Action (F5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.7 Delete File (F6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.8 Move to Current DOS Drive & Directory (F10) . . . . . 28
6.9 Frequent Database Access (Alt-1 thru Alt-=) . . . . . 28
6.10 Show Names of Frequently Accessed Databases (Ctrl-
N) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.11 Program Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7 Setup View (Alt-S) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.1 Return To Data (Enter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.2 Number/Un-Number Fields (Space) . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.3 Clear Field Numbers (F2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.4 Assign a Specific Field Number (F3) . . . . . . . . . 31
7.5 Order Fields Using Field Numbers (F4) . . . . . . . . 31
7.6 Tag/Un-Tag Field for Exclusive Find (F6) . . . . . . 31
7.7 Clear Exclusive Find Tags (F7) . . . . . . . . . . . 31
7.8 Copy File Structure (F8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
7.9 Print the File Structure (F9) . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8 Browse Records (Alt-B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
8.1 Current Record and Delete Status . . . . . . . . . . 33
8.2 Toggle Vertical Separator Bars On/Off (Shift-|) . . . 33
8.3 Pan the Browse Window (LeftArrow/RightArrow) . . . . 33
8.4 View Large Fields (Tab/Shift-Tab) . . . . . . . . . . 33
8.5 Zoom the Browse Window (F2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
8.6 Goto a Specific Record (F3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
ii
PopDBF User's Manual
Table of Contents
8.9 Find Text (F7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
8.10 Find Next Occurrence of Text (F8) . . . . . . . . . . 35
8.11 Print Records (F9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
8.12 Turn Century On/Off (Ctrl-K) . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
8.13 Mark Record as Deleted (Ctrl-U) . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9 Edit/Append Records (Alt-E/Alt-A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
9.1 Copy a Record (F2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
9.2 Goto a Specific Record (F3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
9.3 Cut Field into Keyboard Paste Buffer (F4) . . . . . . 37
9.4 Clear Keyboard Paste Buffer (Shift-F4) . . . . . . . 38
9.5 Find Text (F7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
9.6 Find Next Occurrence of Text (F8) . . . . . . . . . . 38
9.7 Print Records (F9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
9.8 Field Information (F10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9.9 Restore Field Data (Ctrl-J) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9.10 Turn Century On/Off (Ctrl-K) . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9.11 System Date (Ctrl-M) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9.12 Move to Last Field Position (Ctrl-N) . . . . . . . . 39
9.13 Restore Entire Record (Ctrl-O) . . . . . . . . . . . 39
9.14 Paste Data (Ctrl-P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
9.15 Abort and Lose Changes (Ctrl-Q/ESCAPE) . . . . . . . 40
9.16 Mark Record as Deleted (Ctrl-U) . . . . . . . . . . . 40
9.17 Toggle Verify Mode On/Off (Ctrl-V) . . . . . . . . . 40
9.18 Quit and Save Changes (Ctrl-W/Ctrl-End) . . . . . . . 40
9.19 Blank Current Field (Ctrl-Y) . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
9.20 Blank to End of Field (Ctrl-Delete) . . . . . . . . . 41
9.21 Move to End of Data (End) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
9.22 Move to First Position (Home) . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
9.23 Move Word (Ctrl-LeftArrow/Ctrl-RightArrow) . . . . . 41
9.24 Move to First/Last Field (Ctrl-UpArrow/Ctrl-
DownArrow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
9.25 Previous Record/Next Record, Same Page (Alt-PgUp/Alt-
PgDn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
10 Common Questions and Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
11 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
12 Configuring PopDBF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
12.1 The Configuration Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
12.2 Configuring Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
12.3 Configuring Date/Number Formats . . . . . . . . . . 47
12.4 Configuring Main Hotkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
iii
PopDBF User's Manual
Table of Contents
12.5 Configuring Paste Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
iv
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
1 Introduction
1.1 Overview of PopDBF
PopDBF is a pop-up memory resident program that uses only 4K of RAM!
PopDBF allows you to have "Instant Access" to any dBase compatible
.DBF database file. This includes, but is not limited to, files
used by Clipper, dBASE III, dBASE IV, dBXL, FoxBASE+, FoxPro, PC-
File/db and Quicksilver. The term X-base (which is in the public
domain) refers to all of the different dialects referred to above.
Memory resident programs, also call TSRs (Terminate Stay Resident),
are special programs that stay in memory after you run them. To use
a memory resident program that is in memory, you press the
designated hotkey. It is this hotkey that causes the program, which
is hibernating in memory, to "spring" to life and pop-up for you to
use.
After PopDBF has been loaded, you can access your database files
from anywhere by pressing the hotkey (the default hotkey is
Alt-BackSpace). To return to where you came from just press the
hotkey again. It's that simple!
There are many reasons why PopDBF is the best tool available for
accessing your database files. Some of the reasons include:
* Faster than using dBASE or a compatible program! You
don't have to wait while a bulky database program loads
just to take a quick look at a database file. "Instant
Access" means just that - INSTANT!
* Easier to use than dBASE! You don't have to know dBASE
commands. Switching from append to browse to edit is a
matter of pressing one key!
* Access database files without leaving another application!
You no longer have to exit your word processor, load your
database program, look at the database file, exit the
database program and reload your word processor - just
press the PopDBF hotkey!
* Cut and Paste information from a database directly into
another application! Save time typing in name and address
information to your word processor - let PopDBF do it for
you!
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 1
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
* Searches on a database for ANY text are lightning fast.
This means you don't have to know what field the text is
in, PopDBF takes care of it for you!
The applications for PopDBF are just as numerous. After just a few
minutes of using PopDBF you will be thinking up your own ways of how
to use its many features to improve your productivity. Here are
just a few examples to spark your creativity.
Great for Anybody who uses a phone:
* Maintain and search a rolodex database of all the people
you know with their place of business, address(es) and
phone number(s). This could be applied to any type of
information you need "instant" access to.
Great for Secretaries and Order Operators
* Take messages for people or log problems with products in
the field without having to leave the program you are
currently running.
* Add an order to the order database or search the database
to see the current status of the order.
Great for Programmers:
* Find out the name, type or length of a field.
* Find out the key used to create any .IDX, .NDX or .NTX
index file.
* Pack or Zap a database file without having to get out of
the application to use a database program.
Great for Consultants:
* Print the structure of any or all databases in a directory
with ease.
* Quickly get into any database to see what the data looks
like.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 2
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
PopDBF provides an easy way to move throughout your hard disk(s) and
networks to find your database files. It also has context sensitive
help for novice (or forgetful) users, but you probably won't need
it. PopDBF is that easy to use!
You can use PopDBF to:
* pick a database file
* delete a database file
* view file structure
* print file structure
* append and edit records
* browse records
* delete or undelete records
* print records (design your own mini-report)
* search for strings anywhere in a database
* pack or zap a database
* specify fields and assign their order for the above
features
* view index expressions of index files
And if you don't feel comfortable using memory resident programs,
PopDBF has a non-resident "pass-thru" mode so that you can run it
from the DOS prompt like any other program.
Programmers can even set up macros in some program editors (BOXER,
Qedit, etc.) to execute PopDBF and have it automatically open the
database the cursor is positioned on.
PopDBF has four main areas:
1. Pick File
2. Setup View
3. Browse Records
4. Append/Edit Records
Each of these areas is described more fully below along with the
actions available from each.
1.2 Limitations
Though PopDBF has many features, it does not do everything, yet!.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 3
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
Currently PopDBF does not do the following:
* view or edit memo fields
* use index files (it does display the expression used to
create them)
* view more than one database file at a time
* handle database files with more 65,535 records
* handle fields larger than 254 characters
* lock individual records in a database on the network
Also, PopDBF is not meant to be a complete replacement for the
relational database management systems (RDBMS) many people are
currently using (i.e. dBASE). In some instances the function being
done with the RDBMS can be fulfilled entirely by PopDBF. However,
in general PopDBF is meant to enhance those programs and improve
productivity by providing "instant access" to your valuable database
information.
1.3 Cautions
When using PopDBF from within any RDBMS or application that allows
dBASE compatible records to be changed, it is important to remember
that most of those products do internal record buffering. This
means that if a record is changed and resides in an internal buffer,
the change will NOT be reflected when viewed from within PopDBF.
