Figure 1. Data FlowOverview
This tutorial is an easy way to find out how the sample application was created and how it feels to actually use filePro Plus. We highly recommend that you follow all of the instructions; create the files, screens, formats, processing tables, etc. Most of these are short and simple, and demonstrate different filePro features.
The tutorial shows you how to create a simple working application consisting of:
• Files:
Customer information file
Product information file
Invoice file
State sales tax file.
State abbreviation file
• Screens:
Customer information maintenance
Product information maintenance
Invoice creation
State tax maintenance
• Reports and other printed output:
Customer invoices
Invoices report
Customer listings
Customer mailing labels
Product inventory report
State tax list
States list
Product/Invoice Cross-reference
Included, of course, are some of the "behind the scenes" instructions which can make filePro Plus applications so powerful, convenient, and friendly to the user. (See Figure 1, "Tutorial Database Flow Diagram".)
All the files in the tutorial manual are already in the system. They have the same name as the tutorial file except for the prefix, "fp".
For example, the tutorial asks you to create the file "prod". The identical file is provided with the name "fpprod".
Tutorial File Name
Cust
prod
sttax
System Files (provided)
fpcust
fpprod
fpsttax
fpinvc
invc
states
xinv
xtran
Data Flow
Figure 1 shows the relationship and flow of data for our tutorial application.
Figure 1. Data Flow
How keys are shown in this tutorial manual
Keys are shown within brackets < >.
Example:
Press <CTRL> and <BREAK> at the same time.
If two or more keys are to be pressed sequentially, they are shown separated by commas.
Example:
Press <Y>, <RETURN>.
If two keys are pressed simultaneously, they are not separated by commas.
Example:
Press <CTRL> <BREAK> to cancel.
The keyboard used in this tutorial
The keys shown in the tutorial are the ones that would be used on an IBM PC AT computer keyboard. In multi-user systems, filePro Plus includes a table of keys available on your terminal and refers to that table when displaying the names of keys in on the screen prompts. If you would like to see a display of the table translating the IBM keys to your terminal’s keys, press <ESC> <?> at any filePro Plus prompt (<Alt> <F10> for DOS and Windows). Key usage tables for terminals can also be found in the "filePro Plus Guide To Terminals," or the Terminal Guide topic in the electronic version of fPmanual.
There are many hyperlinks in the filePro Tutorial. They will stay on your screen until you press ESCAPE, press ENTER, or click the left mouse button. There are also many hyperlink jumps. These are secondary HELP screens which appear on top of your primary window (depends on the Help version you are using). They have scroll bars and look very much like your primary HELP window (they are colored light yellow or pale green). Read them and then close the jump window as you normally would close any secondary window. Do not lose your place on the primary topic by maximizing one of these secondary windows. It is also important to understand that these jumps are usually extra reference material and may be much more advanced in content than what you are studying. If this is true, just close the window and keep reading where you are. You can always find these resources later.
To go to the next sub-topic within a topic, use the >> button in the Help Menu bar. To go to previous topics, use the << button. If one of the buttons is not lit up, you are at one end or the other within that topic and should press Help Topics to choose the next (or previous) topic.
STARTING AND STOPPING
Starting filePro Plus
Access filePro Plus by typing "p" at the command line or by clicking on the ICON created during the filePro installation. You will then see the main menu as shown in figure 1.
Figure 1. filePro Plus Main Menu
Stopping filePro Plus
If you are creating some facet of the tutorial application be sure to save your work by pressing <ESC>. You can always go back and complete it. Then use <CTRL> <C>, <CTRL> <BREAK>, or <X> (refer to the commands displayed on the bottom of your screen) to get to the main menu. At the main menu, press <X> to return to the operating system prompt or menu.