RFR V4.5 Examples ================= This is a short document giving examples of how RFR might be used. It shows how to use the `Nations' database (included on this disk) as well as explaining in more detail how to set up your own database (eg, an address book). THE `NATIONS DATABASE' ---------------------- 1. Initially ------------ This database contains information on all the nations of the world. I try to keep it as up-to-date as I can, but I cannot guarentee the accuracy of the figures. RFR has the ability to load in pictures. Several, (but no where near all) of the countries have got an associated picture. To see it (where available), select `Picture' from the display menu. Most of the larger countries in Europe, as well as few others like the United States & Canada, have got pictures. Loading is achieved by simply selecting `Open' from the `File' Menu. When the contents of the `RFR_Files' Directory are shown, click on either Nations.RFR or Nations.DAT. After the file has loaded, information will be shown about the file including no. of records, no of fields, etc. The Nations database has 5 fields: 1. Nation - Name of Nation 2. Capital - Name of Capital City 3. Population - Population in 1000's 4. Area - Area in Square km. 5. Density - NOTE: This is a formula field. The computer calculates it by dividing the Population (field 3) by the Area (field 4). Choosing Next Rec and Prev Rec from the `Display' menu will show you different countries. Alternatively, choose `Single Rec' and type in the record number of your choice. RFR has the ability to load in pictures. Several, (but no where near all) of the countries have got an associated picture. To see it (where available), select `Picture' from the display menu. Most of the larger countries in Europe, as well as few others like the United States & Canada, have got pictures. 2. Marking Records ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Suppose you wanted a list of all the countries in the world that had a `K' in them (don't ask me why!). To do this, choose `String Search' from the `Select' Menu. Click on the # next to `Search String' at the top of the screen. Type `K' and press the return key. Clicking on `OK, Search' at the bottom of the screen will then cause the computer to search through the nations, selecting those with a K in them. When it has done that, it will show you how many countries were found with a K in them. These countries will now be `marked'. You can move around the `marked' records by selecting `Next/Prev Marked'. To display all of them in one list, go to the `Display' Menu and choose `Output Marked Recs/Alphabetical'. Now select field One (Nation). The computer will now show you all the marked records (ie, all the countries with a `K' in them) in alphabetical order). Press space (or click mouse) to move to the next country, or press `Esc' when you get fed up. Now Suppose you only wanted to know which of those counties were larger than 200,000 square kilometers. First select `Operator' from the `Mark' menu, and choose `AND'. This will combine the next search with the previous one. Select `Numerical Search'. Click on the # next to `Search Number' and enter 200000 (and press `return'). Also, click on `# Field 3 (Population)' and on `# Greater than 200000'. Clicking on `Search' at the botton of the screen will then do the job. Let's display them in order of population this time. Choose `Output Marked Recs/Descending', and then select Field 3 (Population). Now you will get a list of countries with a `K' in AND whose areas are areas are more than 200,000 sq km, and all in order of descending population. Select Formulas from the Edit Menu. You will see that fields 1,2,3,4 have no formula. Field 5, however, is obtained using the following formula: Density = 1000* (Population / Area) This means that if you edit the Populaiton or Area of a nation, it's density wil automatically be calculated. You can use Density just like any other field. So, for example, you could list the countries in order of density if you wanted to. 3. Format & Output ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Choose `Mark All' from the `Mark' Menu. Choose `Flags' from the `Prefs' menu and turn off `Record Number', `Capital', and `Area'. Now only the the name of the nation and it's population will be hilighted. Also, select `Format' from the `Prefs' menu, and choose `Spreadshhet 2', say. Now the records will be shown one on each line. If you now select `Output Marked Recs/Rec No Order' from the `Display' menu, you will get a complete table of all the countries that are in the database. If you have a printer, select `Print Device' and type in `PRT:' When you select `Print Marked Recs' now, the list will instead be printed out. To revert back to normal, select `Print Device' again, and delete the contents. 4. Pictures ----------- Note that the Nations database has Picture Field 1 (Nation). This means that the corresponding pictures must have the same filename as the Nation. Find the UNITED KINGDON record using the search string option. (ie, use the string search option and type in `UNITED KINGDOM' to mark it, then select `Display/Next Marked' to display it.) Select `Picture' from the `Display Menu', to see the British flag and one or two other bits of info. To add another country's flag (for example, Portugal's), simply draw it with any standard art package, and save it as an IFF file in the `RFR_Pictures' directory with Filename PORTUGAL. 5. Adding New Records ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Adding and Amending Records is a simple enough procedure, using the `Amend Rec' and `Add New Rec' options. You may want to add a new field for say, Currency. The `Nations' database may be freely amended, and new pictures may be added. CREATING A NEW DATABASE ----------------------- Creating a new database is a simple procedure, as long as you know exactly waht you want to do beforehand. To start off, write down the names and legnths of fields you will need. For example, id you wanted to store your address book on disk, you might decide on fields as follows: Field FieldName FieldLength ----- --------- ----------- 1 SURNAME 10 2 FIRST NAME 10 3 ADDRESS 20 4 TOWN 12 5 COUNTY 12 6 POST CODE 7 7 TELEPHONE 12 When you are sure you have decided on the fields, select `Create' from the `Project' menu. You will be first be asked for the filename. Enter, for example, `:RFR_Files/Address'. You will now be asked for the number of fields, so, in above example, you would enter 7. Then type in the name of each of field, and it's length, and it's justification (`L' or `R'). Unless you have fields cantaining numnbers, you will most probably want all left-justified fields - they look neater in most cases. Finally, you will be asked which field is to be the picture field. If there are to be no pictures, click on the `No Pictures!' option. Your database will now be created. You will now need to load in your newly created database. Select `Open', and when the list of files appears, choose `Address'. The file will be loaded, but you will be told that there are no records in the file. To solve this, select `Add New Rec' from the `Amend' menu. You will then be asked to enter Record Number 1. Type in the information for each field, as appropriate. When you have done this, you will be asked if you want to create another record. Keep entering records until you have all your addresses stored. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RFR.Examples.Doc Steve P, Jan-Oct 1992, Mar 1993