Likewise, if a record is changed in PopDBF while that same record is
in an internal buffer, the change will be overwritten by the RDBMS
or application when it closes the file and/or flushes the internal
buffer.
As a general rule, do not use PopDBF to change records in a database
that might be opened by an RDBMS or similar application.
It should also be pointed out that because PopDBF does not currently
use index files, no indexes will be updated. Care should be taken
when changing databases that have associated indexes which need to
stay up to date. For these types of databases, as long as you don't
change key fields (fields used to create an index), add or delete
records there will be no problem.
Should you need to change information in databases falling into the
category mentioned above, just make sure that you reindex the
database.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 4
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
1.4 Registration
1.4.1 How to Register
PopDBF is not FREE! You may try it out at no charge for an initial
trial period to determine if it fits your needs. If you want to
continue to use PopDBF after the initial trial period you must
register. This method of software distribution is known as
Shareware.
The registration fee for a single copy of PopDBF is $35US. All
checks or money orders must be payable in US dollars. For a
description of what you get when you register see "Registration
Benefits" on page 6.
Registration of PopDBF is mandatory for commercial and government
users.
To register your copy of PopDBF, send your registration fee of $35,
payable in US funds (see the file ORDER.FRM), to:
Bowen Software
P.O. Box 2134
East Peoria, Illinois 61611
You can order by sending check, cash or money order to Bowen
Software at the address listed above.
You can also register with Master Card, Visa, Amex, or Discover by
calling (800) 242-4775 or (713) 524-6394 or by FAX to (713) 524-6398
or by CompuServe Email to 71355,470. THESE NUMBERS ARE FOR ORDERS
ONLY.
Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order,
refunds, product details, technical support, volume discounts,
dealer pricing, site licenses, etc, must be directed to Bowen
Software at 309-699-0950. You can also mail credit card orders to
Bowen Software c/o PsL, P.O. Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.
There is a cash discount, which is waived for credit card orders.
You can also order PopDBF by calling your local software distributor
(i.e. Computerland, Egghead).
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 5
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
PopDBF must be registered for EACH USER at your site; alternatively,
contact Bowen Software for current SITE LICENSE information.
It is our desire at Bowen Software that you be completely satisfied
with our software products and services. To insure this we offer a
complete money back guarantee!
1.4.2 Registration Benefits
The following benefits apply to all registered users of PopDBf:
* FREE technical support over the phone for at least six
months.
* Notified of program updates and provided the first update
absolutely FREE!
* Registered version of PopDBF does NOT contain the
registration information screen, which pops up on the
screen twice during each 24 hour period (it does pop up
when exiting each time if run in Pass-Thru mode).
* FREE introductory subscription to CompuServe Information
Service - the biggest national BBS! You will receive: a
private user ID number and Password, a $15 usage credit
(over 1 hour connect time at 2400 baud), a complimentary
subscription to CompuServes's monthly computing magazine:
'Compuserve'.
* Significant discount on Shareware Magazine where you can
find out about the best shareware and how to get it.
1.5 What is "Shareware"
"Shareware" is a term used to describe a system for distribution of
software. Under the shareware concept, software may be freely
copied and passed along to others, or distributed through bulletin
board systems, etc.
As a recipient of a shareware program, you may use the software for
a short trial period to determine if it meets your needs. If it
does, you pay the registration fee. By paying the fee, you are
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 6
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
granted the right to retain the software for your use. If the
software is not suitable, then you may discard it.
The shareware system provides significant benefits to the computing
community (of which YOU are a member):
1) You get to try out the software BEFORE you buy it so you
know exactly what you're buying.
2) Shareware is substantially less expensive than most
commercial programs. You don't pay for costly marketing
programs and fancy packaging.
3) You get access to a MUCH broader base of available
programs. Thousands of excellent programs have been
written by expert programmers who would never consider
marketing commercially. Through the concept of shareware,
these people make their programs available to the
community. Usually, all they ask in return is a small fee
to reward them for the time and effort they've put into
the program.
The system is based entirely on the honor system, and generally
works quite well (Most people are honest and wouldn't violate the
trust placed in them by the author of the software!). Shareware is
NOT free software - the author counts on your integrity.
1.6 ASP Ombudsman Information
Bowen Software is an author member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware
principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a
shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the
member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can
help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does
not provide technical support for members' products. Please write
to the ASP Ombudsman at P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 or send a
Compuserve message via Compuserve Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 7
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
1.7 Technical Support
You can contact Bowen Software by leaving messages on Compuserve to
76665,736. The latest version of PopDBF can be found on Compuserve
in the IBMAPP forum Data Library 3. We recommend that anyone who
accesses Compuserve frequently use another Shareware program called
TapCIS to automate the online processes. TapCIS can save users both
time and money. To learn more about TapCIS when on Compuserve, type
GO TAPCIS when online.
Bowen Software shareware products can be found on many Bulletin
Board Systems (BBS) across the country. We directly upload our
products to the Exec-PC bulletin board located in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. The Exec-PC phone number is (414) 789-4210. Electronic
messages can be left on Exec-PC and should be addressed to Don
Bowen.
To contact Bowen Software via Internet, leave messages to
76665.736@COMPUSERVE.COM.
Contacting us using the above methods is preferred. If you do not
have access to electronic communication you can contact us by phone
at (309) 699-0950. Messages are usually returned within 24 hours.
The cheapest way to ask questions or make suggestions is by mail.
Send inquiries or recommendations to:
Bowen Software
P. O. Box 2134
East Peoria, IL 61611
Registered and commercial users are provided free technical support
on the phone for at least six months. No support is guaranteed for
non-registered users, but we are happy to answer questions about our
products and consulting services. Bowen Software can be reached at
(309) 699-0950. Registered users will be asked for their serial
number.
Also, if you are having problems, be prepared to describe the
hardware and operating system you are using as well as the
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 8
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
1.8 Trademark Acknowledgements
Association of Shareware Professionals and the ASP Logo are
trademarks of the Association of Shareware Professionals.
CLIPPER is a trademark of Nantucket Corporation.
COMPAQ is a registered trademark of COMPAQ Computers, Inc.
dBASE and dBASE III are registered trademarks of Ashton Tate, Inc.
dBASE III Plus and dBASE IV are trademarks of Ashton Tate, Inc.
dBXL and Quicksilver are trademarks of Wordtech Systems, Inc.
Desqview and QEMM are trademarks of Quarterdeck Office Systems.
FoxBASE+ is a registered trademark of Fox Software, Inc.
FoxPro is a trademark of Fox Software, Inc.
PC-FILE is a registered trademark of Buttonware, Inc.
PopDBF is a trademark of Bowen Software.
Sidekick is a trademark of Borland International, Inc.
Other product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
1.9 License Agreement, Disclaimer and Warranty
BY INSTALLING PopDBF ON YOUR SYSTEM YOU INDICATE YOUR AGREEMENT TO
THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THEM YOU
ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THIS PROGRAM.
PopDBF, its documentation and supplementary files and programs are
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software. All rights reserved world
wide.
PopDBF is not now, nor was it ever, public domain or free software.
PopDBF is currently available in shareware and commercial versions.
1.9.1 Shareware Version License
The Shareware evaluation (trial use) version is provided AS IS.
Bowen Software MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
You are granted a limited license to use PopDBF for evaluation
purposes for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days. If you
continue to use PopDBF after the sixty (60) day evaluation period,
you must make a registration payment of $35US to Bowen Software.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 9
PopDBF User's Manual
Introduction
Failure to make this payment after the evaluation period is
considered to violate this license.
1.9.2 Registered Version License
If you are a registered user of PopDBF, you may use the registered
version on one computer at a time and make copies for backup (for
your own use ONLY) as needed.
You may not distribute the registered version of PopDBF to any other
person via any form of media.
1.9.3 Warranty
This software is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the
software is with you. Should the software prove defective, the
user, NOT Bowen Software, assumes the entire cost of all necessary
servicing, repair or correction.
In no event shall Bowen Software be liable to the user for any
damages, including lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or
consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use
this software, even if Bowen Software has been advised of the
possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 10
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
2 Getting Started
2.1 Installing PopDBF
To load the PopDBF and its associated programs and files on your
hard disk, you use the installation program called INSTALL.EXE. To
run the installation program, do the following:
1. Place the PopDBF diskette in drive A:
2. Type A:INSTALL and press ENTER.
(If you are using drive B, substitute B: for A: above)
3. Make sure that the name of the installation directory is
correct and press ENTER. The installation directory is
where the PopDBF files will be copied. If the directory
you specify does not exist, it will be created.
