Home » Archimedes archive » Archimedes World » AW-1994-04-Disc2.adf » Disk2Apr94 » !AWApr94/Goodies/PowerBase/PBaseDoc/!ReadFirst
!AWApr94/Goodies/PowerBase/PBaseDoc/!ReadFirst
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Archimedes World » AW-1994-04-Disc2.adf » Disk2Apr94 |
| Filename: | !AWApr94/Goodies/PowerBase/PBaseDoc/!ReadFirst |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0BB8 bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
POWERBASE
==========
Powerbase is a flat-file database management system. It is quite feasible to
use it with a single floppy disc to handle files of a few hundred records,
or even a few thousand if the records are short and simple (e.g. a mailing
list). If working from floppy discs, and if you have enough memory to spare,
it is recommended that you copy the working database onto a RAM disc when
you wish to interrogate it and generate lists. The speed increase is
enormous. Handling very large databases consisting of many thousands of
records requires a hard disc.
Installation
============
To install Powerbase on your hard disc simply drag the !Powerbase
application from the distribution disc to a suitable directory viewer. It is
suggested that you copy the PbaseDoc directory and the sample databases
!Elements and !Boxes at the same time.
Documentation
=============
This folder (PbaseDoc) contains all the information which new and
experienced users should need in order to get the best out of Powerbase. It
is supplied in the form of plain text files each of which covers one of the
main aspects of Powerbase. New users are advised to start with one or
other of the tutorial introductions provided. !Qtutorial is based on the
simple address-book database ('Friends') and is recommended for those who
are completely new to database systems. !Tutorial makes use of the
'Elements' database and is aimed at slightly more experienced users. For the
fullest information, including how to set up your own databases, the
following documentation files are provided:-
BrowseEdit All about moving around the database, searching for
individual records, adding new records and altering or
deleting existing ones.
Calculate A description of how Powerbase can perform calculations on
your data.
Create How to create new databases from scratch.
CSVfiles Using CSV (comma-separated value) and similar files to
export and import data.
Indices How to create and use indices based on subsidiary keys.
MailMerge How to merge Powerbase data into Impression documents and
prepare the documents to receive the data.
Miscell Anything not covered in one of the other text files.
Passwords An explanation of Powerbase's 3-level password system.
Printing How to interrogate the database to produce "reports".
ScriptFile Driving Powerbase from "scripts" of commands to make
repetitive tasks easier.
Utilities A description of the special utilities which enable an
exisiting database to be restructured and optimised for
performance.
Validation Creating and using validation tables to constrain input and
provide extensions to the data displayed in the records.
Tutorial }
QTutorial } see paragraph above list 00000000 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |
*
00000020 50 4f 57 45 52 42 41 53 45 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |POWERBASE. |
00000030 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |
00000040 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d | ======|
00000050 3d 3d 3d 3d 0a 0a 50 6f 77 65 72 62 61 73 65 20 |====..Powerbase |
00000060 69 73 20 61 20 66 6c 61 74 2d 66 69 6c 65 20 64 |is a flat-file d|
00000070 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 6d 65 |atabase manageme|
00000080 6e 74 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2e 20 49 74 20 69 73 |nt system. It is|
00000090 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 66 65 61 73 69 62 6c 65 20 | quite feasible |
000000a0 74 6f 0a 75 73 65 20 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 |to.use it with a|
000000b0 20 73 69 6e 67 6c 65 20 66 6c 6f 70 70 79 20 64 | single floppy d|
000000c0 69 73 63 20 74 6f 20 68 61 6e 64 6c 65 20 66 69 |isc to handle fi|
000000d0 6c 65 73 20 6f 66 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 68 75 6e |les of a few hun|
000000e0 64 72 65 64 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 73 2c 0a 6f 72 |dred records,.or|
000000f0 20 65 76 65 6e 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 74 68 6f 75 | even a few thou|
00000100 73 61 6e 64 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 63 6f |sand if the reco|
00000110 72 64 73 20 61 72 65 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 61 6e |rds are short an|
00000120 64 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 65 20 28 65 2e 67 2e 20 61 |d simple (e.g. a|
