
    The gun database will allow the user to enter
    relevant data about any gun, then the data
    can be retrieved at any time. Records can be
    inserted, deleted, and edited. Once the record
    has been selected, the user can show a picture
    tied to the gun data, find another record,
    browse the database or quit the database.
    The database files are located in the GUN \ DB
    directory. The data record has the following
    format:

  Manufacturer:
  Address:
  Type:
  Caliber:
  Model:
  Model2:
  Picture:
  100 %: (value)
  98 %:
  95 %:
  90 %:
  80 %:
  70 %:
  60 %:
  50 %:
  Notes: (3 lines)

  As you may have surmised, the database will be
  PARTIALLY filled with existing pictures but any
  number of pictures and or gun records can be
  added. When you want to add or delete pictures
  to view, simply edit the "Pic" field. This is
  the user's database. It will be as good as the
  user makes it by enhancing the data. Arren-San
  Software will continue to upgrade all included
  databases and make regular updates available.
  The gun database currently has about 7000
  entries. The actual upper limit for any Gun Data
  Manager database is about one billion records.

    While in the existing database, you can request
  to access another database, while closing the
  current db. The commands can be invoked by moving
  the arrow keys to the desired selection and
  pressing <Enter>. To exit the database, simply
  choose Quit, or enter q <Enter> and y for yes at
  the prompt.

    The database one person keeps can be read and
  used by anyone using this db. Utilities also
  transform files into and out of *.dbf format
  (dBase files) ( See tools below). Finally, just
  about any format picture file can be input and
  viewed by the included computer graphics viewer.


   The actual database functions are as follows:

    Use database - the program starts up in GUN1
    Use index    - default is manuf., type, model
    Create database - for new databases
    Create index - sort records in a different ways
    Head - first database record
    Tail - last database record
    Browse - search database forward - summary
    Next - next record
    Curr - current record
    Prev - previous record
    Find - search by sort criteria
    Add - add a new record
    Edit - change an existing record
    Delete - delete an existing record
    Show - displays the image in the PIC field.
    Print - Print Inventory, Purchases or Sales.
    Show field names
    Show index names
    Show index definition
    Quit


  The SHOW function has a limitation that must be
  adhered to. For viewing images from within the
  database, GDS will only allow approximately 10
  images per session. After 10 showings of any
  combination of images, the viewer stops working.
  Simply exit the database, re-enter the database,
  FIND where you were previously and continue. The
  database SHOW function is for limited quick
  reference, not viewing the entire picture base.
  The suggestion is to use PICTURES (and LIB???
  pictures) to take in the beauty of the pictures.
  This is a viewer limitation and beyond the
  control of Arren-San Software.


  DATABASE TOOLS

  See Texts for additional database tools tips

  This set of procedures is applicable to any Gun
  Data Manager database.

  Any database needs basic maintenence procedures,
  and Gun Data Manager is no exception. Five
  different tools are included, but only pressdb
  can be invoked from within the application. These
  procedures will be so little used that direct
  access is a waste of program memory. To use these
  tools, simply go to the database directory,
  GUN \ DB and enter the tool desired.

    These procedures, in order of relative
  importance, and the necessary parameters are as
  follows:


  DATABASE COMPRESSION

  PRESSDB.EXE

  This tool will compress and rewrite ( clean up )
  the database. This is usually only necessary when
  heavy alterations have been made to a database.
  One instance where this is not true is when the
  database can only be accessed up to a certain
  point, but more data definitely exists. At that
  point, possibly a record has been corrupted or an
  index pointer is set incorrectly. A good rule of
  thumb is to run pressdb.exe after the addition or
  deletion of about 200 records, when a database is
  obviously not functioning properly, or when the
  database is performing noticeably slower than it
  has previously.

  This can be accomplished from within the 
  application by selecting "Compress" from the 
  Database menu. All four included databases will
  be rewritten with the proper index for each.
  Pressdb can be run stand-alone for an individual
  database, or for a database added by the user.

  To run pressdb.exe first go to the GUN \ DB
  subdirectory. Simply type "pressdb db", where db
  is the database desired. For example, "pressdb
  invent" will rewrite the inventory database. If
  the user simply types "pressdb", the program will
  prompt for the database desired.

     As with any utility, ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP OF
  THE FILE BEING MANIPULATED BEFORE MANIPULATING.
  For sensitive databases, make floppy backups, as
  the data manager can always be restored; the
  user's data, in the event of some disk malady,
  cannot.


  DATABASE EXTRACT

  DUMPDATA.EXE

   Dumpdata will extract all data from the database
  and display to the screen or redirect to a disk
  file. This is a raw dump where all that comes out
  is each database record, with fields listed in
  database order, delimited by a "|". A dump of the
  gun database would look like this:

  Stk # | Manuf | Model | Year | Serial # | etc.

  The dump will use any database and index desired.
  The syntax is as follows:

  Dumpdata database index [>outfile].

  For example, if the user simply types "dumpdata"
  the program will prompt for the database desired,
  then the index desired ( the default is the
  physical index, or how the data was entered ).
  For example, "dumpdata gun1 manumod >gundb" would
  dump the Gun database using the manumod index and
  create a file named gundb.

  DATABASE IMPORT AND EXPORT

  DBTODBF.EXE
  DBFTODB.EXE

  If the user currently uses dBase, or something
  compatible, these utilities will convert data
  from dBase to Gun Data Manager (dbftodb) or vice
  versa (dbtodbf). The syntax is "dbftodb" or
  "dbtodbf". Both have extensive prompts due to the
  information required ( file from, file to, how to
  handle data, etc ). These functions are included
  but not supported by Arren-San, and added as an
  accomodation only.