4. You will see the names of each of the files as it is being
copied to the destination directory. When all the files
have been copied, the message "press any key..." will be
displayed in the lower left corner of the screen. Press
any key and you will be returned to DOS and will be in the
directory you specified as the installation directory.
NOTE: When PopDBF is executed it assumes that POPDBF.HLP, the
context sensitive help file, is in the same directory as
POPDBF.EXE. If POPDBF.HLP is not in that directory,
context sensitive help will not be available. See "Help"
on page 21.
2.2 Executing PopDBF
PopDBF can be run in two modes. Normally, when PopDBF is executed
it installs itself into memory for access from anywhere by pressing
its hotkey. Alternatively, you can run PopDBF in non-resident
"pass-thru" mode like any other DOS program.
2.2.1 Running PopDBF in Memory Resident Mode
To run PopDBF in memory resident mode, just type POPDBF at the DOS
prompt and press ENTER. It is in this mode that PopDBF can become
an invaluable tool. Once loaded into memory, pressing the hotkey
(the default hotkey is Alt-BackSpace) will give you "instant access"
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 11
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
to your X-Base files! See "Command Line Options" on page 13 for a
list of configuration options.
PopDBF does not need to be the last memory resident program.
However, it can NOT be uninstalled from memory if it is not the last
memory resident program or if another memory resident program has
recaptured one of PopDBF's interrupts.
When PopDBF is installed in memory it requires only 4K of RAM!
If the /SN command line option is used to prevent swapping to disk
or EMS, PopDBF will require around 45K of RAM. This may be a
desirable mode if no EMS is available, the local hard disk is very
slow and most of the lower 640K of RAM is available for application
programs.
2.2.2 Running PopDBF in Non-Resident Mode
The second mode of operation is to run PopDBF in "Pass-Thru" mode.
In "Pass-Thru" mode, PopDBF works like most other programs. To do
this type POPDBF /p at the DOS prompt and press ENTER.
In this mode the hotkey is ignored. To exit PopDBF in this mode
press the ESCAPE key until you return to the DOS prompt.
When using this mode, the Ctrl-P paste key in Edit mode is disabled.
Memory consumption in "Pass-Thru" mode depends on command line
options, but will default to using 45K of RAM.
2.3 Modifying AUTOEXEC.BAT to Load PopDBF
To have PopDBF load each time you start your computer, add the
following line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
.
[path\]POPDBF [options] <load PopDBF into memory>
.
If the optional path is not specified, POPDBF.EXE must either be in
the current directory or in the PATH.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 12
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
For help on which options to use when loading PopDBF see "Command
Line Options" on page 13.
2.4 Removing PopDBF from Memory
To remove PopDBF from memory use the /U command line option by
typing the following at the DOS prompt:
POPDBF /U
PopDBF must be the last memory resident program or you will receive
an error message indicating that PopDBF was unable to unload. See
/U under "Command Line Options" below for further information on
this option.
2.5 How to Invoke PopDBF (Using the "Hotkey")
By default the hotkey to invoke PopDBF is Alt-BackSpace. To invoke
PopDBF, press and hold the Alt key and at the same time press the
BackSpace key.
As soon as you press the hotkey, PopDBF will "pop" onto the screen.
Pressing the hotkey again will take you right back to the
interrupted program. You can pop out of PopDBF from anywhere in
PopDBF, except a few places when you are being prompted for
information. At those times, pressing the hotkey will abort that
action just as if you had pressed ESCAPE.
When you press the hotkey to leave PopDBF, any open database is
automatically closed. Pressing the hotkey again will return you to
the same location in PopDBF with the file being opened automatically
as if it had never been closed. You can even pop out and back in
while in the middle of using Edit or Append!
2.6 Command Line Options
To load or execute PopDBF type the following at the DOS prompt:
PopDBF [options], where options can be:
/A<A|B|E|S> Default action, where:
A>ppend <B>rowse E>dit S>tructure
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 13
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
The default is to open databases in Browse mode. To
load PopDBF so that databases are opened in Edit
mode, use the following command line:
POPDBF /AE
/C<C|M|O> Color scheme, where:
M>ononchrome O>riginal
The original colors option is provided for those
people who liked the colors used in versions of
PopDBF before 3.7.
To load or run PopDBF so that monochrome colors are
displayed, use the following command line:
POPDBF /CM
/D<dir> Initial PopDBF Directory
The format of <dir> is [d:\]path, where d: is the
optional disk drive identifier.
The initial PopDBF directory is set to the current
DOS directory the first time PopDBF invoked, if this
option is not specified.
The PopDBF directory changes only when a move is made
from within PopDBF. Each time PopDBF is invoked, the
current DOS directory is saved and the PopDBF
directory becomes the current directory. When
leaving PopDBF the DOS directory is restored. See
also "Move to Current DOS Directory" on page 28.
To load or run PopDBF so that the starting directory
is C:\DBASE, use the following command line:
POPDBF /DC:\DBASE
/E<size> Edit buffer of size bytes (default = 512)
If a file has a record size larger than the edit
buffer size, you will not be allowed to Edit or
Append. Should this occur an error message will be
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 14
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
displayed. To determine the minimum size that you
will need to specify to allow Editing on the file,
press Alt-S to view the record size.
To load or run PopDBF so that you can Edit a record
1024 bytes long, use the following command line:
POPDBF /E1024
/F<num> Maximum of num fields (default = 64, max = 1024)
The default value should handle most needs, however
Clipper databases can have up to 1024 fields.
Should you try to Browse or Edit a database with too
many fields, an error message will be displayed. To
determine the minimum number of fields you will need
to specify to allow Browsing or Editing the file,
press Alt-S to view the number of fields.
To load or run PopDBF so that you can Browse or Edit
a file with 95 fields, use the following command
line:
POPDBF /F95
/G<num> Maximum of num files (default = 100, min = 3)
The default value should handle most directories,
unless the file specification is changed to *.*.
Files matching the file specification are loaded
first, then any sub-directories in the current
directory.
If too many files are found, you will be notified by
an error message that the /G option should be used to
correct the problem. Just press any key to respond
to the error. Only the specified number of files
will be displayed.
To load or run PopDBF so that 200 files can be
displayed in the Pick File window, use the following
command line:
POPDBF /G200
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 15
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
/H Command line syntax and options
This will list all of PopDBF's command line options.
You can also specify a single question mark (?).
/I Ignore hotkey, toggles on and off
To use this option, run PopDBF from the DOS prompt
with this option. This can be used if for some
reason you want to disable the PopDBF hotkey
temporarily. To reactivate the hotkey run PopDBF
using this option again.
/L<dir> Directory where master .FRQ file is located
Normally, the frequent database access list file is
located in the same directory as the PopDBF
executable. However, when PopDBF is loaded from a
Network drive, users will probably want to specify a
local drive and directory where their personal
frequent database access list file is located using
this option.
To load or run PopDBF and specify that the master
.FRQ file is located in F:\PUBLIC, use the following
command line:
POPDBF /LF:\PUBLIC
/[!]P[file] Use "Pass-Thru" non-resident mode
This option will NOT load PopDBF into memory, but
will execute it and allow you to use all of its
features.
If a file is also specified (no brackets are
necessary), PopDBF will automatically come up in that
file in Browse, unless the /A option is used to
specify a different action.
Pass-Thru mode is indicated on the screen by the word
"PASSTHRU" in the upper left-hand corner. The /P
option can also be used even if PopDBF is already in
memory without affecting the resident version.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 16
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
Pressing the PopDBF hotkey will cause the resident
version to pop up over the Pass-Thru version.
Preceding the P with an exclamation point (!) will
cause PopDBF to exit when ESCAPE is pressed from
Append, Browse, Edit, or Setup. This is a nice
feature to use from batch files, so that users only
have to press ESCAPE once to exit PopDBF.
To run PopDBF in "Pass-Thru" mode and automatically
open C:\DBASE\ROLODEX in Edit mode, use the following
command line:
POPDBF /AE /PC:\DBASE\ROLODEX
/R<size> Read buffer of size bytes (default = 4096)
If a file's record size is larger than the read
buffer size, you will not be allowed to Browse the
file.