00000130 20 6d 61 69 6c 69 6e 67 0a 6c 69 73 74 29 2e 20 | mailing.list). |
00000140 49 66 20 77 6f 72 6b 69 6e 67 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 |If working from |
00000150 66 6c 6f 70 70 79 20 64 69 73 63 73 2c 20 61 6e |floppy discs, an|
00000160 64 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 20 65 6e |d if you have en|
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00000180 70 61 72 65 2c 0a 69 74 20 69 73 20 72 65 63 6f |pare,.it is reco|
00000190 6d 6d 65 6e 64 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 |mmended that you|
000001a0 20 63 6f 70 79 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6b 69 6e | copy the workin|
000001b0 67 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 6f 6e 74 6f 20 |g database onto |
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000001d0 79 6f 75 20 77 69 73 68 20 74 6f 20 69 6e 74 65 |you wish to inte|
000001e0 72 72 6f 67 61 74 65 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 67 |rrogate it and g|
000001f0 65 6e 65 72 61 74 65 20 6c 69 73 74 73 2e 20 54 |enerate lists. T|
00000200 68 65 20 73 70 65 65 64 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 |he speed increas|
00000210 65 20 69 73 0a 65 6e 6f 72 6d 6f 75 73 2e 20 48 |e is.enormous. H|
00000220 61 6e 64 6c 69 6e 67 20 76 65 72 79 20 6c 61 72 |andling very lar|
00000230 67 65 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 73 20 63 6f 6e |ge databases con|
00000240 73 69 73 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 |sisting of many |
00000250 74 68 6f 75 73 61 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 0a 72 65 63 |thousands of.rec|
00000260 6f 72 64 73 20 72 65 71 75 69 72 65 73 20 61 20 |ords requires a |
00000270 68 61 72 64 20 64 69 73 63 2e 0a 0a 49 6e 73 74 |hard disc...Inst|
00000280 61 6c 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 0a 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d |allation.=======|
00000290 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 0a 54 6f 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6c 6c |=====.To install|
000002a0 20 50 6f 77 65 72 62 61 73 65 20 6f 6e 20 79 6f | Powerbase on yo|
000002b0 75 72 20 68 61 72 64 20 64 69 73 63 20 73 69 6d |ur hard disc sim|
000002c0 70 6c 79 20 64 72 61 67 20 74 68 65 20 21 50 6f |ply drag the !Po|
000002d0 77 65 72 62 61 73 65 0a 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 |werbase.applicat|
000002e0 69 6f 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 73 |ion from the dis|
000002f0 74 72 69 62 75 74 69 6f 6e 20 64 69 73 63 20 74 |tribution disc t|
00000300 6f 20 61 20 73 75 69 74 61 62 6c 65 20 64 69 72 |o a suitable dir|
00000310 65 63 74 6f 72 79 20 76 69 65 77 65 72 2e 20 49 |ectory viewer. I|
00000320 74 20 69 73 0a 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 65 64 20 74 |t is.suggested t|
00000330 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 70 79 20 74 68 65 |hat you copy the|
00000340 20 50 62 61 73 65 44 6f 63 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 | PbaseDoc direct|
00000350 6f 72 79 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 70 |ory and the samp|
00000360 6c 65 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 73 0a 21 45 6c |le databases.!El|
00000370 65 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 61 6e 64 20 21 42 6f 78 65 |ements and !Boxe|
00000380 73 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 74 69 |s at the same ti|
00000390 6d 65 2e 0a 0a 44 6f 63 75 6d 65 6e 74 61 74 69 |me...Documentati|
000003a0 6f 6e 0a 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d |on.=============|
000003b0 0a 54 68 69 73 20 66 6f 6c 64 65 72 20 28 50 62 |.This folder (Pb|
000003c0 61 73 65 44 6f 63 29 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 69 6e 73 |aseDoc) contains|
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000003e0 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 6e 65 77 20 61 |tion which new a|
000003f0 6e 64 0a 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 64 20 75 |nd.experienced u|
00000400 73 65 72 73 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 65 65 64 |sers should need|
00000410 20 69 6e 20 6f 72 64 65 72 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 | in order to get|
00000420 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 73 74 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 | the best out of|
00000430 20 50 6f 77 65 72 62 61 73 65 2e 20 49 74 0a 69 | Powerbase. It.i|
00000440 73 20 73 75 70 70 6c 69 65 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 |s supplied in th|
00000450 65 20 66 6f 72 6d 20 6f 66 20 70 6c 61 69 6e 20 |e form of plain |
