PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC Copyright 1987 by PRO DEV Software Version 4.03 - September 1, 1989 This instruction will help you make copies of the PDS*BASE Data Base disks and to provide other helpful hints. If you have a HARD DISK, BE SURE to read the notes about ASSIGN B=C on page 3 of this document so you can run the demonstration. If you have only 256k of memory in your computer, see Page 4 of this document. YOU MUST HAVE DOS 2.0 OR HIGHER AS, THE PDSBASE.EXE PROGRAM USES FEATURES NOT SUPPORTED UNDER DOS 1.XX. The PDSBASE.EXE program locks up under DOS 1.1. MAKING A WORKING COPY OF THE PDS*BASE SYSTEM Please keep the original PDS*BASE Program and Documentation disks, as you received them, so that you will be able to make complete copies to give to someone else. +------------------------ 2 Floppy Drive System -----------------------------+ | | |To make working copies you will need to insert your DOS master in drive A:, | |a new disk in drive B: and type the following: | | | | DISKCOPY A: B: (Press Enter) | | | |When prompted to place the Source disk in drive A:, remove your DOS disk and| |replace it with the PDS*BASE Program disk and Strike any key. | | | |When the first disk is copied, and you are being asked if you wish another | |copy, place the PDS*BASE Documentation disk in drive A: a new disk in drive | |B: and answer Y and proceed to copy the second disk. | | | +---------------------- Single Floppy Drive System --------------------------+ | | |If you have a single floppy disk system (possibly with a hard disk), type: | | | | DISKCOPY A: A: (Press Enter) | | | |When prompted to place the Source disk in drive A:, remove your DOS disk and| |replace it with the PDS*BASE Program disk and Strike any key. Follow the | |screen instructions. | | | |When the first disk is copied, and you are being asked if you wish another | |copy, place the PDS*BASE Documentation disk in drive A:, answer Y and | |proceed to copy the second disk. | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Please make additional copies for your friends and/or business acquaintances. PAGE 1 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC UN-SCRNCHing THE DOCUMENTATION As there are over 200 pages of documentation, it was necessary to use compression software to compress the PDS*BASE Instruction Manual and the BASIC Language Primer book, so that they will fit on one disk. So that you can uncompress the documentation into standard ASCII or text files that can be printed, you must do the following: +------------------------ 2 Floppy Disk Computer ----------------------------+ | | |1. Format 2 fresh disks WITHOUT DOS. Label the disks "PDS*BASE Instruction | | Manual" and "BASIC Language Primer". | | | |2. Place PDS*BASE Documentation disk in drive A: and the freshly formatted | | "PDS*BASE Instruction Manual" disk in drive B:. Type the following: | | | | B: (Enter | | A:MANUAL (Enter) | | When asked for Overwrite File Name, type B:\PDSBASE.DOC (Enter) | | | |3. With the PDS*BASE Documentation disk still in drive A:, place the freshly| | formatted "BASIC Language Primer" disk in B:. Type the following: | | | | B: (Enter) | | A:PRIMER (Enter) | | When asked for Overwrite File Name, type B:\PRIMER.DOC (Enter) | | | +----------------------------- Hard Disk System -----------------------------+ | | |1. From the root directory, type MD\PDS (Enter) to create the PDS sub- | | directory. Then, type the following: | | | | CD\PDS (Enter) | | COPY A:MANUAL.EXE (Enter) | | COPY A:PRIMER.EXE (Enter | | MANUAL (Enter) | | PRIMER (Enter) | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The above un-SCRNCHes the compressed documentation files. Run the PDSBASE.EXE program Tools sub-menu to print both of the manuals. If you format the documentation disks with the DOS files, there won't be room on the disk to un-SCRNCH all of the instruction manual. PAGE 2 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC GETTING READY TO RUN THE SYSTEM +--------------------------- Floppy Disk Computer ---------------------------+ | | |If you have gotten a copy of the PDS*BASE disks from someone else, do a | |DIRectory of the PDS*BASE Program disk to see if the file PDSBASE.CFG is on | |the disk. If it is, I suggest that you DELete it by typing: | | | | DEL *.CFG (Press Enter) | | | |This will allow the PDSBASE.EXE program to ask you about your computer | |equipment the first time you run the program. | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------- Hard Disk System -----------------------------+ | | |If you have a hard disk, create a PDS sub-directory as described on the | |previous page to contain the files from the PDS*BASE Program disk. The | |Program disk is the disk that contains at least the following files: | | | | PDSBASE.EXE PDSBASE.HLP PDSBASE.HTC | | *.PAT README.DOC REGISTER.DOC | | *.SRC MENU.BAS CUSTOMER.DEF | | CLNTLIST.RDF VERSION4.03 | | | |The *.PAT represents all of the Printer Action Table files. The *.SRC | |represents the sorce code files that the PDSBASE.EXE uses to generate your | |custom BASIC language programs. | | | |At the C> prompt, type: | | | | MD\PDS (Press Enter) | | CD\PDS (Press Enter) | | | |The second command (above) Changes Directory to the PDS sub-directory. | | | |Place the PDS*BASE Program disk in drive A: and type: | | | | COPY A:*.