XFORM - Imported by the Scull Software Library in 1990/1 INSTRUCTIONS ------------ XFORM is an extended format routine for high capacity B drives. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH XFORM GIVES YOU THE CHOICE OF FORMATING DRIVE A TO THE EXTRA CAPACITY YOU SHOULD NEVER CHOOSE DRIVE A, DOING SO MAY BREAK YOUR DRIVE. **** ONLY USE XFORM ON 80-TRACK B: DRIVES **** XFORM contains the following programs: XFORM4.COM XFORM7.COM XFORM8.COM XFORM .BAS XFORM .DOC The .COM programs format the disks and run from CP/M. XFORM4 formats single or double sided drive to 410K mand can be used from CPM or AMSDOS. It is used as follows: A>XFORM4 B: FORMAT - will format drive B to 410K A>XFORM4 B: ON - will allow the use of the extended routine from CPM A>XFORM4 B: OFF - will disable use from CPM XFORM7 formats double sided drives to 720K, XFORM8 formats double sided drives to 820K. Both these programs are used in the same way as XFORM4. TO USE FROM AMSDOS Unfortunately, if you wish to use the entended routine from AMSDOS then you must use XFORM4 to format your disks. Although this limits your disks to 410K it is much better than 178K! To use from AMSDOS, first format a disk using XFORM4 in CPM, exit to BASIC and run XFORM.BAS (selecting drive B). You now have 410K on drive B! Alan Scully, Scull Software Library.

BIG-BASE INSTRUCTIONS First of all, there are two versions of BIGBASE. One for CP/M 2.2, the other for CP/M+ The CP/M 2.2 version will hold a maximum of 400 records, each with 14 fields and 25 characters per field. (Regardless of disc size). The CP/M+ version will hold a maximum of 2000 records on a 3.5 inch disc. The default number is 400 (3 inch). The higher capacity is obtained by utilising some high capacity software such as 'XFORM'. If you intend to be handling files that will be reaching these limits, then it is recommended that you stick to having just one file per disc to allow maximum capacity. BIGBASE is a Random Access Database, which essentially means that rather than the program moving through the whole file, just to reach a particular record, you can simply type in a record number, and in next to no time, the record is displayed. Because it is random access, there is no SORT function included, as it isn't really needed. As various makes of printer operate in slightly different ways, the program includes an option of setting up your own Printer Driver (printer control codes for various options such as BOLD, ITALIC, NLQ, PAGE LENGTH etc). The current settings have been designed around the AMSTRAD DMP 3000. Throughout the program, whenever you enter Filenames, there is no need to enter the 3 letter extension such as 'DAT'. Just the main name will do. IMPORTANT!!! At the end of each work session, ALWAYS use the Q (QUIT) Option, to close the file properly, otherwise you will lose vital data. Following are the functions available from the main OPTIONS menu. B & I. These two are NOT shown on the options, but are operated from there. Pressing B will change the colour of the Background, while pressing I changes the colour of the text (Ink). A...ALTER This option is chosen should you wish to change one or more of the Field contents (on the currently displayed record). You are first prompted for the Field Number. Type this in. Then you are asked for the New Contents. Type this in. The disc will operate for a while as the file is updated. C...COPY RECORD Selecting this option will immediately make a COPY the currently displayed record onto the end of the file. You won't see any prompts appear, and the only message to appear will be 'COPYING COMPLETE' at the foot of the display. D...DELETE RECORD This option is used to delete the currently displayed record from the file. The space taken up by the record is NOT reclaimed from the disc file. Instead, the record is marked by '*', and any further records entered will use this records slot. E...ENTER RECORD This option is used to enter a new record. Each Field is a maximum of 25 characters wide. Simply type in each Fields contents when prompted, and press the Return/Enter key. Pressing the Return/Enter key without entering any details, will immediately halt any further entries, and the record will be recorded onto the disc. F...FILE DIRECTORY This will display a list of files of type 'DAT' (your data files), and type 'DVR' (Printer Driver files) on the currently selected drive. G...GOTO RECORD This option will prompt you for the Record number and will immediately display the record. H...ENTER DATE This will prompt you first for the Day, the the Month, then the Year, and will then display it at the top of the screen. You don't have to select this option when opening a File, as the program will prompt you automatically if the File is a new one. You can select this option at any time from the Options menu (to change the date if you wish). N...NAME FIELDS Upon selecting this option, if you haven't yet entered a Filename, you will be asked to do so, whereupon that File will be opened on the disc. You are asked to enter the NAME of each FIELD. For instance you could give Field 1 the name 'NAME', Field 2 could be 'AGE' etc. If the Field Name is blank, then pressing the Return/Enter key without entering any details will leave it blank. To CHANGE a Field Name, simply select this option again, press the Return/Enter key only to leave a Name unchanged, or