SEPTEMBER STARTS HERE. - THIS FOLLOWS PAGE 83 IN GEE!BASE. Subj: What has worked for me... Date: 93-09-01 17:54:00 EDT From: RCantrell I have found the learning curve for GeoFile to be pretty steep. That is partly because I knew just enough about dBaseIII plus to be dangerous and absolutely nothing about any spreadsheet. But I have found a fairly efficient way to work around that state of affairs. I logged on to AOL, selected Logging from the file menu and named a file for (GeoWorks Pro which I have kept on my hard drive and from which I enter AOL). Then every text on AOL which my mouses pointer touches is automatically entered into that file. I saved that file name, and left that menu by by clicking OK. Next I selected Find since from the Applications button and went back to May 1, for the category GeoFile. Then I clicked on each successive post down to the present. I think that took about 20 minutes. I concluded my session by going back to file and selecting Logging again and selected close. In GeoWorks Pro I have a template set up in URW mono for AOL logging. I inserted the text file I had just logged from AOL. Then I exited Pro and came back up in Geos20. From there I moved the document from Pro into Geos20 and proceeded to print it out using low quality and text mode. With my format I got 65 pages. Now I have four months of discussion of problems and their solutions which - sort of a text book on GeoFile. I have read it through completely making notes of which pages particular problems are discussed. So far I have found all my problems dealt with or learned that GeoFile doesnt do that - yet! When I get around to GeoCalc, I will use the same technique. This doesnt mean that I promise not to ever ask for help, but it ought to cut down on the requests and make the questions more intelligible. I only wish I had used this approach back when we were confined to Pro. Finally, I want to join those who are asking for the ability to import into an existing file as well as that ability in GeoWrite in 2.0. It sure comes in handy in Pro still!. In fact, if you hve room on your hard disk for it, I really recommend keeping Pro or even reinstalling it. Dick Cantrell Subj: To Dick Cantrell Date: 93-09-02 00:12:41 EDT From: GWRep MK It sounds to me like you've gotten together an excellent guide for us all. Have you considered zipping it all up and uploading it the library here. I'm sure others would grab it in a second. Also, another source of information you didn't mention is the GeoInfo database on here. You can search it for GeoFile and find more useful information, I am sure. A lot of it comes from the very postings you got so it may be duplicative. But you may find more you can use. Marshall Kragen Head Librarian Subj: Drag and Drop w/ Geofile Date: 93-09-05 12:50:07 EDT From: DOZ57 I attempted to "drag & drop a section of highlighted text from one Geofile database to another open database. The pointer changed and seemed to copy the data, but when I released the mouse button the text didn't appear in the 2nd DB. Did I do something wrong, or is Geofile not capable of performing this function? Subj: You did nothing wrong Date: 93-09-06 20:57:29 EDT From: SilntObsvr DOZ57, you've found one of the things GeoFile doesn't support: any version of QuickCopy/QuickMove. You CAN copy/cut and paste from one to another, but you have to go via the clipboard... B( Subj: Printing record numbers Date: 93-09-08 09:53:59 EDT From: RCantrell I am working on a discography of the opera tenor, Tito Schipa. I have successfully created a layout for my general file as well as a layout for a multirecord printout with one line for each disc. I want to have a short field of three digits at the extreme left of each line which automatically shows the number of the record in the list - in other words the same number as appears in the Record Control Panel (p. 17.9 in the manual, "3" in that example. Thus when I insert a new record in the file, all the subsequent records will automatically show a correced number. This will enable me to type in the record number in the Record Control Panel and go straight to that record in the file. As it is now I have to use the find feature and type in a key string and then search, or else scroll through all the files. I cannot imagine that this feature is missing, but try as I may, I can find no reference to it in the manual. And of course the index is nearly useless!. If you have already crossed this bridge, I would really appreciate a tip on how to do it! Thanks, Dick Cantrell P.S. Ain't Ensemble 2.0 terrific! Subj: RCantrell.. record number Date: 93-09-08 12:37:13 EDT From: GW Steve If there's a way to include the record number automatically in a field, I haven't found it. If the database is sorted, the record number as shown in the Control Panel would change anyway. The one way I've found to generate a unique number in each record is by using the NOW() function. Unfortunately, it yields a rather lengthy number (it's actually the date and time). Steve Subj: Sheet of identical labels Date: 93-09-08 16:48:19 EDT From: RCantrell One more GeoFile question: I have seen references in various posts to the possiblity of printing an entire sheet or strip of identical mailing labels. I am having no trouble printing assorted labels, but for the life of me I have not found a direct and elegant way to duplicate records so that they will turn up in the label layout. Nor does there seem to be any way even to quick copy the records one at a time. Thanks for any suggestions you have. Dick Subj: labels... Date: 93-09-09 00:16:14 EDT From: GW Steve What I do if I want a whole page of the same label, like for my own return address labels, is to simply set up a template page in Draw or Write and paste in the one address over and over. You could also use the mail merge feature to do the same thing, merging just the one address many times. Steve Subj: SilntObsvr Date: 93-09-09 12:09:25 EDT From: DOZ57 Thanks for answering my query. Unfortunately this