The larger the read buffer the faster scrolling and
finding will be done when in Browse and Edit.
Specifying a larger read buffer will not affect
memory consumption unless PopDBF is run using the /SN
option to prevent swapping.
To load or run PopDBF using a 16K read buffer, use
the following command line:
POPDBF /R16184
/S<D|E|N> Swap to Disk|EMS|None
D for Disk swap, E for EMS swap, N for No swap.
If this option is not specified, swapping to EMS will
be attempted first and swapping to Disk will be
attempted second. If both fail, no swapping will be
done.
If Disk swapping is done, it can be helpful to use
the /X option to specify that the swap file be
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 17
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
located on a RAM drive or a Network drive. This can
greatly decrease swap time.
To load PopDBF so that it does disk swapping to a RAM
drive E: and a swap file name called POPDBF.SWP in
the root directory, use the following command line:
POPDBF /SD /XE:\POPDBF.SWP
To load PopDBF so that it does NOT swap to disk or
EMS and resided entirely in memory, use the following
command line:
POPDBF /SN
/T<B,C,I,V,W,Z>
Toggle indicator defaults
Any or all of the toggle indicator letters may be
specified to override the defaults. The letters and
the toggle indicator they modify are discussed below.
The /W option should be specified as /TW. However,
it will still function to provide backward
compatibility.
B - Borders for fields ON
Specifying this option forces all finds to be
successful only if WITHIN field borders.
C - Case sensitive
Specifying this option forces all finds to be
sensitive to upper and lower case letters.
I - Insert mode
When insert mode is on and you are entering
information or editing a record, characters to the
right will move to the right as you enter data.
V - Verify mode in Edit
When verify mode is on you will be required to press
ENTER in Edit to move to the next field. When verify
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 18
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
mode is on a "V" is displayed in the upper right
border of the Edit window.
W - Write file access
Specifying this option will cause each database to be
opened with read-write access.
Z - Zoom the Browse window
By default the Browse window shows only 12 records.
When zoomed it will show 18 records. See also "Zoom
Browse Window" on page 33.
For more information on toggle indicators, see "Alt
Toggle Keys" on page 23.
To load or run PopDBF so that read-write mode is on
and finds are done with case sensitivity, use the
following command line:
POPDBF /TCW (you can combine options)
/U Uninstall (remove) from memory
This will remove PopDBF from memory, but ONLY if it
is the last memory resident program.
In some special cases, even when PopDBF is the last
memory resident program it can't be removed from
memory. This occurs if another resident program
recaptures one of the interrupt vectors after PopDBF
has chained into it. Sidekick is an example of this
type of program.
/X<file> File name for swapping to Disk
If PopDBF swaps to Disk, it can be very beneficial to
use this option to direct the swap file to a RAM
drive or Network drive (if faster than local hard
disk). This can greatly decrease the swap time. The
default is POPDBF.SWP in the root directory on the
current drive.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 19
PopDBF User's Manual
Getting Started
/Y<file> Initial PopDBF File
This is very similar to the Pass-Thru option, but is
used for memory resident mode. This is the file that
will be opened when PopDBF is first activated. It is
an especially nice feature to use for people who
usually access one file.
To load PopDBF so that the first time it is popped up
it opens C:\DBASE\ROLODEX in Edit mode with read-
write mode on, use the following command line:
POPDBF /AE /TW /YC:\DBASE\ROLODEX
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 20
PopDBF User's Manual
Help
3 Help
Help is available in PopDBF only if the file POPDBF.HLP is in the
same directory as POPDBF.EXE, the main program.
While in Help you can press the up and down arrow keys as well as
PgUp and PgDn to scroll the help text. To get out of Help, press
ESCAPE.
3.1 Generic Help (Alt-F1)
You can get generic help about the system by pressing Alt-F1 from
any area of the program.
The generic help explains the Alt Action and Toggle Keys and the
toggle indicators. See "Alt Menu" on page 22. It also explains
cursor and lite-bar movement.
3.2 Context Sensitive Help (F1)
Pressing F1 will provide specific help for any area of PopDBF. The
help provided is basically the same text found in this manual and in
some cases is even more thorough.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 21
PopDBF User's Manual
Alt Menu
4 Alt Menu (Alt)
Pressing the Alt key will show the Alt menu on the status line.
Releasing the Alt key will restore the previous status line. The Alt
menu is divided into two parts, "Action Keys" and "Toggle Keys".
Pressing Alt and one of the highlighted Action Keys will cause the
appropriate action to occur. Pressing Alt and one of the
highlighted Toggle Keys will toggle the appropriate indicator in the
indicator window located in the lower left border of the main
window.
4.1 Alt Action Keys
Alt Action Keys will have no effect when responding to an error, a
prompt, or inside of Help. They also have no effect while
positioned on a directory in the Pick File window.
The Alt Action Keys are:
Alt-A Append records in the current database. Ignored if
file access mode is read-only.
Alt-B Browse records in the current database. If pressed
while in Edit or Append is the same as pressing
ESCAPE to abort. See "Abort and Lose Changes" on
page 40.
Alt-E Edit records in the current database. If the file
access mode is read-only, Edit acts as a full screen
record viewer.
Alt-P Pick a different database or directory. If pressed
while in Edit or Append is the same as pressing
ESCAPE to abort.
Alt-S Setup View of current database. If pressed while in
Edit or Append is the same as pressing ESCAPE to
abort.
There are potentially 12 other Alt Action keys. These keys are used
to access frequently used databases. For more information on
Frequent Database Access keys, see FREQUENT DATABASE ACCESS on page
28.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 22
PopDBF User's Manual
Alt Menu
4.2 Alt Toggle Keys
Alt Toggle Keys will function regardless of where you are in the
program.
The Alt Toggle Keys are:
Alt-C Toggles the case sensitivity indicator between "IC",
ignore case, and "CS", case sensitive. This
indicator affects how the Find function does its
search. See "Find Text" on page 34.
Alt-D Toggles the field border indicator between "NB", no
borders, and "BO", borders on. This indicator also
affects how the Find function behaves.
Alt-I Toggles the insert/overstrike indicator between "IN",
insert mode, and "OV", overstrike mode. This
indicator affects how text is placed into fields in
Edit. It can also be toggled by pressing Insert.
Alt-M Toggles the file access mode indicator between "RO",
read-only mode, and "RW", read-write mode. When the
file access mode is read-only, you will not be
allowed to Edit or Append.
On a NETWORK read-write mode will open files for
EXCLUSIVE access. Read-only will open files so that
multiple users can have access. Record level locking
is not currently implemented.
If opening a file in read-write mode fails, an
attempt to open the file in read-only mode will
automatically be made. If successful, when the file
is closed, the mode will automatically return to
read-write.
Alt-F5 Toggle viewing underlying application screen. This
avoids having to swap out and back.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 23
PopDBF User's Manual
Alt Menu
4.3 Toggle Indicator Summary
The default values for the toggle indicators are given below.
--| RW IC BO OV |--
| | | |
| | | -- IN/OV: edit mode is insert/overstrike
| | ----- BO/NB: field borders are on/off
| -------- IC/CS: case sensitivity is off/on
----------- RO/RW: file access mode is read-only/read/write
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 24
PopDBF User's Manual
Alt Menu
5 Cursor and Lite-Bar Movement
UpArrow/DownArrow Move up or down one entry or line
Ctrl-UpArrow/Home First entry or line in current window
Ctrl-DownArrow/End Last entry or line in current window
PgUp Move up one "screen"
PgDn Move down one "screen"
Ctrl-PgUp Move to first entry or record
Ctrl-PgDn Move to last entry or record
5.1 The "Wordstar" Diamond
Many of the basic Wordstar control key combinations have been
implemented to maintain some compatibility with other programs.
These keystrokes are found in many of the editors users have become
familiar with.
Ctrl-Q Abort
Ctrl-E Move up one entry or line (like UpArrow)
Ctrl-R Move up one page or screen (like PgUp)
Ctrl-A Move one word to the left (like Ctrl-LeftArrow)
Ctrl-S Move one character or field to the left (like LeftArrow)
Ctrl-D Move one character or field to the right (like RightArrow)
Ctrl-F Move one word to the right (like Ctrl-RightArrow)
Ctrl-X Move down one entry or line (like DownArrow)
Ctrl-C Move down one page or screen (like PgDn)
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 25
PopDBF User's Manual
Pick File
6 Pick File (Alt-P)
Pressing any letter will move the lite-bar to the first file or
directory that begins with that letter. Successive presses of the
same letter will move to the next file or directory that begins with
that letter. If no file or directory begins with the letter
pressed, no movement will occur.
