********* BR7 Utility version 2008-T ********* ------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1989-2008 Redstone SoftBase Company Author: Dave Petonic, Redstone SoftBase Company Email: redstone@earthlink.net Web: http://www.redstonesoftbase.com FREEWARE: You may copy this product to any system. BR7.INI FILE: ------------- This file is created the first time you load BR7. Anytime you are having difficulty loading BR7 or running its procedures, the FIRST thing you should do is erase this file! Mostly you don't need to worry about BR7.INI. However, if you receive an error in BR7 and have to click Cancel to exit the program, that's when this file might become unreliable. If you decide to RE-LOCATE the BR7 Utility to a new location on your hard disk, you must ERASE the BR7.INI file at the new location so it gets recreated from scratch! Drive mapping infor- mation is stored inside the INI file and it must reflect the new path location of BR7. Otherwise, you may get inconsistent results when using BR7!! USAGE: ------ Usage of this package, as with any software package, is at your own risk! Redstone SoftBase Company is not liable in any way for maintaining the integrity of your data - this is YOUR responsibility! There is no security provided with the package so you are also responsible for restricting access to it. SUPPORT: -------- This being a freeware product, no support is provided by Redstone SoftBase Company for its usage. You should have prior database knowledge before loading it! Exception: Since BR7 is sometimes used by GoldBox, support will be provided if you are a licensed GoldBox user and are using BR7 in conjunction with a GoldBox operation. UPDATES: -------- Updates to the product may be made available. If so, the file BR7SETUP.EXE should be downloaded at http://www.redstonesoftbase.com from the {Downloads} page. Or, if you are a GoldBox user, the updated BR7 Utility is automatically contained in the free update ZIP files for your GoldBox system. CAPABILITIES: ------------- BR7 can browse any dBase4 or dBase7 table. "Browse" mode opens a data table in row/column format, similar to a spreadsheet in appearance - but much more powerful. In addition to a standard browser, BR7 can: >> Analyze Field Usage individually, or for the entire table >> Write the current record to a Text window, or Notepad >> Create a new dBase4 Table >> Modify Field Structure >> 'Cleanse' a dBase Table (Regenerate from scratch) >> Display the Field Structure or Table Status (enhanced) >> Add Tag, Drop Tag, View by Tag or Fast-Find by Tag >> Add a new record, or Photocopy the current one >> Locate record by Filter (optional Sequential Search) >> Goto any Record Number >> Count records by Filter >> Delete or Recall current record >> Global Delete or Recall by Filter >> Global Field Replace by Filter >> Simple Export to DBF, ASCII, SDF, Paradox >> Append from DBF, ASCII, SDF, Paradox >> Pack, Reindex or Zap the table >> Expression Builder with Result display Please see below for more information on BUTTON FEATURES. SETTINGS: --------- The BR7 Utility will remember your sizing and positioning, font, BOLD setting and color scheme. RECOMMENDATION: --------------- The BR7 Utility is an ideal choice as the default file opener of any dBase table, when you double-click any file with an extension of DBF. NOT SYNC-AWARE: --------------- If you are a GoldMine user, please be aware that any changes you make to a data table are not sync-stamped. The changes will be ignored in a Remote Synchronization session, such as with GoldMine's GoldSync product. NOTE: If you are looking to UN-delete Main Contacts or Tab records in GoldMine 5.x to 6.x hosted in DBASE, please DO NOT use the BR7 Utility. A freeware UN-delete for this scenario is provided in the GoldBox-5 DEMO. You can download GX5DEMO.EXE from www.redstonesoftbase.com to obtain the free UN-delete. BACKUP: ------- If you are going to be modifying the data table with BR7, a backup of the data table and optionally its memo file (DBT) and index file (MDX) is very STRONGLY recommended! REQUIREMENTS: ------------- >> Borland's BDE Administrator INSTALLING: ----------- If you have GoldBox-5, GoldBox-SQL or GoldBox-7, BR7 is included with those products. The latest version of BR7 is always found in free updates to the above programs, and in their DEMO versions. Otherwise... The program you run to install BR7 is BR7SETUP.EXE. BR7 should be installed in its own path, for example under the root drive letter, as in: C:\BR7 If you are MOVING or COPYING the BR7 path to a new location, see the information above about the BR7.INI file. LOAD OPTIONS: ------------- BR7 can be loaded in 1 of 6 ways: (1) C:\BR7\BR7.EXE --------------------------------------------------------------------- ("Just Plain" fashion. You are immediately prompted to open a dBase4 or dBase7 table.) (2) C:\BR7\BR7.EXE D:\PROGRA~1\GOLDMINE\COMMON\CONTACT1 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (Opens CONTACT1 dBase4 table in Browse mode.) (3) C:\BR7\BR7.EXE D:\PROGRA~1\GOLDMINE\COMMON\CONTACT1 CONTCOMP --------------------------------------------------------------------- (Opens