Contents
QBase for Windows v1.0

Copyright Luis E. Quintana, 1994

Contents:

Introduction

Managing the List Box

Managing the Record Box

Entering Data

Templates

Printing


QBase for Windows v1.0

Copyright Luis E. Quintana, 1994

Welcome and thank you for trying out this first version of QBase for Windows!  This software was created to fill the gap between such simple software as Microsoft Cardfile and more advanced (and much more expensive) database software.  I hope you will agree that this software is infinitely more useful than Microsoft Cardfile and infinitely less expensive and complex than other small database type software for Windows.

QBase for Windows gives you the power to define and group together various types of fields and then to use those fields in a consistent manner to form a database based on that field configuration, or template.  Because of this database like flexibility, QBase for Windows can be used for virtually any data collecting application from telephone numbers to recipes to address book to....  In addition, the Print Control allows you to print any number of records, and any number of fields of those records in a simple and fast manner.  The central theme of Qbase for Windows is simplicity balanced with power and convenience.  This is reflected in all aspects of this software from list and record management to printing and template management.

QBase for Windows is shareware and the normal rules and practices associated with shareware software apply in whole to QBase for Windows.  One significant difference, however, is that this unregistered copy of Qbase for Windows can be used for as long as the user finds convenient before buying the software.  A point to remember, though, is that in this unregistered version there is a limit of 3 lists and 10 records; enough, I believe, to fully test all of this softwares unique features.

Enough of the formalities!  I hope you enjoy using QBase and if you have any suggestions PLEASE let me know and Ill do my best to incorporate all requests into any future versions.  If you do find this program useful, please register it by filling in the registration form and mailing it as well as the $8  Canadian funds registration fee to myself at the following address:

Luis E. Quintana

1205 Bloor St. West, 2nd Floor

Toronto, ON

M6A 1N4

Canada

Lastly, I can be reached via Internet at QUINTANAL@health.moh.gov.on.ca until September of 1994, after that I can be reached at QUINTAN@skule.ecf.toronto.edu until May of 1995, which is my last month at the University of Toronto!  Woo hoo!

Enjoy, and look for other Q software in the near future...

Luis E. Quintana

May 94


Managing the List Box

The List Box is a drop-down combination box found in the upper half of the List Window.  By default it appears as a single 1 line box with the name of the current list in it if any.  The List Box is used to Insert, Delete, and Rename lists of records.

Inserting:

To insert a new list, click on the List Box and then press the [Insert] key.  A dialog box will pop up asking you for the name of the new list.  Once you enter the name for the list (32 character maximum) click the OK button or press the [Enter] key and then you may go on to customize the template for this list.

Deleting:

To delete a list, click on the List Box and select the list to delete, and then press the [Delete] key or hit the right mouse button.  A dialog box will pop up asking for confirmation.  If you press the OK button then the list is permanently deleted from your hard drive so make sure you want to delete the list before clicking the OK button.

Renaming:

To rename a list, click on the List Box and select the list to rename, and then press the [Tab] key.  A dialog box will pop up asking for a new name for this list.  Once you enter the new name (maximum 32 characters) click the OK button to accept the name or click the CANCEL button to keep the old name.  If you chose to keep the new name, the list is reordered alphabetically into the set of existing lists.


Managing the Record Box

The Record Box is a list box found in the lower half of the List Window that contains the names of any records that belong to the current list.   The Record Box is used to Insert, Delete, and Rename records.

Inserting:

To insert a new record, click on the Record Box and then press the [Insert] key.  A dialog box will pop up asking you for the name of the new record.  Once you enter the name for the record (maximum 32 characters) click the OK button or press the [Enter] key and then you may go on to enter data for this record.

Deleting:

To delete a record, click on the Record Box and select the record to delete, and then press the [Delete] key or hit the right mouse button.  A dialog box will pop up asking for confirmation.  If you click the OK button or  press the [Enter] key then the record is deleted from memory and may be recovered by reloading the current list without first saving it.

Renaming:

To rename a record, click on the Record Box and select the record to rename, and then press the [Tab] key.  A dialog box will pop up asking for the new name for this record.  Once you enter the new name (maximum 32 characters) click the OK button to accept the name or click the CANCEL button to keep the old name.  If you chose to keep the new name, the record is reordered alphabetically into the set of existing records.


Entering Data

When entering data into a field, you can press the [Esc] key to jump to the next available field, or if there is none then you will jump to the List Box in the List Window.  Also, when in the List Box you can press the [Esc] key to jump to the Record Box directly below the List Box, and from the Record Box, you can jump back to the main window by pressing the [Esc] key as well.

When you give a name to an edit box, keep in mind that if you name the field Date or Time then whenever you insert a new record using this template, the field will be automatically filled for you with the current date and/or time.


Templates

The Template is the collection of boxes found in the main Qbase window.  These boxes can be any of the following three styles: edit box, multiline edit box, or checkbox.  Each box has a title associated with it that can be modified through the Template Editor.

The Template Editor:

The Template Editor is a dialog box in which, as the name implies, the template may be modified.  In it you may remove or add a field, change the type of a field, change the title of a field, or alter the order of the Template fields.

To add a new field to the Template: check an inactive fields State check box.

To remove a field from the Template: uncheck an active fields State check box.  Note: all data under a deactivated field will be lost but can be recovered by reloading the list from disk.

To change the type of  field: choose a new type from the Type drop down combo box.  If this field is active then you will be warned of a loss of data since data cannot be transferred across incompatible fields in this release of Qbase.  Note that any changes made in the Template Editor can be canceled simply by clicking the CANCEL button.

To change the name of a field: type a new name in the Title/Description edit box.

Fields may also be reordered.  To do this, click on the Title/Description edit box of the first field and then click on the EXCHANGE button to bring up a prompt for the field to exchange with.  Select a field and then click the OK button or CANCEL to leave the fields as they are.


Printing

Printing in Qbase is simple and at the same time flexible.  To print one or more records, click on the Main | Print Record... submenu.  A Print Control dialog will pop up in which you can select the records you want to print and then print them using the defaults or you can customize the printout through the OPTIONS button.

Print Options:

From the Print Options dialog you can:  select the fields you want to print, select whether you want the record titles to be printed, and select whether you want to indent the data part of the printouts.