6.1 Select Directory/File/Index (Enter)
Pressing ENTER will cause one of the following to occur:
* If the file is a directory, you will move to that
directory. Once in that directory the Pick File window is
refreshed with the names of files that match the file
specification.
* If the file is a database, the action taken corresponds to
the currently specified Action letter. This can be
changed by pressing F5 (see "Change Default Action" on
page 27). It is the same as pressing Alt-<action letter>.
* If the file is an index (.NDX, .IDX, .NTX only), you will
view the index expression used to create it. You can
press Ctrl-I to change the file specification to show only
index files. Pressing Ctrl-B will change the file
specification back to show only database files.
6.2 Move to Parent Directory (BackSpace)
Pressing BackSpace will take you to the parent of the current
directory, unless you are currently in the root directory. This
feature is especially useful on a network, where no parent directory
will be shown in the Pick File window, but the function still works.
The lite bar will be positioned on the name of the directory you
came from.
6.3 Change Directory and/or Drive (F2)
Pressing F2 will allow you to change the current PopDBF directory
and/or drive. The name supplied can be a drive letter followed by a
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 26
PopDBF User's Manual
Pick File
colon (C:), a directory path (\DBASE\PAYROLL), or both
(C:\DBASE\PAYROLL).
If the new directory is invalid, an error message will be displayed.
If it is valid the file selection window will be filled with files
matching the current file specification.
6.4 Enter A Specific File (F3)
Pressing F3 will allow you to enter a specific file name. If the
file is not found or is not a valid database or index, an error
message will be displayed. If no extension is entered, the
extension in the file specification will be used. This will cause
an error if that extension contains a wildcard (*/?) and you will
need to enter the file extension as well.
6.5 Change File Specification (F4)
Pressing F4 will allow you to modify the file specification located
in the upper right corner of the main window. The file
specification is used to determine which files in the current PopDBF
directory you are allowed to pick from. Entering a file
specification of *.* will allow you to pick from all files, while
*.DBF will allow only files with an extension of .DBF.
The names of any sub-directories in the current PopDBF directory are
included for possible selection regardless of the file
specification.
6.6 Change Default Action (F5)
The current default action is displayed in the upper left portion of
the file selection window. The default action determines what
happens when you press Enter and the selection bar is on a valid
database file. Each press of F5 will change the action as follows:
Append -> Browse -> Edit -> Setup -> Append, etc.
The result is the same as holding the Alt key and pressing the first
letter of the appropriate action. You can override the default
action by holding the Alt key and pressing a different action key
while the lite bar is positioned on the desired database.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 27
PopDBF User's Manual
Pick File
6.7 Delete File (F6)
Pressing F6 will allow you to delete a file. You will be asked to
verify that you really want to delete the file. If you answer with
a Y for yes, the file will be deleted. Pressing ESCAPE or N for no,
will cancel the delete.
When the lite bar is on a directory, this function is ignored.
6.8 Move to Current DOS Drive & Directory (F10)
Pressing F10 will move you to the current DOS directory. The
current DOS directory is the directory you were in before the PopDBF
hotkey was pressed or when you loaded PopDBF. If that directory is
on a drive other than the current drive, that drive becomes the
current drive as well.
This is a handy function to use when you want to move from wherever
you were using PopDBF last to the directory where you are currently.
6.9 Frequent Database Access (Alt-1 thru Alt-=)
To use this feature you must have already created an ASCII file
named POPDBF.FRQ containing the names of up to 12 frequently used
databases. Multiple POPDBF.FRQ files can exist. PopDBF will look
first in the current directory and then in the directory from which
it was executed, unless the /L option was specified on the command
line.
Each database name can include a drive identifier and path. It MUST
include file name and extension. Optionally, each file can be
preceded by an action letter and a space. See "Change Default
Action" on page 27 for more information on action letters.
Pressing Alt-1 will access the database whose name is on the first
line of this file, Alt-2 will access the second, and so on. If more
than 12 lines are included POPDBF.FRQ they are ignored.
Examples of lines in POPDBF.FRQ:
C:\ME\DBF\ROLODEX.DBF (use default action)
E C:\PERSONAL\MILEAGE.DBF (open database in Edit mode)
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 28
PopDBF User's Manual
Pick File
A MILEAGE.DBF (open database in Append mode)
Using this feature while in the middle of Edit or Append, will save
any current changes.
The mode and current record number is maintained on each frequently
accessed database. If you press Alt-1, then go off and use other
files and press Alt-1 again you will be returned to the same mode
and positioned at the same record. This is very handy for toggling
between any of the 12 possible frequent databases.
6.10 Show Names of Frequently Accessed Databases (Ctrl-N)
Pressing Ctrl-N will pop up a window to show the names of the files
in the current frequent database access file. Each name will be
preceded by an action letter, if it was specified. Currently, you
can not change these names from within PopDBF.
6.11 Program Information
Pressing Ctrl-H will pop up a window to show you the version of the
context sensitive help file, along with other information on PopDBF
and Bowen Software.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 29
PopDBF User's Manual
Setup View
7 Setup View (Alt-S)
Setup View can be used to create a customized view of the currently
opened database. You can select only the fields you want to view in
Browse or Edit. You can even order the fields differently than they
are physically laid out in the database. This ordering (as
described below) is not permanent.
Pressing any letter will move the lite-bar to the first field that
begins with that letter. Successive presses of the same letter will
move to the next field that begins with that letter. If no field
begins with the letter pressed, no movement will occur.
7.1 Return To Data (Enter)
Pressing ENTER will return you to either Browse or Edit/Append,
depending on which you were in last. This makes changing the Setup
View (by pressing Alt-S) and returning to data (Browse or Edit) a
little easier.
7.2 Number/Un-Number Fields (Space)
Pressing the SPACE bar will number/un-number the field at the
selection bar. If any fields are numbered, only those fields will
be shown when you Browse or Edit records. The number beside the
field determines the order in which it will be displayed. Two
fields with the same number will remain in the same relative
position to each other.
Pressing SPACE will automatically move the selection bar down to the
next field, unless it is on the last field.
7.3 Clear Field Numbers (F2)
Pressing F2 will clear all field numbers, but leave the file
structure in the present order. This means that you can assign
field numbers, press F4 to order the fields, and then remove all
field numbers by pressing F2. This will allow you to view all
fields but in an order different from the original. Field numbers
are also cleared when a new file is selected from the Pick File
window.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 30
PopDBF User's Manual
Setup View
7.4 Assign a Specific Field Number (F3)
Pressing F3 will allow you to assign a specific number (0-1024) to a
field to affect its order. Assigning a zero will un-number the
field.
7.5 Order Fields Using Field Numbers (F4)
Pressing F4 will reorder the fields in the structure based on their
field numbers. THIS NEW ORDER IS NOT PERMANENT. The actual
structure of the file on disk is NOT affected. To restore the
original field order either return to the Pick File window and re-
select the file or clear all field numbers by pressing F2 and press
F4 again.
7.6 Tag/Un-Tag Field for Exclusive Find (F6)
Pressing F6 will tag/un-tag the field at the selection bar for
exclusive find. When any fields are tagged for exclusive find, only
those fields are used when doing a Find or Find Next from Browse or
Edit. Also, if the field border indicator is on (see "Toggle
Indicators Summary" on page 24), the text being searched for MUST be
found entirely within ONE field. For more information see "Find
Text" on page 34.
Pressing F6 will automatically move the selection bar down to the
next field, unless it is on the last field.
7.7 Clear Exclusive Find Tags (F7)
Pressing F7 will turn off the exclusive find indicator for all
fields.
This will allow Find and Find Next to locate text anywhere in the
record, unless field borders are on, in which case it must be
entirely within ONE field. Exclusive find tags are also cleared
when a new file is selected from the Pick File window.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 31
PopDBF User's Manual
Setup View
7.8 Copy File Structure (F8)
Pressing F8 will allow you to copy the current database file
structure to another file. You will be prompted for the new
database file name. Pressing ESCAPE will abort this function. If
any fields are marked, only those fields, and in their specified
order, will be copied.