means a rather slw transfer process; I was moving info from a damaged datbase into a new one. Thanks again---Eric Subj: Duplicating Records Date: 93-09-16 23:04:08 EDT From: H Hawk Is there a quick way to duplicate the contents of all the fields in one record into the blank fields of a new record? The only way I've found is; 1. to retype each field in the new record 2. to copy and paste each field separately which is very tedious and actually takes longer than retyping everything 3. creating default entries in design and then going back and changing them. MS/Works has a "Duplicate record" command. Does Geofile have anything equivalent? Could someone suggest a better way than those mentioned above? I love everything about Geoworks and have been a long time user going back to my Commodore C64 days. H_Hawk Subj: H Hawk/No "duplicate"... Date: 93-09-17 00:03:40 EDT From: GWRep Neal Unfortunately, GeoFile does not have a "duplicate last field or record" option. Neal Subj: Marking records Date: 93-09-22 20:04:16 EDT From: Terry7000 It was suggested that I try this question in this area, so with a little cut and paste here's my question again. "We should be able to use the "mark by formula" option in a layout without having it effect any other layouts for the same database. For instance, I would like to have ONE database with a "entry form" layout and then use the "mark by" option in a "report" layout that would not have any effect on anyother layout that I would build. As it stands now, it seems I have to redo the "mark by" formula every time I switch layouts. Am I missing something, or is this a needed feature?" "Terry" Also this there a way to customize the tool bars in Geofile? I can find the "menu" to do so in Geowrite and Geodraw, but not in Geofile. And if someone is taking notes, PLEASE try to get back to the menu format that you had in Geopro, which is STANDARDIZED. In GeoPro we could expect the same menu layout in Geowrite or Geodraw. If you don't understand what I mean just try to find the menu to custmize the tool bars in Geowrite, then go to Geodraw and it's in a different spot. Likewise with changing handle sizes. There is no reason in this whole wide world, that these menu's should be laid out without regard to their "fellow" app's. I thought this was one of GeoPro's greatest assest's. Without it, "Look and Feel" is NOT. Terry Subj: Size of Calculations Date: 93-09-22 21:56:38 EDT From: LaLo I have found that GeoFile can only hold up to a set number of characters when setting a Field Expressoin. Can it also only handle a set number of Calculating Fields? I am tring to create a Sales Ticket for my buisness which requires GeoFile to do a large amount of Mathamatical and "If(AND)" conditions in order to arrive at a Total Sale Price. I am talking about using 150 to 200 seperate Fields each with either a five to seven part Mathamaticl or Conditional expression in them. I am not using a CoProcessor, and I only have the Complete Communicator "CCOM" loaded in my Auto.BAT with only HIMEN , SmartDrive, and Dos High in my Config.SYS. If you want any more info send my and EMial. I would be more than happy to elaborate on my Problem. LaLo Subj: Terry7000... Date: 93-09-26 18:20:22 EDT From: Illini1970 I've done a lot of neat stuff with GeoFile, but I don't think it's possible to get the marking routines to stick with just one layout leaving any others alone. In everything I've done marking has included all layouts. I agree that separate marking for different layouts would be a nifty feature. Any Rep to push this up the line? By the way - I recently discovered to get marking towork with a calculated field EACH record in the database has to have had that field calculated with a number not a blank (ie no blanks in the calculated field). Kind of a pain - and something that might need to be looked at for future improvements... John ;-) Subj: 3- Wide Mailing Labels Date: 93-09-26 00:49:41 EDT From: JoeGizmos Has anyone had any success printing 3-wide by 10 standard laze printouts. I read the book and the numbers setforth on page 19.51 did not work. I tried adjusting margins to 0 in so that I could use 2.83 in (1/3 of a page) but it would not change the margins in multi mode. I had to adjust them graphically by grabbing "handles" and adjusting then I had to enter O in in the setup. It seems to me that I should just be able to adjust these margins in the page setup. Anyhow I tried printing this way but the program kept telling me that a full page could not be printed. When I ignored the strech to fit mode and printed actual a few characters were left off even though the graphical representation in design/mutimode clearly showed all three wide labels fitting on one page. There must be a better way. I would think that what fits inside a single record would fit in that record when printed. It would be great if this entire area would be redone. I like the graphical representation but I would implement it differently. I suggest vertical and horizontal rulers that could be used to determine exactly where margins and useable label areas would be located by simply creating a tab by clicking on the margin area as implemented in GEOWrite. The tabs would be different - a start tab and and end tab. I'll keep dreaming in the mean time any suggestions to my problem? Subj: JoeGizmo, labels Date: 93-09-26 06:28:04 EDT From: GW Steve The values in the manual are an example that might or might not apply to your specific printer and label stock. I've had to do a bit of trial and error with record size and page/paper size on various printers and with various label stock when printing three across labels from GeoFile. Another approach you could take would be to export the fields you want to a CSV file. Then import the CSV file as if it were an ASCII file into GeoWrite. In GeoWrite, you could use Find/Replace to quickly and easily remove the quotes and commas and replace them with carriage returns as appropriate. The three columns would be easy to set up