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MASTERFILE III | MASTERFILE III (Amstrad Action) | MASTERFILE III (The Amstrad User) |
An overview of the database package from Campbell Systems'stable for 128K CPC. With the realese of the Sinclair machines saw the birth of Masterfile from Campbell Systems. Many years later this extremely powerful database has been adapted for all the Amstrad machines. From CPC to PC, Masterfile exists. It's not hard to see why this program is so popular. Masterfile III for use with a 128K CPC is the big brother to the first version of Masterfile, appropriately called Masterfile for the CPC464. It is this version of Masterfile that we are going to look at. LAYOUT Many databases for home computers have the limitation of fixed field lengths, making screen layouts limited and using incredible amount of memory. Masterfile III however does not have this problem. The length of each field is extremely flexible (with a maximum of 240 characters, ever seen a name that long?). This allows a smart screen layout and in time saves memory. Masterfile III also allows you to define the screen layout after the data has been keyed in. As well as thai, il also allows you to set up multiple screen formats which can eccess the same set of data. To type in data, at least one data name must be present. The data name is a single character. Masterfile III uses it as a reference to each field. After a dataname is set up, the field name can now be typed in. While printing the data name docs not show up. For example; for creating a field for a name and a field for an address, you may use the data name A to represent the name, and the data name B for the address. Just over -18 of these data names can be defined, so don't worry, it is unlikely you will need any more than 20. After the record; are set up, the data can be entered and added one by to the main file. With Masterfile III it is easy to add more fields or if you prefer, or to add new fields to certain records only, many of these functions not always possible on a regular "card index" database. Going back to our address file, let's say you have entered 70 records, and you would like to add date and place of birth. Easy, just add two new new data names (creating two new fields) and continue on as before, if s as simple as that. While entering data you may use special commands, either for sorting purposes or for better screen formatting. For example; if you wished to sort by surnames, you do not have to enter the data as, "Muir, Oke" ami "Campbell, Glen". Instead you separate each name with a back slash, as follows, "OkeMuir." and "ClenCampbell". When Masterfile III comes to print out the data, the backslash is printed as a space. When Masterfile III sorts it sorts with the name after the backslash first. The Screen output can also be made tidy with special functions. For example; if you wish to put every separate item of an address on a separate line, you would probably have to define a separate field for each line of text. Dul not with Masterfile III. Text typed as follows into Masterfile III. "1 /245, Springvale Road,_Glen Waverley,_ Victoria. 3133." would be printed as such; 1/245 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, Victoria. 3133. As you can see Masterfile III understands the underline character, (by pressing SHIFT 0) to print a carriage return. It is functions like these that leave other "card index" databases back in the days of the Commodore 64's (no offence to Commodore, owners, Ed.) Like most other functions of this package, designing the screen format is made very simple lo you. When setting up the screen you must first decide where each piece of data will be displayed. The heading you assign to each field is left entirely up to your imagination, again this heading can be changed at any time. Masterfile III also allows you to draw lines on the screen, adding a very attractive layout to your file. As expected this also can be altered at any time, allowing for major or minor changes to headings. RELATIONS For a database to work effectively and fast it is important for it to have relational data facilities. Masterfile III is no exception. Lets move away from the name and address file and set up another file. In this file we will have the following data names and fields; A:Aulhor's Name B: Hook Title Now say an author, we'll call him "Ian Sugar", has written 200 books. It would be quiet a feat to type in the authors name and then cach book title. So what we do is define "lan Sugar" as a Parent. We then define all of his books as the Children of the Parent. Using this system we save a lot of memory and it also means it is a lot faster to find all the books written by lan Sugar. Lets say lan Sugar gets a name change and his new name becomes, "Sir Edwardo Stephen The Fourth". What a mouthfull, how would you like to try and remember that name when you wish to look for all of his books? You do not have to. Masterfile III allows you to type a simple two or three letter mnemonic. This should save a significant amount of memory. NUMBER & FORMULAS Like programmable and more expensive databases, Masterfile III has the facilities to perform number chrunching. To create a formula in Masterfile III you must first run a special program supplied on the disc. This allows you to input your formula or formulas which arc then saved to disc with a loading program. To use the formulas you have created you need to run the loading program. When creating the formulas you may only put values into data names which are in the A-Z range. Some examples of formulas are below; C=INT((A/B)*100)This means: Take the value from data name A. Divide it by the value in data name B. Multiply the resultant by 100, turn the value into an integer and then place into data name C. Another example could be; ANSWER=A/B |
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