If the specified file already exists, you will be asked if you want
to overwrite it. NO CHECK IS DONE TO INSURE THAT YOU DO NOT SPECIFY
THE SAME FILE YOU ARE CURRENTLY VIEWING.
7.9 Print the File Structure (F9)
Pressing F9 will print the file structure. If any fields are
numbered only those fields will be printed. The file statistics are
printed first followed by the field structure.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 32
PopDBF User's Manual
Browse Records
8 Browse Records (Alt-B)
8.1 Current Record and Delete Status
The current record number and delete status are displayed in the
bottom border of the Browse window. See below for directions on how
to delete a record.
8.2 Toggle Vertical Separator Bars On/Off (Shift-|)
Pressing Shift-| (pipe symbol) will toggle the vertical separator
bars on and off. The default is off. Viewing can be a little
easier with them on, but printing is best done with the separators
off.
8.3 Pan the Browse Window (LeftArrow/RightArrow)
The LeftArrow and RightArrow will allow you to pan to the left and
right, respectively.
8.4 View Large Fields (Tab/Shift-Tab)
Tab and Shift-Tab change the offset of fields that are wider than
the Browse window. The offset is incremented or decremented by 10
characters. The current offset is displayed in the upper right-hand
corner of the Browse window.
8.5 Zoom the Browse Window (F2)
Pressing F2 will either expand or contract the Browse window. When
expanded the window shows 18 records and when contracted shows only
12, but has the advantage of allowing you to see the file statistics
as well.
8.6 Goto a Specific Record (F3)
Pressing F3 will prompt you for a new record position. If the
record number specified is greater than the number of records in the
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 33
PopDBF User's Manual
Browse Records
file, an error will occur and the lite-bar will stay on the same
record.
8.7 Zap Database (F4)
Pressing F4 will Zap the current database. When a database is
zapped, all records are deleted AND physically removed. Because
this is potentially a dangerous function, you will be prompted to
make sure you really want to zap the database. Pressing ESCAPE or
entering N will abort. If the database is currently opened in read-
only (RO) mode, this function will cause an audible beep.
8.8 Pack Database (F5)
Pressing F5 will Pack the current database. When a file is packed,
all logically deleted records are physically removed. Because this
is potentially a dangerous function, you will be prompted to make
sure you really want to pack the database. Pressing ESCAPE or
entering N will abort. If the database is currently opened in read-
only (RO) mode, this function will cause an audible beep.
8.9 Find Text (F7)
Pressing F7 will prompt you for the text you want to locate.
Type in the text to find and press ENTER to begin the find.
Memo fields are not currently searched.
Date fields need to be searched as follows. If the date you are
looking for is 11/03/89 you would enter: "891103" or "19891103"
(don't enter the quotes).
When the case sensitivity indictor is off (IC) finding "don" will
locate records containing "Don", "DON", and other combinations. To
find only occurrences of "don", you must first turn on the case
sensitivity indicator (CS) by pressing Alt-C.
There may be times that you want to find text only if it occurs in a
specific field or fields, not just anywhere in the record. To do
this press Alt-S for the Setup View window. Now tag the fields you
want searched exclusively by pressing F6. When you have tagged the
fields to be searched, press ENTER to return to the Browse window.
Now Find will search only the fields you tagged.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 34
PopDBF User's Manual
Browse Records
By default, Find will locate text even if it crosses field
boundaries. To prevent this you can turn on the field border
indicator by pressing Alt-D. When field borders are on (BO), text
must be found entirely within ONE field. Field borders are on by
default.
Find can also be used to locate deleted records. Do a find for "*"
and make sure that field borders are off (NB) and no fields have
been tagged for exclusive find. This will only work if an asterisk
is not actually found in one of the database fields.
Find always begins with the first record in the file. See "Find
Next Occurrence of Text" below to see how to start Find at the
current record.
If Find fails an audible beep will sound.
8.10 Find Next Occurrence of Text (F8)
Pressing F8 will do a Find Next. Find Next always begins with the
next record in the file.
To start a Find at the current record you can use Find Next. Press
F7 and enter the text to find and then press ESCAPE. This will
cause the find text window to disappear. Now press F8 and the
search will begin at the next record.
If Find Next fails an audible beep will sound.
8.11 Print Records (F9)
Pressing F9 prompts for print parameters and then prints the data.
The parameters you will be asked for are the starting record, ending
record, if only records matching the find text should be used, and
the width of the print line. Data is printed exactly as it is seen
in the Browse window, but more text may be printed if a longer print
width is specified (this is how you print the additional data to the
right of the Browse window).
Print can be used in conjunction with the find text string to print
only records that contain certain text. Find behaves here as
described above under "Find Text".
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 35
PopDBF User's Manual
Browse Records
The maximum print width is 250 characters.
8.12 Turn Century On/Off (Ctrl-K)
Pressing Ctrl-K will toggle the century on or off. When on, the
year of the date displays using four positions as in MM/DD/YYYY
(unless the date format was changed using the configuration program)
to show the century.
8.13 Mark Record as Deleted (Ctrl-U)
Pressing Ctrl-U will toggle the delete status of the current record.
The delete status of the current record is displayed in the bottom
border of the Browse (and Edit) window. See "Find Text" on page 34
for a tip on how to find deleted records.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 36
PopDBF User's Manual
Edit/Append Records
9 Edit/Append Records (Alt-E/Alt-A)
9.1 Copy a Record (F2)
Pressing F2 will prompt you for the number of the record you want to
copy into the current record. To append a duplicate of a current
record you must first go into Append by pressing Alt-A. Then press
F2 and specify the number of the record to copy. To complete the
operation, press PgDn.
Pressing Ctrl-F2 will also copy a record, but will use the last
record you specified to be copied instead of prompting you.
9.2 Goto a Specific Record (F3)
Pressing F3 works the same as it does in Browse. See "Goto a
Specific Record" on page 33.
9.3 Cut Field into Keyboard Paste Buffer (F4)
Pressing F4 will "cut" the current field into the keyboard paste
buffer for later pasting inside PopDBF (using Ctrl-P) or outside
PopDBF (using Ctrl-Alt-P). If data has been cut it will be
indicated by a "P" in the upper right border of the Edit window.
Trailing blanks are not cut. Each cut field is terminated by a user
selected key. The termination key is placed into the paste buffer
after the cut field, unless it is ESCAPE. If a comma (,) is
pressed, an additional space is placed in the paste buffer after it.
This is for use with City, State cuts, as well as Lastname,
Firstname cuts.
If there is not enough room to cut the current field, a beep will
sound indicating that the field was NOT placed into the buffer.
The entire contents of the keyboard paste buffer can be pasted
inside PopDBF using Ctrl-P or into an underlying application using
the paste hotkey Ctrl-Alt-P (the default). Data can be pasted
multiple times.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 37
PopDBF User's Manual
Edit/Append Records
The keyboard paste buffer is cleared when a cut is made and the
previous paste buffer had been pasted at least once. It can also be
pasted by pressing Shift-F4.
9.4 Clear Keyboard Paste Buffer (Shift-F4)
Pressing Shift-F4 will clear the keyboard paste buffer.
If data has been cut into the keyboard paste buffer, it is indicated
by a "P" in the upper right border of the Edit window. Pressing
Shift-F4 will turn this indicator off.
9.5 Find Text (F7)
Pressing F7 works the same as it does in Browse. See "Find Text" on
page 34.
9.6 Find Next Occurrence of Text (F8)
Pressing F8 works the same as it does in Browse. See "Find Next
Occurrence of Text" on page 35.
9.7 Print Records (F9)
Pressing F9 will prompt you for the print parameters and then print
the data. Data is printed exactly as it appears in the Edit/Append
window. Blank fields product blank lines.
The extra lines parameter can be used to print labels even if the
data you are using doesn't fill up all the lines on the label. It
defaults to one to space between records (or labels).
Records requiring multiple pages of fields currently have to be
printed separately.
Print can be used in conjunction with the find text string to print
only records that contain certain text. Find behaves here as
described above.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 38
PopDBF User's Manual
Edit/Append Records
9.8 Field Information (F10)
Pressing F10 will pop-up a window containing information about the
field in which the cursor is currently positioned. This can be
helpful if you forget the field type or want to know exactly how
long it is.
