Now that you have created a file structure, you are ready to enter data into your system.
Figure 3-1
1. Please select “B - Inquire, Update, Add” from the main menu. This menu option lets you view, modify, enter or delete data within a file.
Figure 3-2
2. We want to add data to our customer file. From the file names displayed, select “cust” by typing in the name or using the arrow key to highlight the file.
Press <RETURN>.
Figure 3-3
3. Now that the file has been selected, filePro Plus asks for the data entry screen format you want to use. Since we have not defined any other new screens, only Screen 0 is displayed in the window.
4. Press <RETURN> to accept screen 0.
Figure 3-4
You have now accessed Inquire, Update, Add and displayed the “Choose Record Operation” menu. filePro Plus offers you a number of choices. Here is a brief summary of those choices:
1 - Record Number
If records (information) existed in this file, you could type in a record number and that record would be retrieved and displayed.
2 - Scan For Records
You can find existing records by (1) specifying a set of fields and their contents which you want the retrieved records to match, for instance, “Last name equals Bell” or (2) create a more powerful selection set involving multiple fields and values, and logical relationships, for example; “select all customers that have a zip code between 10235 and 10642 with YTD sales in excess of $1,000 or any customer in NY with YTD sales over $10,000”.
Selecting records by “Scan” enables you to search for data in any fields in the file and to use up to 72 fields or criteria per selection.
If automatic indexes have been built on any of the fields used in the selection criteria, filePro Plus will use the index to speed up the search.
3 - Add Records
This option displays a data-entry screen. The field names appear without data and the cursor is in the first blank field awaiting data. You can add as many records as you want before leaving this option.
You can search through thousands of records quickly with INDEX SELECTION. For example, if “company name” was an indexed field you just type in a company name, such as, “turkey motors” and let filePro Plus quickly find it, if it is stored in the system. You can also type in a partial name, such as, “turk” and filePro Plus will find the first record that matches.
5 - Toggle Browse Mode
filePro Plus provides you with the opportunity to “Browse” through your files with ease. This menu option allows you to turn this feature on or off. In the “on” mode, data is presented to you in simple list format, (a format that you can define and save for recurring use). As examples, you can see a list of customers in your file or a list of products in inventory. You see one record at a time with up to 200 of its fields displayed when browse format is off.
6 - Fuzzy Search
Fuzzy Search is a method for retrieving records when you’re not sure of the accuracy of your search value. It will find the next closest match as well as exact matches.
7 - Change File
filePro Plus enables you to select another file without leaving the Inquire, Update, Add program. This option does not appear if the program is accessed from the command line with a file name specified.
To change to another file press <7>; the file selection window appears. Type in or highlight the name of the file you want and press <RETURN>.
Lets Move On To Adding Data.
Figure 3-5
5. Since no records exist at this time, select menu option "3 - Add Records” as depicted in figure 3-5. You will see Screen 0, the default screen for the file “cust” as shown in figure 3-6.
Figure 3-6
6 filePro Plus puts you in the “Update” mode (ready to accept or modify data) and the cursor is in field 1, “customer number”. Notice that the name of the screen, “0”, and the record number, “1”, are displayed near the bottom of the screen. See Figure 3-6.
7. Let’s begin to add data. For “customer number”, type "1001" but do not press <RETURN>. Since “1001” has filled up the “customer number” field, the cursor automatically moves to the next data-entry field.
8. Into the next field, “last name”, type "smith" and then press <RETURN>.
9. In field 3, “first name”, type "bob". After entering the data, your fields should contain the data as shown in figure 3-7.
Figure 3-7
10. Save the record by pressing <ESC>.
11. Another blank record (number 2) is displayed, waiting for data to be added. Add data to records 2, 3 & 4 with the following information. Remember, after entering all the data into a record to press <ESC>. This will save the record and move on to the next record:
Record 2:
Figure 3-8
Record 3:
Figure 3-9
Record 4:
Figure 3-10
12. After record 4 has been saved, press <CTRL> <BREAK> leave update mode. The command options at the bottom of your screen will change.
13. Press <X> to exit.
Figure 3-11
You are now back at the Inquire, Update, Add menu. Select option "4 - Index Selection”. With this option you select records by using an index. Since we have built two indexes, the following menu is displayed:
Figure 3-12
14. Choose “A” and the following prompt is displayed.
Figure 3-13
Heading “name last” is the name for field 2. There are two things you can do here. We will try them both.
a. Press <RETURN>. Now you will see the records (one at a time) in alphabetical order based on the contents of field 2, “last name”. Mr. Bell’s record should be on your screen as depicted in figure 3-14.
Figure 3-14
Use your down arrow key, or press <RETURN>, to see the next record. It is “davis”. Next you will see “gold” and “smith”. Use your down arrow key again to see them. Use your up arrow key to back up. If you go too far, you will be back at the “Select By last name:” prompt. Simply press <RETURN> to go back to the records.
b. You can also enter a value and let filePro Plus search for a match. Use an up or down arrow key to go back to the “Select By last name: “prompt. If you type “gold”, here and press <RETURN>, you will then see the record with “gold” appear followed by the other records in alphabetical order by last name. You can also enter “partial” data here. For example, if you type only a “g”, you would be shown the first record that starts with a “g”. If you entered “go”, you would be shown the first record that begins with “go”. Once you have displayed a record, you can go into “browse mode” by pressing <B>.
Figure 3-15
This will display up to 18 records on the screen at a time and allow you to select a record by using the arrow keys and pressing <RETURN>.
15. Press <X> until you get back to the “Choose Record Operation” menu.
16. Option 6 “Fuzzy Search” is a useful alternative when other searching methods have failed. Fuzzy search uses a pattern-of-characters type of search algorithm to find the closest matches (and exact matches, if they exist) to the search value. It is not based on the sound or the alphabetical hierarchy of the data. It searches the specified field of every record in the file. While in regular browse mode, it retrieves the best matches in the file.
Try the "Fuzzy Search option by entering "smyth" for field 2 as depicted in figure 3-16. This should find the only record sounding like "smyth" or the record for Bob Smith as shown in figure 3-17.
Figure 3-16
Figure 3-17
17. Press <X> once more to get back to the main menu.