enter the new details first. O...OPEN FILE This option is selected to Open a File, and should be the first option chosen. P...PRINTER MENU This option will display another list of options to deal with the Printer. See below... R...RENAME FILE This option is used for renaming 'DAT' files on the disc. You are first asked for the OLD filename, followed by the NEW filename. The File will then be renamed. S...SEARCH RECORDS Choosing this option presents you with several prompts... First...SELECT FIELD (Enter Field Number then press Return/Enter) Second..STRING OR NUMERIC (Press S or N) Third...GREATER THAN,LESS THAN or EQUAL TO (Press G,L or E) Fourth..SEARCH STRING (Enter string being search for such as FRED or 123 followed by Return/Enter key). Fifth...PRINTOUT (Y/N) (Press Y or N for Printout of each record matched with the search.) If you answer Y, you will then be asked if the printer is ready. Read ahead on the PRINTER OPTIONS as to how the Printer will print out. ALL SEARCHING COMMENCES AT THE CURRENTLY DISPLAYED RECORD. T...TOTALISE FIELD This option allows you to obtain a TOTAL & AVERAGE figure. Simply select the field required, and the figures are displayed at the bottom of the screen, and will stay there until you press any key. This option automatically terminates if a non-numeric character is found anywhere in the file in the selected field. X...ERASE FILE This is used to completely erase a file so use with caution. Z...SWITCH DRIVE Use this option at the beginning of a session and make sure you have the correct disc in the correct drive. Single drive users should NOT use this, as it will probably crash the program. > <...FWD/BKWD These two keys are used to step forwards or backwards through the file, one record at a time. Q...QUIT This is used to quit a work session, and should ALWAYS be used BEFORE switching off. NOTE!! You will not be able to quit unless AT LEAST 1 record has been entered. ------------------- PRINTER MENUS (Option P from Main Options) A...CREATE DRIVER This option allows you to change the Control Codes which are used for various styles of printing. Once this option is chosen, you will have to run through ALL the codes, so if you feel you might make a mistake, then you should save the current settings (see below). Instructions are presented on screen. B...VIEW DRIVER This simply lets you view the current control codes, so it might give you an idea as to how the codes are entered with the above option. Included in the displayed list are L-MARGIN, P-LENGTH, RESET & SKIP. L-MARGIN tells the printer how many spaces are to be left from the left edge of the paper to the start of printing. P-LENGTH is the length of the paper (in lines). RESET is used at the start of every printout to reset the printer (as if it was just switched on). SKIP is used to tell the printer how many lines are to be skipped at the end of each page. NOTE!! P-LENGTH has this number deducted from it, for example....if P-LENGTH=50 and SKIP=5 then the number of lines printed per page will actually be 45. C...LOAD DRIVER Simply enter the Driver Filename (without the DVR extension), and providing you have the correct disc in the correct drive, then the driver will be loaded. D...SAVE DRIVER This saves all the current Control Code settings. E...SET DRIVER Once you've decided on the control codes to use, you will probably want to set a particular style of printing in motion. This option presents you with the CURRENT STATUS menu which lets you turn ON or OFF a particular style. Only one of the first four (A-D) can be ON at any one time, and the program will not allow more. To any one of these, you can also add the ITALIC and/or UNDERLINE. If the HEADINGS is 'ON' then whenever a printout is requested, you will also see on the paper, things such as Filename, Field Names, Record Numbers etc. Without Headings, only the Field Contents are printed. The SPACING is used to seperate each Record when it is printed by the number of lines set. Actually the Spacing used is SPACING+1. Pressing H decreases the value, while J increases it. You will not be able to go below 1 or above 12. FROM FIELD & TO FIELD are used to set the range of fields needed in a printout. The program will not let the FROM field be greater than the TO field, and also will not let the TO field be less than the FROM field. F...DEFAULT DRIVER If you make a mistake while setting up your own driver, then press this option, and the default settings will be used again. The default settings affect the Control Codes, Left Margin, Page Length, the Skip setting, FROM field and TO field settings. G...PRINT ALL On selecting this option you will be asked the same printing questions as in the SEARCH/PRINTING procedure described previously, and it will then go on to print ALL the records in the current file. NOTE!! There's no way to stop it. H...PRINT CURRENT This option will print the currently displayed record. NOTE!! THIS OPTION ASSUMES AUTOMATICALLY THAT THE PRINTER IS BOTH SWITCHED ON AND READY FOR PRINTING. Z...CHANGE DRIVE Same as from the Main Options Menu. ********************* That's all there is to it. Some things though are left in your hands, such as using the correct disc/drive, and not swapping discs in mid session, although these sort of things shouldn't really be done anyway. *********************************** ***********************************