9.9 Restore Field Data (Ctrl-J)
Pressing Ctrl-J will restore the field's original data. Once you
have moved to another record any changes that were made become
permanent and can NOT be restored.
9.10 Turn Century On/Off (Ctrl-K)
Pressing Ctrl-K works the same as it does in Browse. See "Turn
Century On/Off" on page 36.
9.11 System Date (Ctrl-M)
Pressing Ctrl-M while in a date field will place the system date in
the field. It will only work in a character field if enough room
remains from the cursor to the end of the field. It will also
overwrite any existing data in the field at those positions.
9.12 Move to Last Field Position (Ctrl-N)
Pressing Ctrl-N will move the cursor to the last possible position
in a field.
9.13 Restore Entire Record (Ctrl-O)
Pressing Ctrl-O will restore the entire record's original data. See
"Restore Field Data" above for when changes in the current record
become permanent.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 39
PopDBF User's Manual
Edit/Append Records
9.14 Paste Data (Ctrl-P)
Pressing Ctrl-P will paste any data currently in the Paste buffer.
If there is data to paste, a "P" will be displayed in the upper
right border of the Edit window.
This feature can be used to copy information from one part of a
record to another or from one record to another. You can even copy
data from a record in one database to a record in another database.
9.15 Abort and Lose Changes (Ctrl-Q/ESCAPE)
Pressing Ctrl-Q or ESCAPE will quit Edit and abort any changes made
to the current record will be lost. If any changes have been made
you will be asked if you want to lose the changes. Pressing ESCAPE
will abort and leave you in Edit. Pressing N will save the changes
and then exit, while pressing Y will exit and the changes will be
lost.
9.16 Mark Record as Deleted (Ctrl-U)
Pressing Ctrl-U will toggle the delete status of the current record.
The delete status of the current record is displayed in the bottom
border of the Edit (and Browse) window. See "Find Text" on page 34
for a tip on how to find deleted records.
9.17 Toggle Verify Mode On/Off (Ctrl-V)
Pressing Ctrl-V will toggle verify mode. When verify mode is on you
will be forced to press ENTER to move on to the next field. Verify
mode is indicated by a "V" in the upper right border of the Edit
window.
9.18 Quit and Save Changes (Ctrl-W/Ctrl-End)
Pressing Ctrl-W or Ctrl-End will quit Edit and save any changes made
to the current record.
9.19 Blank Current Field (Ctrl-Y)
Pressing Ctrl-Y will fill the current field with spaces.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 40
PopDBF User's Manual
Edit/Append Records
9.20 Blank to End of Field (Ctrl-Delete)
Pressing Ctrl-Delete will delete from the current cursor position in
the current field to the end of the field.
9.21 Move to End of Data (End)
Pressing the End key will move the cursor to the first blank
position after any data entered in the current field. If the entire
field is full, the cursor will move to the last position.
9.22 Move to First Position (Home)
Pressing the Home key will move the cursor to the first position of
the current field.
9.23 Move Word (Ctrl-LeftArrow/Ctrl-RightArrow)
Pressing Ctrl-LeftArrow or Ctrl-RightArrow will move one word to the
left or right, respectively. You can also use the Wordstar commands
Ctrl-A and Ctrl-F to do the same functions.
9.24 Move to First/Last Field (Ctrl-UpArrow/Ctrl-DownArrow)
Pressing Ctrl-UpArrow and Ctrl-DownArrow will move to the first and
last field respectively, on the current screen.
9.25 Previous Record/Next Record, Same Page (Alt-PgUp/Alt-PgDn)
Pressing Alt-PgUp or Alt-PgDn will move to the previous or next
record, but stay on the same page. This is very helpful when a
database has more fields than will fit on one page.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 41
PopDBF User's Manual
Common Questions
10 Common Questions and Answers
10.1 How can I change the PopDBF hotkey?
You can change both the main PopDBF hotkey (defaults to Alt-
Backspace) and the Paste hotkey (defaults to Ctrl-Alt-P) by
using the PopCFG configuration program.
10.2 Why doesn't PopDBF pop up in the right directory?
By default PopDBF pops up in the first directory in which the
hotkey is pressed. To load PopDBF so that it pops up in a
specific directory, regardless of where you are when you first
press the hotkey, use the /D<dir> command line option (POPDBF
/Dc:\dbase).
10.3 Why are files always opened in Browse mode?
PopDBF uses the default action, displayed in the upper left
corner of the Pick File window, whenever a database file is
selected. To change the default action you can press F5 from
the Pick File window or use the /A<action> command line option
(POPDBF /Ae).
10.4 Why doesn't PopDBF display on my Monochrome monitor?
If you have problems getting PopDBF to display on your monitor,
use the /Cm option to force PopDBF to use monochrome colors.
You could also use the configuration program to force the
current colors to be monochrome.
10.5 How can I change the PopDBF colors?
To change the PopDBF colors you use the configuration program
PopCFG.
10.6 How can I use my extended memory?
Load the device driver RAMDRIVE.SYS or VDISK.SYS, following
directions in your DOS manual. Then use the /X command line
option and specify the name of the swap file on the RAM drive.
This will cause PopDBF to swap in and out exceptionally fast.
10.7 How can I limit displayed fields in Edit or Browse?
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 42
PopDBF User's Manual
Common Questions
After selecting a database file, press Alt-S to go to Setup
View. To mark the fields you want to use press the SPACE bar.
Press F4 to see the order the fields will be displayed in and
use F3 to change the order to suit your needs.
10.8 Why does PopDBF hang when I pop it up on a network?
When loading PopDBF in memory resident mode, it must be loaded
after any network TSR programs (i.e. IPX, NET3, RPRINTER).
PopDBF can be loaded first if it resides entirely in memory.
This can be done using the /SN switch.
When loading PopDBF in swap mode (to disk or EMS) it is
important to load it AFTER programs which must be able to
operate at all times.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 43
PopDBF User's Manual
Error Messages
11 Error Messages
11.1 Too many files, Re-install using new /G parm.
The default number of files that will fit into the Pick File
window is 100. This can be changed using the /G command line
option. Another way to avoid this error message is to change
the default file specification to something other than *.DBF
(which is the default).
11.2 Too many fields, Re-install using new /F parm.
The default maximum number of fields a file can have is 64. To
change this use the /F command line option. Until this is
fixed, you will not be able to load any databases that have
more fields than were specified (64 if none specified).
11.3 EDIT buffer too small, Re-install using new /E option.
If the record size of a database is larger than the Edit buffer
size you will not be allowed to Edit the database. To correct
this problem, press Alt-S to see the record size and reinstall
PopDBF using the /E command line option.
11.4 READ buffer too small, Re-install using new /R option.
If the read buffer size is smaller than the record size of a
database, you will not be allowed to Browse or Edit the file.
To correct this problem, press Alt-S to see the record size and
reinstall PopDBF using the /R command line option. A multiple
of at LEAST 12 times the size of the biggest record is
recommended.
11.5 Not a dBASE compatible file.
If this message is displayed, the first byte of the file is not
one of the following:
03h - dBASE3, dBASE4, Foxbase+, FoxPro
43h - dBASE4
63h - dBASE4
83h - dBASE3, Foxbase+ (with memos)
8bh - dBASE4 (with memos)
f5h - FoxPro (with memos)
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 44
PopDBF User's Manual
Error Messages
11.6 Sharing Violation.
If this error message is displayed, it probably means that
someone else is using the database on the network.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 45
PopDBF User's Manual
Configuring PopDBF
12 Configuring PopDBF
The program PopCFG is provided to allow customized configuration of
the PopDBF program. You can use PopCFG to change the colors,
date/number formats, hotkeys and paste options.
To execute the PopDBF configuration program, type the following
command line at the DOS prompt:
POPCFG
To force monochrome attributes use the command line option /M by
typing the following command line at the DOS prompt:
POPCFG /M
12.1 The Configuration Main Menu
------| Configuration Options |------
| Colors |
| Date/Numbers Formats |
| main Hotkey |
| Paste Options |
| Quit - Do NOT Save Changes |
| eXit - Save Changes |
-------------------------------------
To execute any menu option, type the first capital letter in that
option or move the selection bar using the arrow keys and press
ENTER.