in Write, as would changes t font and point size. Steve Subj: Printing labels Date: 93-09-26 10:33:22 EDT From: GWRep MK There are some templates in the library that I use daily to print 3 wide labels very successfully. They are GeoDraw labels, but there's no problem just quick copying your info from Write to Draw and then using them. I especially like them because they have printed the borders of the labels so I can be sure where I am, yet these annotations do not then print out. Subj: GWRep MK - Labels Date: 93-09-26 23:21:22 EDT From: JoeGizmos Thanks for getting back to me but I am not sure how this will help. How do I use these 3-wide templates in GeoFile and what are the names of the files in the library? Thanks Subj: Printing Problems Date: 93-09-26 23:29:15 EDT From: JoeGizmos GeoFile has also caused me some other problems. When I try to print in postscript it will only print one page then sits there until the que is empty. ALL is selected and I have tried both print spoolers. The list I am currently printing is 4 pages and I can select and print each page individually. I have know problem of this kind in GeoWrite using my PCPI printer with mulitiple pages. I also notice the printing is about 4-6 times slower in GeoFile than Write or Draw. I am not printing boxes only text (Roman-9pt). Can you please pass this info onto your programers and let me know if this has been seen by others or verified by Geoworks. I also have HPII emulation and the speed problem is the same but I can print multiple pages. Thanks again, Joe Subj: Labels Date: 93-09-26 23:33:04 EDT From: GWRep MK The way you would get this to work is to copy the material into GeoDraw and then print there. Subj: LATE, BUT... Date: 93-09-16 23:49:15 EDT From: GWRep Don Here is my experience with <>, all of which has been obtained in the past month at my new job. As stated, the Index_Field will come into a Merged document exactly as it is entered in GeoDex. What I have done with Address books is have the Index_Field entered as Doctor, Mr.,Mrs., ect... A second Address book is used for actual phone numbers and such. It is a pain, but since I needed to divide the major GeoDex into mailers it worked OK. Second, I <> GeoFile information into letters. For this, I use formulas to convert my data base's NAME field to seperate Fields: M_FNAME for first name, M_LNAME for last name, and M_MI for middle initial. I'm still working on the formula for M_TITLE (the Jr., Sr. III, ect...). Last, I used a formula for Saluation, which uses the GENDER field of my data base to figure out weather to use Mr. or Ms. in the DEAR section. The saluation is followed by the M_LNAME field to complete that name. All the GeoFile stuff is easy with a new data base, but if you have records already, you will need to go back to each record and force the new fields to update by changing the data in the NAME field. Hope this helps someone:) GWRep Don Subj: Merges Date: 93-09-24 20:51:10 EDT From: Argent I would like to see something in setting up a mail merge doc in GeoWrite that Q&A has had for a long time (if I remember correctly!)--i.e., the ability to choose not only the database file but also the fields within the file. This makes it very easy to set up a document & saves a lot of headaches in typing errors, remembering fild names, etc. Just another thought for the wish list! Argent Subj: Argent/merges... Date: 93-09-24 23:22:16 EDT From: GWRep Neal Selecting which fields you want to use in merge document is done in GeoWrite, just by writing in the fields. For instance, if my file consists of 5 fields: Name Address City State Zip and I only want to use Name and Address in my GeoWrite merge document, I only use <> and <
> in my document. Or did you mean something else? Neal Subj: Lil Critters Date: 93-09-02 22:10:09 EDT From: BigBore I've noticed a minor (but annoying) little fluke. I created a form for my mailing list and I noticed that when I flip from one record to the next the bottom most row of pixels on each line does not get ersed. If you flip thru enough records each text line eventually gets completely underlined by a row of pixels. Subj: GeoFile Mail Merge Date: 93-09-03 02:44:29 EDT From: SteveShell Last night I attempted to perform a mail merge using data in an existing dBASE file. The database contains 40 records. I imported the database and saved it in GeoFile format. I then exported it to the clipboard. Then, I pulled up GeoWrite and custom designed a #10 envelope to fit the occasion. I then saved the envelope. Then, I attempted to print the envelopes, invoking merge all. GeoWrite began merging. When it reached record 12, I received a warning that GEOS was low on system recource handles. The merge continued. About record two, I was dropped to DOS, received a message to the effect that GEOS was out of memory. At this point, ALL of my available memory was allocated. Norton Anit-Virus prevented me from accessing any files, due to insufficient memory. I was forced to reboot. I spent hours trying to get things working and concluded that (1) GeoWrite's Mail Merge feature could not cope with GeoFile being active, it would cause a system crash (2) GeoWrite's Mail Merge feature could not cope with many records at once. To solve the problems, I split the database into three files, each with 12 records and made sure to close GeoFile before invoking Mail Merge. Are my problems unique? ---SteveShell Subj: Steve, merge Date: 93-09-03 10:04:04 EDT From: GW Steve Your problem is not unique in that mail merge does require substantial conventional memory. However, I've not heard of anyone running into that limitation with only 40 records. I've successfully merged over 150 records. I suggest reducing conventional memory needs as much as possible when attempting a large mail merge. Close any other applications that you do not need while running the merge--and especially close GeoManager, which uses substantial system resources. Steve Subj: GW Steve: conv. memory Date: 93-09-04 22:08:06 EDT From: SteveShell In regard to the problems I was having with GeoFile to GeoWrite Mail Merge... I currently have around 600k of conventional memory under DR DOS 6, and I have 3 Megabytes of available EMS/XMS, not to mention about 10 Megabytes of disk space, so I would hope memory was not a problem in this case. One note: the envelope design did include a GeoDraw vector/text design (originally done in Pro and later upgraded to 2.0) which was scaled down in GeoDraw 2.0 and pasted to the graphic layer in GeoWrite 2.0. And the database in question was fairly simple in design, with only the typical name-address-phone information plus a short "other information" field. This should not be much of a memory hog. ---SteveShell Subj: <> LIMITS Date: 93-09-17 00:08:49 EDT From: GWRep Don After extensive use of <> over the last month, I have discovered some things: 1. I can only merge 25 - 30 records at a time. During the merging process, you can see the merge 'countdown' get slower and slower. I use a Zenith 486 /w 8 meg memory. 2. If I get the 'Low on Handles' error, as soon as I select , I need to cancle the printing cycle because before the next record is merged, the system will crash. However, when I cancle the printing, I need to exit GeoWrite (without saving changes) because the last record being merged replaces the merge fields in the GeoWrite document. 3. When doing 25 records at a time, it appears that GeoWrite doesn't clean up house completly. After merging 25 records twice, the system presents me with low handle messages. I have resorted to merging 25 records twice, then exiting/restarting GeoWrite and continuning. Just some information I have learned. Any suggestions? Steve, I'll remember to shut down GeoManage when merging:) GWRep Don Subj: File names with spaces Date: 93-09-18 19:55:27 EDT From: Stutucker If I Create New Field in GeoFile where the Field name contains a space, the "space" can be entered using the spacebar or the underline character. The Fields in Current Layout shows the Field nme with an underline character to show the space. However, the underline character is inconsistently displayed in the Data Entry Form as the Field name or field example within the box. Also, there seems to be no GeoFile test for Field names that could pose problems in mail merging or database management; examples include "untrimmed" field names with trailing "spaces" or double spaces within them. Subj: Stutucker... Date: 93-09-18 21:43:13 EDT From: GWRep Neal What you describe isn't a bug, but an intentionally-designed feature. Most databases do not allow field names that include spaces. Though there might be a few that do, GeoFile is one that doesn't. To accommodate field names with spaces, an underscore is used. However, unlike many databases, the field *label* that appears on screen is only what I like to call a human convenience... GeoFile keeps track of all fields internally. (You can delete all field labels on screen and GeoFile could care less.) For instance, you can create a field with the default name of "Field_1," or you can write your own field label in before you click Create. You can also create a field with the default name of "Field_1" or any other name, and then edit that field label once it appears on screen. It's just text. As a nod towards its human user, GeoFile drops the underscore from the label when it displays it onscreen, *but the real name of the field still includes the underscore.* For instance, your field label might read "Field 1" but if you want to specify it in a formula or mail merge, you need to do so by typing "Field_1." Likewise, if you edit the field label called "Field_1" *onscreen* after you create it, the field name is still "Field_1" as far as GeoFile is concerned. If *you* intentionally include an underscore in a field name when creating it, then GeoFile will display the underscore. Since you included it, GeoFile assumes you want it there. That field names also appear within the field boxes without underscores, that I suppose is a convenience, too, for cnsistency. <> I'm not sure what you're saying here. Are you saying you've found certain field names that seem to pose problems, or that there's no way to find out *if* a field name would cause a problem? Why assume there would be a problem with any field name? If GEOS accepts your field name, then it will accept that name wherever you use it... in a formula, in mailmerge. Just remember to call it by its real name... and that means including underscores. If you've actually found something that doesn't seem to mesh with what I've said, please let us know. Neal Subj: GWRep Neal on Field name Date: 93-09-25 15:50:36 EDT From: Stutucker Thanks for your review. The basic premise of a GUI, especially Geos, is that the screen displays the true form of your input. It is disconcerting for that not to hold true always in GeoFile. For example, my concerns would be alleviated by a dialog box appearing when I am Creating a New Field with a disallowed character saying: GeoFile does not allow Field names with "space" characters. "Underline" characters are automatically substituted for "space" characters within Field names. Further, the default presentation on the screen of the Field name should contain the "underline" character. There is some inconsistency about the display of underline characters in Field names on the Data Entry screen. If I type "Addressline1" as a field name, I may get "Address_line 1" as the field name on the Data Entry screen, and this can vary between a 2 line vs. 1 line display, depending on the length of the field label handles box. If I try to create a disallowed Field name like " Nick _name__", GeoFile should notify me 1)that leading and trailing and double spaces and underlines are not allowed and 2) trim out the extras and ask for confirmation hat the field name "Nick_name" is appropriate. It would be nice to have a Mail Merge option under the Edit menu of GeoWrite. This would get you a list of GeoFile databases, which would lead you to a