
             This is the First page of B_BASE Instructions.

          This program is a small DATABASE program designed
        to store and retrieve information of a relative simple
        nature. Facilities to manage this information are MENU
        oriented and for the most part self-explanatory. There
        is ENTER DATA, UPDATE DATA (to change or modify), DELETE
        a RECORD (to delete a RECORD), SEARCH (to find a specific
        RECORD), PRINT a REPORT (to the default DIRECTORY or to
        the attached PRINTER), SCREEN REPORT (prints the REPORT
        to the SCREEN), LIST ALL DATA (displays all DATA in the
        file with RECORD and FIELD numbers), SORT (a general purpose
        SORT of the FILE by FIELD name), and EXIT (to quit).
                                   1

        This program is designed to work on relatively small data
        the maximum number of RECORDS is 1000 with a maximum number of
        FIELDS being 20. This can be increased depending upon available
        disk/diskette storage space. The program was written with the
        begining user in mind, and performs the same on VAX VMS, PDP-11
        RSX-11M, or PRO-350 P/OS.







                                   2


        The Program produces and works from two (2) files;

                filename.BBS -- A sequential file containing FILE information.
                    &
                filename.BBD -- A VIRTUTAL file containing the actual data.

        The  filename is a filename that you provide.

        The Program CAN also produce a sequential file REPORT;

                filename.DOC -- A REPORT file containing data in the
                                selected REPORT format.
                                   3

A) During the database file creation process the field name for each of
   the fields should not be longer than the proposed data in that field.

A1) The field names can be changed after the creation by editing the
    file "filename.BBS" The file appears as follows;

        *************
        *  3        * <- NUMBER OF FIELDS
        *  55       * <- NEXT FIELD TO WRITE TO 
        *  NAME     * <- FIRST FIELD NAME
        *  ADDRESS  * <- NEXT FIELD NAME
        *  PHONE #  * <- AND NEXT ... ETC.
        *************
                                   4

        *************
        *  3        * <- NUMBER OF FIELDS
        *  55       * <- NEXT FIELD TO WRITE TO 
        *  NAME     * <- FIRST FIELD NAME
        *  ADDRESS  * <- NEXT FIELD NAME
        *  PHONE #  * <- AND NEXT ... ETC.
        *************

A2) The number of fields can also be increased in the same fashion the
    first number in the first line can be increased up to a maximum of 20.
    The new data fields when displayed may show strange information in them
    there fore you should expect to edit them with UPDATE APPEND DATA before
    you try to enter data into them.
                                    5
B) The Sort is relative slow due to a number of factors. The sort removes
   deleted records as well as sorting the database.

B1) A deleted record can be recovered in a fashion if the database has not
    been sorted since the record was deleted. It can be recovered by using
    the UPDATE APPEND DATA and Update a Searched for record. Select any field
    and search for a CONTROL A by pressing the "CTRL & A" keys together. The 
    data in the deleted record can be updated in the regular fashion.

C) The data entered by you to search the database with, must match the data
   you wish to find. If you want to find "John Doe" you must use "John Doe" a
   "JOHN DOE" or "john doe" will not work. Like wise if you search by
   "John" you will find ALL names with "John" or any part there of IE:
   "Johnson" would be a valid match.
                                    6



D) The "OPTIONAL KEY FIELD" is a extra field that does not print but
   can be sorted on and searched on. This allows for an alternate field to
   sort data on if the data in your regular fields does not conform to a
   suitable sorted order. An example would be a NAME Field that contained
   "John Doe" would be sorted by "John" first when in fact you wished to sort
   by "Doe". Entering the name "Doe, John" in the OPTIONAL KEY FIELD and
   sorting on that field would produce the desired sorted file by "Doe".




                                    7

D1) The OPTIONAL KEY FIELD may be used to insert blank lines in the
    printed reports to separate different kinds of data. An example a Name
    field containing "John Doe" and "William Ernest" could be seprated in
    the OPTIONAL KEY FIELD by entering the names "Doe, John" and "Ernest,
    William" and then creating a blank record with data entered only in the
    OPTIONAL KEY FIELD as "DZZZZZ". The blank sorted record will be inserted
    after the last "D" record and before the the first "E" record in the file.

D2) The OPTIONAL KEY FIELD can also include any comments on the data
    contained in that record that you would rather not have printed out in
    a regular report.


                                    8


                   If you have any further questions,
                            Please contact:

                              Randy Jordan
                             Black & Veatch
                      Computer Services Department
                            11401 Lamar Ave.
                      Overland Park, Kansas 66211
                             (913) 967-2544


                                    END