If you press ESCAPE or select the Quit option from the menu and
changes have been made, you will see the prompt "Abort and lose
changes [N]?". To quit and lose changes you must then press the
letter "Y". Pressing ENTER or the letter "N" will return you to the
main menu.
Changes made using the configuration program are written directly
into the POPDBF.EXE file.
12.2 Configuring Colors
To change colors use the up and down arrow keys to change the
category. Use the left and right arrows to change the foreground
color. Use Ctrl-left and Ctrl-right (press and hold the Ctrl key
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 46
PopDBF User's Manual
Configuring PopDBF
and then press the left or right arrow key) to change the background
color.
To restore the default color for the current category, press the
letter "D". The default color is the "factory default", meaning it
is the way PopDBF was when you first received it.
To restore the color for the current category to what it is
currently in the POPDBF.EXE file, press the letter "O".
To restore all "factory default" colors, press the letter "R".
Press ESCAPE when you are done making color changes to return to the
main menu.
12.3 Configuring Date/Number Formats
---------- Date/Number Formats ----------
| Date Format: U.S. (MM/DD/YY) |
| date Separator: / |
| decimal Point: . |
| Return to Main Menu |
-----------------------------------------
press ENTER to toggle an option
The date format rotates through one of the following:
U.S. (MM/DD/YY)
ANSI (YY/MM/DD)
European (DD/MM/YY)
The date separator toggles between a slash (/), dash (-) and period
(.). When the separator is changed the format correctly reflects
what the date will look like in PopDBF.
The decimal point toggles between a period (.) and comma (,).
Press "R" or ESCAPE to return to the main menu.
12.4 Configuring Main Hotkey
The main PopDBF hotkey defaults to Alt-Backspace. It can be changed
to almost any key combination. At least one of the shift keys, Alt
or Ctrl must be included. It can include Alt, Ctrl and both shift
keys, but must include at least one of those keys.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 47
PopDBF User's Manual
Configuring PopDBF
The left and right shift keys are treated differently. Left and
right Alt and Ctrl keys are treated as being the same key.
After selecting this option you will see:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
| Main Hotkey Selection: <Alt>Backspace |
| |
| Enter new hotkey selection (press ESCAPE to cancel): |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course the main hotkey selection will display the current main
hotkey, which may be different if you have changed it.
To cancel changing the hotkey, press ESCAPE at this point.
After you have pressed the new main hotkey, you will be asked to
confirm your selection. Press "Y" if the hotkey selection is
correct. Press "N" or ESCAPE if you want to change your selection.
NOTE: Though it is possible to have <LShift>A or other similar
keys as the PopDBF hotkey, it is recommended that this be
avoided.
12.5 Configuring Paste Options
---------| Paste Options |---------
| Paste Rate |
| Paste Frequency |
| Paste Hotkey |
| Return to Main Menu |
-----------------------------------
Changing the paste rate, affects the number of keys that are pasted
per timer tick. This is a number between 1 and 15 and defaults to
15, the maximum paste rate.
Changing the paste frequency determines how many timer ticks to wait
between each group of pasted keys. There are 18.2 timer ticks per
second. The default is 0, which means keys are pasted every timer
tick. This can be any value between 0 and 255 (approximately 14
seconds).
Changing the paste hotkey is the same as changing the main hotkey.
See "Configuring Main Hotkey" above.
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 48
PopDBF User's Manual
Index
A C
Action Keys 22 Change
Alt-A (Append) 22 Default Action 27
Alt-B (Browse) 22 Directory 26
Alt-E (Edit) 22 Disk Drive 26
Alt-F5 (Screen) 23 File Specification
Alt-P (Pick) 22 27
Alt-S (Setup) 22 Clipper 1, 9, 15
Alt Menu 22 Colors
Alt-A 22, 37 configuration 46
Alt-B 22, 33 Command Line Options 13
Alt-BackSpace 1, 11, 13, /A 13
42, 47 /C 14
Alt-E 22, 37 /D 14
Alt-F1 21 /E 14
Alt-P 22, 26, 37, 42 /F 15
Alt-S 15, 22, 30, 34, 43, /G 15
44 /H 16
Append 1, 3, 13, 14, 17, /I 16
22, 23, 27, 29, /L 16
30, 37, 38 /P 16
Append Records 37 /R 17
Applications 2 /S 17
for Anybody 2 /T 18
for Consultants 2 /U 19
for Programmers 2 /X 19
for Secretaries 2 /Y 20
ASP 7, 9 Compuserve 5-8
ASP Ombudsman 7 CONFIG.SYS 8
AUTOEXEC.BAT 8, 12 Configuration 12, 36, 42,
46
B Configuring PopDBF 46
Copy
Blank File Structure 32
Current Field 40 Record 37
to End of Field 41 Cursor and Lite-Bar
Browse 1, 3, 14-17, 19, Movement 25
22, 27, 30, 31, Cut 1, 37, 38
33, 34-40, 42,
44 D
Browse Records 33
Browse Window Date fields
Panning 33 searching 34
Zooming 33 Date format
configuration 47
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 49
PopDBF User's Manual
Index
Dates context sensitive
Turn Century On/Off 11, 21
36 Generic Help 21
dBASE 1, 4, 9, 14, 17, Hotkey 1, 11-13, 16, 17,
20, 27, 42, 44 28, 37, 42, 46,
dBASE III 1, 9 47, 48
dBXL 1, 9 configuration 47
Delete default hotkey 1
current record 36 Invoking PopDBF 13
File 28
Disclaimer 9 I
E Index files
Updating 4
Edit 1, 3, 4, 12-15, 17, using 4
18, 19, 20, 22, Installation 11
23, 24, 27-31,
36-38, 40, 42, J
44
Edit Records 37 K
EMS 12, 17, 18, 43
Enter A Specific File 27 L
Exit 1, 12, 17, 40, 46
License 6, 9, 10
F Registered Version
License 10
Field Shareware Version
exclusive find in 31 License 9
selection 30 Limitations 3
Find Load order 43
deleted records 35
Exclusive 31 M
Next 35
Text 34 Memo fields
Foxbase+ 1, 9, 44 searching 34
FoxPro 1, 9, 44 Memory Consumption 12
Frequent Database Access Memory Resident 1, 3, 11,
28 12, 13, 19, 20,
43
G Modifying AUTOEXEC.BAT 12
Move to
H Current DOS Drive &
Directory 28
Help 3, 7, 11, 13, 21, Parent Directory 26
22, 29
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 50
PopDBF User's Manual
Index
N Quit 40, 46
quit Edit and abort
Network 4, 16, 18, 19, any changes 40
23, 26, 43, 45 quit Edit and save
Number format 40
configuration 47
R
O
RAM Consumption 12
Options 12, 13, 16, 19, Registration 5, 6, 9
46, 48 for commercial and
Ordering government 5
form 5 How to Register 5
How to 5 Registration Benefits
using a credit card 6
5 registration fee 5
Overview 1 Removing PopDBF from
Memory 13, 19
P Restore
Entire Record 39
Pack Database 34 Field Data 39
Pass-Thru 3, 6, 11, 12, Running PopDBF
16, 17, 20 Memory Resident Mode
Paste 1, 12, 37, 38, 40, 11
42, 46, 48 Non-Resident Mode 12
changing frequency
48 S
changing hotkey 48
changing rate 48 Select Directory/File/Inde
clearing buffer 38 x 26
inside PopDBF 40 Setup View 30
into underlying Shareware 1, 5-9
application 37 Swap to Disk|EMS|None 17
PC-FILE 1, 9 Swapping 12, 17-19
Pick 3, 15, 22, 26, 27, specifying name of
30, 31, 42, 44 disk file 19
Pick File 26 when to avoid 12
Print
File Structure 32 T
from Browse 35
from Edit 38 TapCIS 8
Technical Support 8
Q Toggle Keys 23
Alt-C (Case) 23
Questions and Answers 42 Alt-D (Borders) 23
Quicksilver 1, 9 Alt-I (Insert) 23
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 51
PopDBF User's Manual
Index
Alt-M (Mode) 23
TSR 43
definition 1
U
V
Verify Mode 40
Viewing specific fields
30
W
Warranty 9, 10
Wordstar commands 25
X
Y
Z
Zap Database 34
Copyright (c) 1989-91 Bowen Software Page 52