pick list of Field names, which could be dragged and dropped into a GeoWrite document. Subj: Stutucker... Date: 93-09-25 18:12:31 EDT From: GWRep Neal I agree with your suggestion for a GeoWrite EDIT>Mail Merge item for a list of available drop and drag field names. Nice idea! Neal Subj: names Date: 93-09-25 22:59:18 EDT From: IMJerry >I agree with your suggestion for a GeoWrite EDIT>Mail Merge item for a list of available drop and drag field names. Nice idea! That is a good idea. I have a similar feature in the text based Enable program where you can pick and choose the database field names from a list. They are then pasted into the wp document. Subj: Geofile output, mailmerge Date: 93-09-24 13:24:46 EDT From: MoscowBob I've entered some basic directory info to geofile, using mailmerge template. I now want to bring it into Geowrite to create a three-column phone, address directory. I've read the book, tried various things, but no luck. Can you take me step by step? --Moscowbob Subj: MoscowBob Date: 93-09-25 00:28:56 EDT From: GW Steve What you describe is not a function of any MailMerge feature that I've used. Mail merge takes the data from one record in the database and puts it in one copy of a word processing document. Then it takes the data from the next record and puts it into the next copy of the word processing document. What you want to do, if I understand right, is to put all the records into one document. For that, I would not use MailMerge. Instead, I'd create a new Multi-record layout in GeoFile which contains only the fields you desire and fits as many records as possible onto one page. The basics of that procedure are covered in book two, starting on page 19.48. The example at the top of page 19.51 is perhaps similar to what you want. Here's somewhat of a step by step for you.... create a new layout - in that new layout, place only the fields that you want - in Design mode, drag the fields around in the upper left corner of the page and resize them so they appear the way you want them for one record, delete the field names if you want to, delete the field borders if you want (Properties, Field Edges). - in Page Size, reduce the Single Record Size... for three columns, the width would need to be about 2.5 inches, height perhaps an inch, depending on how many lines and fields, might take a little trial and error to find the size that "just" fits your layout. - switch to multirecord mode and data entry mode to see how things look - print Steve Subj: Help me save my database Date: 93-09-17 16:46:18 EDT From: DMSMEISTER We have had several problems with editing a database in GeoFile. What happens is when we edit the database we are having a problem where we are unable to even save the database changes or perform data entry. Now we have a database that will not open and I fear we have lost all the data. Am I wrong? Please say YES!!! How do I fix this problem. P L E A S E H E L P !!!!! Subj: DMS, KR-01? Date: 93-09-18 05:07:01 EDT From: GW Steve Are you getting a KR-01 error when you try to open the database? KR-01 is "divide by zero" error, which usually means the file is corrupt. If the file is indeed corrupt, then there's little you can do except restore from a backup or try to use a software that will let you gather any ASCII text that might be recoverable from the file. Are you able to open other databases in GeoFlie successfully? (if not, then maybe you need to reinstall Ensemble 2.0, or some of its files...) Have you run CHKDSK? Steve Subj: Bug-fix for GeoFile Date: 93-09-20 20:43:24 EDT From: TDWoodward I have encountered bug after bug in GeoFile. Or, I should say, I get the overall impression that GeoFile isn't quite up-to-snuff. It certainly doesn't seem to be as rugged as the other GREAT programs like GeoCalc and GeoWrite. Will there be a bug fix for eoFile? Subj: Bug fixes Date: 93-09-21 00:13:37 EDT From: GWRep MK I'm not sure just what bugs you are referring to, but then I don't use GeoFile, either, so I'm hardly the expert to look to. But if there are any critters lurking out there, be assured they are worked on and when the engineers feel they have fixes make them available in some way or another. A timetable for such things we don't have. Subj: GeoRep MK Date: 93-09-22 14:55:41 EDT From: TDWoodward OK GeoRep MK. Spend a week creating a GeoFile dBase, treak it till its just right, then experience the utter frustration of watching all your work go to hell as GeoFile crashes your system and corrupts your dBase. What do you do? You can't do anything but start over. I think if you tried this, you'd get a timeline on the GeoFile bug fix pretty quick. Subj: TDWoodward... Date: 93-09-22 16:41:22 EDT From: GWRep Neal <> Like GWRepMK, I understand your frustration, but you haven't given us much information with which to comment or work. It's impossible for us to know whether the apparent problem you experienced really has something to do with Ensemble or some aspect of your system setup. In general, though, it makes good sense to keep backup copies of database data files at each stage of development... no matter who's database application you're using; database data files are among the most easily corruptable because they depend on an exact sequence of data that is too easily skewed up by user error, disk integrity problems or sudden lack of disk space. Some database applications come with a file repair or table repair (as the case may be) utility that will at least make an *attempt* to repair a corrupted database data file, and the reasons noted above are why such utilities are sometimes included. And where such utilities are included, they never come with guarantees. If you could provide some real information, like what you were doing when your file "[went] to hell," what error message (if any) youreceived, the system you're running on and how much conventional memory at system boot, total system ram, total free harddrive space, the size of your GeoFile file and the number of records it contains... then we'd