00000460 74 65 78 74 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 65 61 63 68 20 |text files each |
00000470 6f 66 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 63 6f 76 65 72 73 20 |of which covers |
00000480 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 6d 61 69 6e 20 |one of the.main |
00000490 61 73 70 65 63 74 73 20 6f 66 20 50 6f 77 65 72 |aspects of Power|
000004a0 62 61 73 65 2e 20 4e 65 77 20 75 73 65 72 73 20 |base. New users |
000004b0 61 72 65 20 61 64 76 69 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 73 |are advised to s|
000004c0 74 61 72 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 72 |tart with one or|
000004d0 0a 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 75 |.other of the tu|
000004e0 74 6f 72 69 61 6c 20 69 6e 74 72 6f 64 75 63 74 |torial introduct|
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00000500 51 74 75 74 6f 72 69 61 6c 20 69 73 20 62 61 73 |Qtutorial is bas|
00000510 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 0a 73 69 6d 70 6c 65 |ed on the.simple|
00000520 20 61 64 64 72 65 73 73 2d 62 6f 6f 6b 20 64 61 | address-book da|
00000530 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 28 27 46 72 69 65 6e 64 73 |tabase ('Friends|
00000540 27 29 20 61 6e 64 20 69 73 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d |') and is recomm|
00000550 65 6e 64 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 |ended for those |
00000560 77 68 6f 0a 61 72 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 |who.are complete|
00000570 6c 79 20 6e 65 77 20 74 6f 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 |ly new to databa|
00000580 73 65 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 2e 20 21 54 75 74 |se systems. !Tut|
00000590 6f 72 69 61 6c 20 6d 61 6b 65 73 20 75 73 65 20 |orial makes use |
000005a0 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 27 45 6c 65 6d 65 6e 74 73 |of the.'Elements|
000005b0 27 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 61 6e 64 20 69 |' database and i|
000005c0 73 20 61 69 6d 65 64 20 61 74 20 73 6c 69 67 68 |s aimed at sligh|
000005d0 74 6c 79 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 |tly more experie|
000005e0 6e 63 65 64 20 75 73 65 72 73 2e 20 46 6f 72 20 |nced users. For |
000005f0 74 68 65 0a 66 75 6c 6c 65 73 74 20 69 6e 66 6f |the.fullest info|
00000600 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 |rmation, includi|
00000610 6e 67 20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 73 65 74 20 75 70 |ng how to set up|
00000620 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 | your own databa|
00000630 73 65 73 2c 20 74 68 65 0a 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 69 |ses, the.followi|
00000640 6e 67 20 64 6f 63 75 6d 65 6e 74 61 74 69 6f 6e |ng documentation|
00000650 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 61 72 65 20 70 72 6f 76 69 | files are provi|
00000660 64 65 64 3a 2d 0a 0a 42 72 6f 77 73 65 45 64 69 |ded:-..BrowseEdi|
00000670 74 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 6c 6c 20 61 62 6f 75 74 |t All about|
00000680 20 6d 6f 76 69 6e 67 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 | moving around t|
00000690 68 65 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 2c 20 73 65 61 |he database, sea|
000006a0 72 63 68 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |rching for. |
000006b0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 69 6e 64 69 76 | indiv|
000006c0 69 64 75 61 6c 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 73 2c 20 61 |idual records, a|
000006d0 64 64 69 6e 67 20 6e 65 77 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 |dding new record|
000006e0 73 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6c 74 65 72 69 6e 67 20 6f |s and altering o|
000006f0 72 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |r. |
00000700 20 20 64 65 6c 65 74 69 6e 67 20 65 78 69 73 74 | deleting exist|
00000710 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 73 2e 0a 0a 43 61 6c 63 75 |ing ones...Calcu|
00000720 6c 61 74 65 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 20 64 65 73 |late A des|
00000730 63 72 69 70 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 68 6f 77 20 |cription of how |
00000740 50 6f 77 65 72 62 61 73 65 20 63 61 6e 20 70 65 |Powerbase can pe|
00000750 72 66 6f 72 6d 20 63 61 6c 63 75 6c 61 74 69 6f |rform calculatio|
00000760 6e 73 20 6f 6e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |ns on. |
00000770 20 20 20 20 20 20 79 6f 75 72 20 64 61 74 61 2e | your data.|
00000780 0a 0a 43 72 65 61 74 65 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |..Create |
00000790 20 20 48 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 63 72 65 61 74 65 20 | How to create |