CONTACT1 dBase4 table by the Company Tag in Browse mode.) (4) C:\BR7\BR7.EXE D:\PROGRA~1\GOLDMINE\COMMON\CONTACT1 CONDEPT INDEXON UPPER(DEPARTMENT+COMPANY) --------------------------------------------------------------------- (Opens the CONTACT1 dBase4 table, creates an index tag called CONDEPT on Department plus Company, then activates that tag.) NOTE: Normally you don't have embedded spaces within the Tag Expression, but, if you are going to use them, you must use a pound # in place of a space. The pound # is Shift-3 on your keyboard. BR7 will convert the pound # to a space internally. The reason for this translation is that a space is seen as the beginning of a new parameter by the operating system. (5) C:\BR7\BR7.EXE D:\PROGRA~1\GOLDMINE\COMMON\CONTACT1 USLSTERR INDEXON UPPER(KEY3) /U or /D or /E or combinations --------------------------------------------------------------------- (/U: Opens the CONTACT1 dBase4 table, creates an index tag called USLSTERR on Key3 field as a UNIQUE tag, then activates the tag. The effect of this is that only unique Sales Territories are visible in the Browse Window as long as this tag is active. The 'U' indicates to create the Tag as UNIQUE.) (/D: You can also load with a /D for DESCENDING order {by default all Tags are created in ASCENDING order}. (/E: This means EXIT the BR7 Utility after creating the index tag. It is ideal for automatic creation of tags when called from a batch type of program.) (6) C:\BR7\BR7.EXE D:\PROGRA~1\APPS\DATA\REDSTONE DBFPACKEXIT --------------------------------------------------------------------- (Opens the dBase4 table REDSTONE.DBF and performs an automatic PACK of the table. All index tags associated with the table are rebuilt from scratch. After completing the procedure, BR7 exits. Ideal for automated maintenance of any dBase4 table.) NAVIGATION: ----------- The following keyboard entries can be used for navigation: ARROWS Move to previous or next row/column. HOME 1st field. END Last field. BUTTON FEATURES: ---------------- Directly above the Browse window are graphical buttons that allow powerful manipulation of the table being browsed. These buttons must be mouse-clicked for activation. Following is a description of the capability for each button: UP-ARROW icon: -------------- Access previous record. Right-click to access the FIRST record. DOWN-ARROW icon: ---------------- Access next record. Right-click to access the LAST record. GOLD KEY icon: -------------- Anchor (Lock or Freeze) any number of columns. SIZING icons: ------------- These 2 icons let you set the Height and Width of the Browse window, since you will not be able to stretch the window with the mouse. Your Position and Sizing settings are saved and will be used the next time you load the BR7 Utility. FONT icon: ---------- Switches between Proportional and Fixed font. Right-click to switch BOLD on and off. Both of these settings are saved. PLUS-SIGN icon: --------------- Adds a new record to the END of the table. You can also go to the bottom of the table, then press the Down-Arrow on your keyboard. DOUBLE-PAGE icon: ----------------- Photocopies the current record to a new one. RED-X icon: ----------- BR7 does not 'hide' records that are deleted, as do most applications. This allows you to access them for further processing. Click this button to delete the current record. When a record is DELETED, an {X} appears in at the 1st Browse column. Clicking the DELETE icon on a *Deleted* record lets you RECALL the record (Recall and Un-delete are identical terms). TOOLS icon: ----------- Directly accesses the Expression Builder. You can try out various expressions and get an immediate result. You can also highlight any FUNCTION in the list, and generate an EXAMPLE Result. PENCIL icon: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Full screen EDIT of the current record. This is identical to the edit you have for Grid display, in functionality. Record fields display in a scrollable screen for easier access. Once you make a change to a field - it's permanent. Fields on the screen are directly linked to their counterparts in the table. To edit a MEMO field, double-click the small square. If the letter 'A' appears in the square, it indicates the memo contains text. Please exercise caution when using Full screen EDIT!!! SORT icon: ---------- Allows you to view the table sorted on any index tag. If you choose (NO TAG), the table is viewed in 'natural', or record number order. FLASHLIGHT icon: ---------------- Based on the current index tag, allows you instant access to a record. You will note in the dialog box that BR7 displays the tag value of the current record. This is provided as an aid to keying in your tag value since the FIND is case sensitive. BR7 provides a 'soft' seek for this feature. If the value you keyed in is not found, the next closest matching record is located. FUNNEL icon: ------------ Allows a sequential search of records. This search is not based on the index tag but on an expression. After you key in a LOCATE expression and have found a match, you can CONTINUE the search by re-selecting