have a starting point. What MK said about timetables is the truth; unfortunately, writing software is not like ordering fast food or mailing a FedEx package. Neal Subj: Second that motion Date: 93-09-22 17:19:39 EDT From: GWRep MK I use Paradox as one of the mainstays of my work. I have found that if anything goes wrong with my hard drive, the data in there, and it's several megs in size, will get damaged. So I back it up regularly, even though Paradox comes with a repair utility. I strongly recommend, as Neal did, that databases be treated with that respect. I learned after typing in a month's worth of stuff after it was corrupted. And do send us more detailed info. Subj: Backing up with GeoFile Date: 93-09-22 18:53:57 EDT From: TDWoodward One of the greatest problems with GeoFile is that you never know when you're working with a corrupted file until its too late. When you back up, you may be backing up a corrupted dBase. There's no indication, sometimes, when your file is corrupted. I'll get you additional information. I've been keeping notes. Subj: Errors and Corruption Date: 93-09-22 21:35:56 EDT From: LaLo I must agree with TDWoodward in so far as GeoFile can be diffucult to work with. I recently have been tring to create a sales ticket for my Picture Framing store using GeoFile. I have tried several times and each attepmt was met with either a KR-09,07,or 04 Error messages, and when I would press "E" to exit cleanly I could never bring up that perticular GeoFile again with out an error messages. I have placed "rem" on any and all Auto and Config programs or devices, and I have loaded from a "SYS" disk in my "A" drive, but still I get some eror messages which I try to create a Sales Ticket. I must admit though that the Sales ticket has a lot of "IF" parameters as well as gneral Mathamatical equations which our probably what is causing my system to crash. And before you say it I have tried breading my equatios up into small pieces and summing them in a seperate feild, and still I get the error messages. Perhaps I could create this ticket if GeoFile could Link seperate Databases lick Parodox for Windows can! LaLo Subj: Backing up Date: 93-09-22 23:11:52 EDT From: GWRep MK There is always a possibility when backing up that the very file being backed up is corrupted. But that is the principle behind backing up. If you have backed up previously, and then make a 2nd backup independent of that one, you have a fallback. You may be a little behind in your data, but you do have a starting point beyond the beginning. And the next time you back up, if all is successful you are that much farther down the road. Subj: Linking databases Date: 93-09-22 23:13:48 EDT From: GWRep MK GeoFile cannot link databases and is not intended to. It is a flat file database, Paradox is relational. Those having need of such a relational database should take that into account and realize they will need a much more sophisticated, much more expensive piece of software. I am one of those people requiring such relational work, and that is why I use Paradox. Subj: Bug or just bugged? Date: 93-09-23 02:36:13 EDT From: TDWoodward GWRep Neal System software: DR-DOS 6.0 with 4/92 and 3/93 updates. Will transmit text of AutoExec.Bat & Config.Sys, but FILES=120, and HIBUFFERS=30, as they should be. SHARE is 80, I think. Memory: 2mb with 1408kb (1.4 mb) or so as LIM/XMS (TaskMax). Hard Drive: 40 mb, SSTOR compressed. No drive cacheing. Less than 20mb space is left. I reformated the hard drive before I installed Geos2.0. (I backed up first, reformatted HD, reinstalled DR-DOS with all updates, then installed Geos2.0. Gave me an excuse to do HD house cleaning. AOL is loaded from 1.5 upgrade as application only.) Processor: 386sx-16. Video: Herc. Mono Mouse: MicroSpeed bus trackball. GeoWorks set to: Nothin Else Works. Printer: Epson LQ-510 Have received consistent KR-09 and occasional KR-07's when working with dBase in Data Entry mode; deleting or adding records. After seeing weirdness like blank-extra spaces in the tab-order dialog box, inability to save new tab order from SAVE in FILE menu, weird export field mapping menu's (like the same export field map listed the entire length of the scroll window)... Have also received a KR-15: Low on resource handles, upon selecting to create a new record. When handles were increased, I got a KR-07, and "E" did not exit to DOS. Tried /nomem, but system locked and SSTOR reported an error (SWAP corrupted), and locked out writes to hard drive. I have tried redoing the dBase I wanted--starting from scratch--but whenever I switch from Design to DataEntry and try to add or delete a record, the system crashes. It sometimes crashes horribly, even erasing my BIOS info. I've created dozens of dBases before in dBase and PC-File, know the routine, have always backed up, fixed problems, worked around and identified bugs, but GeoFile's got me stumped. Trying to remember this from memory. I'm not at work now. I'm typing this from the relative safety of my Mac at home. Invoice, with 20 rows for 20 items. (ITEM1,QTY1,PRICE1,COST1...) with a TOTAL field at bottom. No subtotals or taxes to compute. Fields for (INV_DATE, INV_NO, PROJ_NO, COMPANY, ADDRESS1, ADDRESS2, CITY, STATE, ZIP, TERMS, PROJ_NAME, PROJ_ADDR, SYSTEM, PO_NO). Contains over 100 fields total, including 20 hidden fields (FIELDCOST1) for calculating and keeping the COST fields blank instead of displaying $0.00 down the length of the Invoice. Calculations: COST#-if(iserr(COSTFIELD#),"",if(COSTFIELD [does no equal] 0,string(COSTFIELD#,2),"")) TOTAL-IF(ISERR(TOTALFIELD),"",STRING(TOTALFIELD,2)) THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT DISPLAYED IN LAYOUT. COSTFIELD#-if(qty#=value(""),value(""),product(qty#,price#)) SUBFIELD-sum(costfield#,.....) TOTALFIELD-ROUND(SUBFIELD,2) Again, these are from memory. They may not be totally accurate. The Inoice GeoFile does not contain any records. Previously tried importing PC-File Invoice dBase, and designing it that way, but