* C:\PDS (Press Enter) | | | |To return to the root directory of your C: drive, type CD\ and press Enter. | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ PAGE 3 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC CONFIG.SYS FILE It is very important that your DOS "boot-up" disk contain a CONFIG.SYS file if you are going to have more than 2 files in your data base. The DOS default number of files that can be open at one time is 3. Your data base will also have 1 additional automatic file that keeps a running record of active record numbers. If you already have a CONFIG.SYS file on your boot-up disk, add the FILES and BUFFERS commands. If you don't already have a CONFIG.SYS file, create it as shown below. With the DOS prompt on the screen enter: COPY CON:CONFIG.SYS FILES = 20 BUFFERS = 15 (Press F6 and Return) You can copy this file to all of your "boot-up" disks. IF YOU HAVE ONLY 256K OF MEMORY The PDSBASE.EXE program is quite large. If you only have 256k of memory in your computer AND/OR you use many memory resident programs AND you get an "Out of memory" message when you run the PDSBASE.EXE program, you MAY have to prepare 2 DOS boot disks. If this is the case, when you wish to run the PDSBASE.EXE program, you will have to start your computer with a DOS disk that does NOT contain the FILES and BUFFERS commands in the CONFIG.SYS file. In fact, you can just DELete the CONFIG.SYS file. This will give you enough memory to run the PDSBASE.EXE program. The second DOS boot disk will have the CONFIG.SYS file and you must use that disk to start your computer when you are going to run the BASIC language programs that will be written for you by the PDSBASE.EXE program. STARTING PDSBASE.EXE If you have a HARD DISK COMPUTER, with the PDS*BASE programs installed as described on the previous page, start your computer, and at the C> prompt, type ASSIGN B=C. This ASSIGN command is only necessary when you run the PDSBASE.EXE program the first time, so that you can run the demonstration of the PDS*BASE system shown starting on Page 1-3 of the on-disk instruction manual. If you get the "Bad command or file name" error message, place your DOS Master disk in drive a and type A:ASSIGN B=C (Enter). If you have a FLOPPY DISK COMPUTER, start your computer with your DOS boot-up disk and enter the Time and Date. Insert the PDS*BASE Program disk in drive A:. The PDS*BASE Program disk contains at least the PDSBASE.EXE file. PAGE 4 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC At the DOS prompt of A> (floppy disk system) or C> (hard disk), type: PDSBASE (press Enter) Since the PDSBASE.CFG (configuration) file is missing, you will see a message warning you of that. If you don't see the message, that file is present on the disk. You should see something like the following: +------------------------------------------------+---------------------------+ | Create Modify Reports Set-Up Tools Quit | PDS*BASE Data Base System | +------------------------------------------------+---------------------------+ +-------------------------+ Highlight desired | Color Graphics Adapter | N selection with | Color Monitor | N up & down arrows | Drive A: Num of Bytes | 362496 and press Enter. | Drive B: Num of Bytes | 362496 Type in desired | Is hard disk present ? | Y default and press | Printer Action Table | DUMBPRTR Enter again. | Files Drive & Path | C:\PDS\ | Save New Set-Up Values | N +-------------------------+ Use the right or left arrows (on the cursor pad) to highlight the "Set-Up" pull-down sub-menu. Use the down arrow to highlight "Color Graphics Adapter" and press the Enter key. YOU MAY NOT SEE THE CURSOR AT THIS TIME. Press Y if you have either a Color Graphics or EGA monitor adapter card in your computer. Press N if not. Use the down arrow to highlight "Color Monitor". If you have a green or amber (or white) single color screen, press N. If you have a color monitor, press Y. Highlight the "Printer Action Table" and press Enter. You will see the names of the .PAT files on the PDS*BASE program disk. You can highlight the file you wish to use with the cursor keys and press Enter. See Appendix E to learn how you can make a Printer Action Table for any printer not shown. If you have a dot matrix printer and your printer is not shown, select EPSONFX as a starter. I tried to make the PDSBASE.EXE program smart enough to figure out what drives are equipped. Further, if your current DOS default is in a sub-directory, when you run PDSBASE, the program will display that default as the "Work Files Drive & Path". The above example indicates that the PDSBASE program was run from the \PDS sub-directory on a C: drive hard disk. Highlight the "Work Files Drive & Path" and press Enter. If you have a 2 floppy drive system, enter "B:\" (without the quotes) and press Enter. PAGE 5 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC So you don't have to enter this stuff every time you run PDSBASE, highlight the "Save New Set-Up Values", press Enter and press Y. This information will be saved to a file named PDSBASE.CFG. The next thing to be done is to print the instruction manual. Using the right or left cursor keys, highlight the TOOLS sub-menu. Use the down arrow cursor key to highlight the "Print PDS Manual" selection. Press Enter. You will see a menu that will allow you to press T to print the Total manual, or other keys to print parts of the