000007a0 6e 65 77 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 73 20 66 72 |new databases fr|
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000007c0 66 69 6c 65 73 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 55 73 69 |files Usi|
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00000800 20 74 6f 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | to. |
00000810 20 20 20 20 65 78 70 6f 72 74 20 61 6e 64 20 69 | export and i|
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00000860 20 6f 6e 20 73 75 62 73 69 64 69 61 72 79 20 6b | on subsidiary k|
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000008c0 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |. |
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000008f0 65 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 74 61 2e 0a 0a 4d 69 73 |e the data...Mis|
00000900 63 65 6c 6c 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 6e 79 |cell Any|
00000910 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6e 6f 74 20 63 6f 76 65 72 65 |thing not covere|
00000920 64 20 69 6e 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 |d in one of the |
00000930 6f 74 68 65 72 20 74 65 78 74 20 66 69 6c 65 73 |other text files|
00000940 2e 0a 0a 50 61 73 73 77 6f 72 64 73 20 20 20 20 |...Passwords |
00000950 20 20 20 41 6e 20 65 78 70 6c 61 6e 61 74 69 6f | An explanatio|
00000960 6e 20 6f 66 20 50 6f 77 65 72 62 61 73 65 27 73 |n of Powerbase's|
00000970 20 33 2d 6c 65 76 65 6c 20 70 61 73 73 77 6f 72 | 3-level passwor|
00000980 64 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2e 0a 0a 50 72 69 6e 74 |d system...Print|
00000990 69 6e 67 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 48 6f 77 20 74 |ing How t|
000009a0 6f 20 69 6e 74 65 72 72 6f 67 61 74 65 20 74 68 |o interrogate th|
000009b0 65 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 74 6f 20 70 72 |e database to pr|
000009c0 6f 64 75 63 65 20 22 72 65 70 6f 72 74 73 22 2e |oduce "reports".|
000009d0 0a 0a 53 63 72 69 70 74 46 69 6c 65 20 20 20 20 |..ScriptFile |
000009e0 20 20 44 72 69 76 69 6e 67 20 50 6f 77 65 72 62 | Driving Powerb|
000009f0 61 73 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 22 73 63 72 69 70 74 |ase from "script|
00000a00 73 22 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 73 20 74 |s" of commands t|
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00000a20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 72 65 70 65 74 69 74 69 76 | repetitiv|
00000a30 65 20 74 61 73 6b 73 20 65 61 73 69 65 72 2e 0a |e tasks easier..|
00000a40 0a 55 74 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 20 20 20 20 20 20 |.Utilities |
00000a50 20 41 20 64 65 73 63 72 69 70 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f | A description o|
00000a60 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 20 75 74 |f the special ut|
00000a70 69 6c 69 74 69 65 73 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 65 6e |ilities which en|
00000a80 61 62 6c 65 20 61 6e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |able an. |
00000a90 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 65 78 69 73 69 74 69 6e | exisitin|
00000aa0 67 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 74 6f 20 62 65 |g database to be|
00000ab0 20 72 65 73 74 72 75 63 74 75 72 65 64 20 61 6e | restructured an|
00000ac0 64 20 6f 70 74 69 6d 69 73 65 64 20 66 6f 72 0a |d optimised for.|
00000ad0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |
00000ae0 70 65 72 66 6f 72 6d 61 6e 63 65 2e 0a 0a 56 61 |performance...Va|
00000af0 6c 69 64 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 20 20 20 20 20 43 72 |lidation Cr|
00000b00 65 61 74 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 75 73 69 6e 67 |eating and using|
00000b10 20 76 61 6c 69 64 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 61 62 6c | validation tabl|
00000b20 65 73 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 73 74 72 61 69 6e 20 |es to constrain |
00000b30 69 6e 70 75 74 20 61 6e 64 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |input and. |
00000b40 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 70 72 6f 76 69 64 | provid|
00000b50 65 20 65 78 74 65 6e 73 69 6f 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 |e extensions to |
00000b60 74 68 65 20 64 61 74 61 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 |the data display|
00000b70 65 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 |ed in the record|
00000b80 73 2e 0a 0a 54 75 74 6f 72 69 61 6c 20 20 7d 0a |s...Tutorial }.|
00000b90 51 54 75 74 6f 72 69 61 6c 20 7d 20 20 20 20 20 |QTutorial } |
00000ba0 73 65 65 20 70 61 72 61 67 72 61 70 68 20 61 62 |see paragraph ab|
00000bb0 6f 76 65 20 6c 69 73 74 |ove list|
00000bb8 
.