after encountering so many problems, I decided to create a blank dBase in GeoFile and go from there. The records in PC-File were fairly old anyway. Tried everything I know and everything I read; nomem, handles, boot from disk, reinstall, frequent backups, with TaskMak/without TaskMax, reset Geos... Subj: GeoRepMK/Backing up Date: 93-09-23 02:39:21 EDT From: TDWoodward "If you have backed up previously, and then make a 2nd backup independent of that one, you have a fallback." Um. There is one backup command in GeoFile, and I don't remember it asking for a file name. There is only one backup made, it's not incremental. I back up frequently, in my paranoid state. Subj: Second backups Date: 93-09-23 13:30:11 EDT From: GWRep MK You can make a second backup by going to GeoManager and asking it to copy the file under a new name. Subj: Backup GeoFile Date: 93-09-23 14:55:49 EDT From: TDWoodward Ah. I see. A work around the Backup command. Switch out from GeoFile to GeoManager, copy your database or the databases backup under a different name. Subj: Sorting this out... Date: 93-09-23 18:36:11 EDT From: GWRep Neal A backup file, by it's very nature, is simply a second copy of the file you happen to be working on. It's not an opportunity to rename the file, nor does a backup function usually provide a way to create a "series" of backups.... you create one backup and if you choose to backup the file at a later development stage, you don't create a different file... the original backup is overwritten with the updated file information. This is the way it works in Ensemble. In Windows. And on the Macintosh. Ensemble 2.0 offers more ways to Sunday to protect and create "backup" files in the broader sense. At any step of the way you can choose... 1. FILE>Backup and make a standard backup file. 1. FILE>Save As to create a copy of your current document with a new name; 3. FILE>OTHER>Copy Toand copy the document to a different directory giving it, if you want, a new name in the process. 4. DOCUMENT SAFEGUARDING from Preferences. I believe it's safe to say that no other platform or computing environment offers as many levels of data file protection, and you can perform three out of the four options from right inside the major applications; no need to go to GeoManager in Ensemble 2.0, not even for file renaming. Neal Subj: Buggy GeoFile (and Calc) Date: 93-09-23 22:17:41 EDT From: OLEGGIO Somehow, some way, both GeoFile and GeoCalc seem to mess with memory in ways other GeoApps don't (maybe a different design philosophy, it may be slick programming but it makes the programs very finicky on hardware set-up). The crashes aren't well behaved, either. Every time one of them crashes on my system, I automatically just kiss off the file I was working on. They are just too sensitive to the memory set-up on ones's computer (I haven't gotten mine right yet). Or is it that these are version 1, and as one shouldn't trust a GM car first year out, one shouldn't trust a piece of software first year out. (Geoworks v.1 was bulletproof in comparison, however). -Oleggio Subj: Get in-line GeoFile! Date: 93-09-24 02:23:02 EDT From: TDWoodward One thing I've noticed about GeoFile is that it's not wholly consistent with the other programs as far as feature set. As an example, all the other programs have screen redraw and undo, but GeoFile doesn't have any of those. Subj: TDWoodward... Date: 93-09-24 23:34:48 EDT From: GWRep Neal TDW... the basic problem with your file seems to be that you forgot to include the "engine room" in your database. What I mean by "engine room" are the 22 fields which calculate the entries for your invoicing fields. By leaving them out of the Layout, you left them out of the database. Since the 22 fields are computed fields which the database needs to operate, I guess things got a bit confusing without them. I agree it would be nice to have some kind of window flag for these situaions; I don't know that it's possible, but I'll forward the suggestion for the engineers to consider. Once I created a new Layout consisting of the 20 COSTFIELD fields, the SUBFIELD and the TOTALFIELD, I was able to move from DESIGN to DATA ENTRY, and enter data, without a problem. So please try the following: 1. Open the file. 2. Select LAYOUT>Create New Layout. 3. Move the 20 COSTFIELD fields plus the SUBFIELD and TOTALFIELD into this new layout. (You can select and move up to 20 fields at a time.) 4. Give the new Layout a name... maybe something "Calculated Fields" or hey! even "Engine Room" :-) -- Just kidding! 5. Choose FILE>Save As and give the file a new name, perhaps Invoices Database 1. 6. Close the file and open the file. (This step is gratuitous.) You should now be able to switch from Design to Data Entry. By the way, you appear to have errors in the following fields: SUBFIELD TOTALFIELD COSTFIELD_13 COSTFIELD_14 Good luck... and please keep us up to date! Neal P.S. You never have to look at the new, second layout containing the computed fields if you don't want to... but they do need to be present and accounted for in order for the database to work. Subj: Left out fields Date: 93-09-25 19:46:43 EDT From: TDWoodward There is an Ivoice dBase for GeoFile avail. online here that is designed the same way, with some of the fields not in the layout, but things seem to function rather well with it. Maybe I just don't understand what it is you're telling me. Subj: Your work is appreciated... Date: 93-09-25 19:48:50 EDT From: TDWoodward I'll try what you said within a few days. I'll let you know what happens. I feel hopefull. Thanks for your diligence and assistance. Subj: Final questions Date: 93-09-25 19:57:27 EDT From: TDWoodward So I assume my configuration was OK? I am wondering about HADLES. Where should it be set for my system? 