manual. If you wish, you can print one section at a time, as you find time to read them. BE SURE TO PRINT THE REGISTRATION FORM!!! If you didn't see a Printer Action Table for your printer, I suggest that you press E to print just Appendix E. This will explain how you can create a .PAT file for your printer so that you can print the manual with your printer's Near Letter Quality turned on. If you have an HP-LaserJet, see the special note at the end of Appendix E. If you are rusty at programming in the BASIC language, you can highlight "Print BASIC Primer" to print a 66 page book that will explain many of the elements of the BASIC language. SAMPLE DEMONSTRATION Print at least Section 1 of the on-disk instruction manual. You should follow the instructions starting on Page 1-3. This will lead you through a demonstration of the incredible power of the PDS*BASE data base system. You will find this demonstration quite fascinating. If you have a hard disk system, be BE SURE type the ASSIGN B=C command, as described on page 3 of this README.DOC instruction, before running the PDSBASE.EXE program. If you have a hard disk and you fail to ASSIGN B=C, the PDS*BASE.EXE program will try to create data files and BASIC programs on drive B:. This problem is only when running the sample demonstration. When you create your own data base definitions, this problem will not occur. ENDING THE PDSBASE.EXE PROGRAM Use the cursor keys to highlight the QUIT sub-menu. Use the down arrow to highlight YES and press Enter. You can print the Registration form now. PAGE 6 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC COMMAND.COM If you do not have a hard disk on your computer, you will want to COPY the DOS COMMAND.COM file to your working copy of the PDS*BASE disk. If there is not room on the PDS*BASE working disk for COMMAND.COM, I suggest that you DELete several of the Printer Action Table files (they all have a .PAT extender) that you will not likely use, to make room on the disk for COMMAND.COM. DO NOT delete any files from your original copy of the PDS*BASE disks so that you can make COMPLETE copies for others later. When COMMAND.COM is on the disk that is in the drive that you "boot" your computer on, the "Disk Directory" selection on the "Tools" sub-menu is able to produce a better looking directory listing. PLEASE READ THE MANUAL BEFORE YOU WRITE OR CALL ME. If you can't un-arc all of the MANUAL.EXE file to a floppy disk because you get a "Disk full" error message, it is because you insisted on formatting the target disk with DOS (FORMAT B: /S). Re-format the target floppy disk with just FORMAT B:. If that doesn't work, please notify me where you obtained your disk. Some Disk Copying Services illegally add their messages to the end of my copyrighted files, thus increasing the file size. Since the un-archived MANUAL completely fills a disk, any additions will cause problems. You can press the F1 key at any point in the PDSBASE.EXE program for help screens. You can use the PDSBASE.EXE program to define your data base. It will also write BASIC language programs for you to "run" your data base. You can then modify the generated programs to meet your specific special requirements. The PDSBASE.EXE program, the files with the .SRC extenders and the Documentation disk files, as supplied by PRO DEV Software, are Copyrighted by PRO DEV Software. However, the BASIC language programs that are written for YOU and the MENU.BAS program are YOURS. They are NOT Copyrighted by PRO DEV Software. You can modify them, remove the PDS designations and sell the generated BASIC programs if you wish. If you have developed a system of programs that use the generated BASIC programs and wish to copyright your system, go for it. Of course, you can't copyright the MENU.BAS program, but you can distribute your disks with it. PAGE 7 PDS*BASE DATA BASE - README.DOC SUPPORT FROM PRO DEV SOFTWARE If you have questions, you can call the author, George Abbott, at 616-788-2243, 8:00-5:00 M-F Eastern Time. If you have NOT YET registered your copy, your questions should be limited to perceived "bugs" or how to obtain the latest version in case you think you have obtained a defective or out-dated copy. Normal telephone or written support is usually only available after you send in the registration fee. WHEN YOU REGISTER You will be sent the latest version disks of the Shareware PDS*BASE Data Base system. You will also be sent a disk that will allow you to restructure a "live" data base file that contains data. This disk will contain a program generator to create mailing label and mail merge file BASIC programs. It was not possible to fit both programs on 1 Shareware disk. You can print mailing labels without the second disk. As you currently have a COMPLETE instruction manual, when you print all sections from the Documentation disk, you will NOT be sent a printed copy of the manual. This keeps the registration fee low. Thank you for obtaining a Shareware copy of my PDS*BASE Data Base system. I hope that you find it useful. Please remember that this is Shareware. That means that you are obligated to register your copy with PRO DEV Software if you continue to use this system beyond the evaluation stage. Very truly yours, George Abbott Member - Association of Shareware Professionals PRO DEV Software 545 Grover Road Muskegon, Michigan 49442 PAGE 8