and clicking YES in the message box to find the next one. If you select NO in the box, the LOCATE begins at the top of the table, based on your expression. If you click YES and have not done a previous LOCATE expression, an error box will display. Click {Ignore} to proceed. COLORED-SHAPES icon: -------------------- You can select from 140 foreground and background colors for the display of the Browse window. This setting is saved. PRINTED PAGE icon: ------------------ Press this to display the current record in a text window. You can view or print the record from the text window (including full display of memo fields). FOLDER icon: ------------ Allows you to open another dBase Table for browsing. BR7 OTHER FEATURES dropdown: ---------------------------- Click to display the items, then select one. BR7 will start the procedure. BR7 INFORMATION: ---------------- Displays this HELP file (BR7HELP.TXT). SHOW STRUCTURE: --------------- Displays the Field Structure. FILLED FIELD COUNT: ------------------- This creates a listing showing the 'filled' status of all fields for all records in the table you are browsing. UNIQUE FIELD VALUES: -------------------- This creates a listing showing all unique values in any field - the 1st record containing that value, the percentage of the table filled by that value, the total number of records containing that value, and value itself. DISPLAY STATUS: --------------- The most useful information in the display is the current language driver and character set (based on BDE settings), and all the index tags, with their expressions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOTO RECORD #: -------------- Allows you to instantly access a record based on its record number (which displays to the right of the UP / DOWN arrows). COUNT BY FILTER: ---------------- Displays the number of records meeting an expression. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLOBAL REPLACE: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Lets you globally replace any field with an expression result. You can also limit the records affected with a filter expression. If you are globally replacing a field which is included in the expression for the current index tag, recommend you press the {View} button and switch the tag view to (NO TAG). Otherwise, your Global Replace may not proceed as expected. GLOBAL DELETE: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Based on an expression, lets you globally delete records. Do not use this button to delete ALL records; use the {Zap} button for Instant Erase. GLOBAL UN-DELETE: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Please do NOT use for GoldMine hosted in dBase. Use the FREE capability in GoldBox-5 (DEMO, BASIC and PRO Editions). In GoldBox-5, the operation is fully sync-aware and automated. In BR7 - it is not. Lets you globally recall (or un-delete) records in the table based on an expression. Please note that you do not need to include the function Deleted() in your expression, as BR7 looks for this automatically. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPEND FROM FILE: ----------------- Appends records from an outside file to the end of the current dBase table. You can append from dBase, ASCII, SDF Fixed Length Text or Paradox. Regardless of the incoming file type, you can evaluate its addition to the dBase table with a filter expression. BR7 actually evaluates the newly imported record and if it does not meet the filter, it is discarded. This is a simple append, with none of the mapping or extra features you may be used to in GoldMine or GoldBox. An Incoming file must essentially be a 'mirror' of the current dBase table in field layout and order. You may want to note the Record Count (displayed in the Status Bar at the screen bottom) before doing an Append. If the Append did not work as planned, you could do a Global Delete based on that information. For example, if you have 1250 records in your table and you append 500 more, but want to back it out, your expression for the Global Delete would be: RecNo() > 1250 EXPORT TO FILE: --------------- Based on an expression, allows you to copy records from the current table to a new file. You can copy to another dBase table, to ASCII, SDF Fixed Length Text or Paradox. This is a simple export and does not allow specific field selection. If that is required, you could then browse the exported file and modify its structure to remove or re-order fields. Records will be exported in the order they appear at the Browse Window, so if you want the exported file to be sorted, you can either activate a Tag or create a new Tag to set the sort order. In the dialog box, highlight the format of the exported file. The File Name prompt is required before choosing the Path Name. The Extension is not required; BR7 assigns a default extension if this prompt is blank. Verify the complete path and file name which appears at the bottom of the dialog box before proceeding. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODIFY STRUCTURE: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Use this option with extreme caution - you should definitely know what you are doing before proceeding! Allows you to add, edit, delete or re-order the field structure of the current dBase table. To re-order fields, change the sort value in the Field Sort column to a new value, and the field will 'jump' to its new location. After exiting from the Modify Structure screen: If BR7 detects that any changes were made, you are prompted to proceed with the operation. If your dBase table has index tags, these are automatically recreated as the final step. The dBase table is then re-displayed. Please click somewhere in the table rather than press an arrow key as your first action, since pressing an arrow key first will sometimes cause the BR7 session to become unstable. NEW DBASE TABLE: ----------------- You can create a new dBase Table in any path. BR7 will prompt you first for the path, then for the Table Name. A table is created, and a field called DUMMYFIELD is added as the first. You can rename and alter this field, when taken into the screen to Modify Structure. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ADD INDEX TAG: -------------- Lets you create a new index tag. dBase allows up to 47 tags per table in the standard production index (MDX), which is normally more than adequate. Key in a Tag Name (up to 9 characters) and whether you wish the tag to be UNIQUE or in DESCENDING order. A UNIQUE tag hides multiple records with the same tag value. For example, if you have 2 companies named ABC CORP. in the table, the unique tag will show only one of them. Unique tags are rarely used but can be useful in some cases to eliminate dupes. You could, for example, create a unique tag, export the records out with that tag active, zap the original table, then import the records back in. The dupes will be eliminated. DESCENDING order for a tag is rarely used but allows you to show the records in reverse order - the highest tag value is displayed first. Tags are normally created in ASCENDING order, the default. Please note that you can have BR7 auto-create any Index Tag for any table with a command line call. See Load Option #5 above for more information. DROP INDEX TAG: --------------- Allows you to drop, or remove, an index tag. RESET INDEX TAGS: ----------------- Resets the index tags. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLEANSE THE TABLE: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** BR7 regenerates the current dBase table from scratch, then rebuilds any of its index tags. For CHARACTER fields, BR7 strips low ASCII characters less than ASCII 32 (SPACE). It also writes a MEMO field to a temporary TXT file on disk, then appends that TXT file back into the memo field. This operation may or may not eliminate some basic corruption in the table. PACK THE TABLE: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Permanently removes *DELETED* records from the table. ZAP ALL RECORDS: ************************************************************** Make sure you first BACKUP the table's DBF, DBT and MDX files. ************************************************************** Instantly erases ALL records of the current table in a matter of seconds. Obviously, use with extreme caution! FILTER & EXPRESSION BUILDER: ---------------------------- A generic Filter and Expression Builder is displayed anytime BR7 requires one, based on the operation. You can build most of the expression just by using the mouse. Highlight a choice in 1 of the 2 selection boxes, double-click it or click on the top of the box, and the value is appended to the end of the current expression. Or, you can just key in the expression directly. Please note the {RESULT icon} button - this displays the result of the current expression. If you keyed an invalid expression, an error box displays - simply click {CHECKMARK} to proceed. This might be a good idea before performing a Global Replace. The {EXPRESSION OPTIONS} dropdown let you retrieve a saved filter from BR7FILTS.DBF. Select your filter based on the description, and the actual filter is appended onto the end of the prompt. You can also SAVE whatever you currently have in the Expression prompt to the table called BR7FILTS.DBF. Key in a description for the Filter or Expression (up to 40 characters). If you are keying in a FILTER Expression and want to include ALL records in the operation (for example, a Global Replace), you must enter an expression which is always true, such as 1 = 1. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: ---------------- Deepest appreciation goes to Ted Blue of Blue Star Learning, who dispensed excellent instruction on the mysteries of Visual dBase. Web site: http://www.bluestarlearning.com Also many thanks to members of the dBase, Inc. newsgroups. Web site: http://www.dbase.com Special thanks to FrontRange Solutions, who gave me a lot of incentive and support in the writing of this free product, as well as the huge GoldMine add-on GoldBox. Web Site: http://www.frontrange.com And finally, much thanks to the many users of the original BR and BR4 Utilities for their tips and suggestions. ENJOY - and please remember to proceed with CAUTION !