2000,2500,3000,35000.... Subj: TDWoodward... Date: 93-09-25 21:40:03 EDT From: GWRep Neal You're correct the invoice files in the library contain similar filds that are not in any active layout... it puts a wrinkle into my thinking re: the source of the problems you've been having, but here's the history of what I did... 1. Remove "fused" 1.x graphic, choose SAVE AS to save database to a new file. This action didn't help. 2. Move the computed fields into a (new) layout. SAVE AS to a new file. This let me move from DESIGN to DATA ENTRY and enter data. What I would do at this point is to fix whatever errors may be happening in the four computed fields I mentioned. Then you can play with leaving the fields out of the layout, having them in a layout... with and without the fused, 1.x updated GeoWrite graphic (if you find you need to do that graphic over, after all, it should be considerably less time-consuming in 2.0.). My handles are currently at 2500; you can try 3000 and see if that makes a difference on your system. Neal Subj: GWRepNeal Date: 93-09-27 14:30:58 EDT From: TDWoodward I appreciate your work to solve this problem. Will let you know what happens when I get back to the Geos computer sometime after Tuesday. Again, I appreciate all your work. Curious about that contradiction thought...fields kept in or out of a layout; why it works in one dBase but not another. Subj: Hmmm. Date: 93-09-28 17:04:53 EDT From: TDWoodward Changed handles to 2500. Moved computed fields not in any layout into a seperate layout. Fixed fields with errors. Saved dBase with new name. Quit GeoFile, double-clicked new dBase to start up GeoFile. Switched to Data Entry, system reported KR-07, hit "E", but had to use Cntrl-Alt-Del to finally exit to DOS prompt. Subj: Up handles Date: 93-09-28 17:08:35 EDT From: GWRep MK I'd up your handles to the max, 3500, and see if all is well then. You can then try at lesser amounts, if you want. But I always have them set for 3500 to make sure there's no problem. Subj: Hmm...Grrr... Date: 93-09-28 18:27:35 EDT From: TDWoodward Changed handles from 2500 to 3500. Tried to switch from design to data entry. System crashed, reporting KR-9 this time, and immediately went to DRDOS prompt. Had to do hard reset to get computer functioning again. Subj: TDWoodward... Date: 93-09-28 19:08:19 EDT From: GWRep Neal Jeepers. I can understand your frustration... I really can. I would suggest at this point you head on over to our DOS board here in the Support Center. Post a brief description of what's been happening, along with your system specs: contents of autoexec.bat and config.sys, cpu, amt. of avail. conventional memory on boot, total system ram. I am running DR DOS 6.0 as well. Neal Subj: Hmm...Grrr...Ack! Date: 93-09-28 20:24:30 EDT From: TDWoodward I'm at a loss. I'll go to the DOS board, but my impression is that GeoFile is the weak link in the GeoWorks Ensemble 2.0 package. I'm hoping that once GeoWorks 2.0 is reseased retail, that it will be updated first, and that I may receive that update too. I appreciate your efforts Neal. Subj: If it crashes one more time... Date: 93-09-22 15:00:38 EDT From: TDWoodward I've spent the last week trying, over and over again, to create an invoice dBase, but have not had any success. My latest endeavor took me on a smooth ride through the design phase (not a single problem, really) until I went from Design to Data Entry--the system crashed. Subj: TDWoodward.... Date: 93-09-22 16:45:05 EDT From: GWRep Neal Please see my response to your other note in the "GeoFile/Bug Free GeoFile? When?" folder. You've posted a bit more information here; I think a full description of your system setup would help alot. I'd also encourage you to e-mail me the file you've got... I'd like to take a look to see what might be happening on my system. Neal Subj: Help arrives! Date: 93-09-22 18:57:52 EDT From: TDWoodward Will send you the file tomorrow, and will provide detailed information on my system. I'd love to know what you find out that I was not able to find out. I feel so stupid; like a kid learning Logo on an old Apple II. To think, I used to be able to figure these things out myself; but this GeoFiles got m beat. Subj: More specific information... Date: 93-09-23 02:41:29 EDT From: TDWoodward GWRep Neal System software: DR-DOS 6.0 with 4/92 and 3/93 updates. Will transmit text of AutoExec.Bat & Config.Sys, but FILES=120, and HIBUFFERS=30, as they should be. SHARE is 80, I think. Memory: 2mb with 1408kb (1.4 mb) or so as LIM/XMS (TaskMax). Hard Drive: 40 mb, SSTOR compressed. No drive cacheing. Less than 20mb space is left. I reformated the hard drive before I installed Geos2.0. (I backed up first, reformatted HD, reinstalled DR-DOS with all updates, then installed Geos2.0. Gave me an excuse to do HD house cleaning. AOL is loaded from 1.5 upgrade as application only.) Processor: 386sx-16. Video: Herc. Mono Mouse: MicroSpeed bus trackball. GeoWorks set to: Nothing Else Works. Printer: Epson LQ-510 Have received consistent KR-09 and occasional KR-07's when working with dBase in Data Entry mode; deleting or adding records. After seeing weirdness like blank-extra spaces in the tab-order dialog box, inability to save new tab order from SAVE in FILE menu, weird export field mapping menu's (like the same export field map listed the entire length of the scroll window)... Have also received a KR-15: Low on resource handles, upon selecting to create a new record. When handles were increased, I got a KR-07, and "E" did not exit to DOS. Tried /nomem, but system locked and SSTOR reported an error (SWAP corrupted), and locked out writes to hard drive. I have tried redoing the dBase I wanted--starting from scratch--but whenever I switch from Design to DataEntry and try to add or delete a record, the system crashes. It sometimes crashes horribly, even erasing my BIOS info. I've created dozens of dBases before in dBase and PC-File, know the routine, have always backed up, fixed problems, worked around and identified bugs, but GeoFile's got me stumped. Trying to remember this from memory. I'm not at work now. I'm typing this from the relative safety of my Mac at home. Invoice, with 20 rows for 20 items. (ITEM1,QTY1,PRICE1,COT1...) with a TOTAL field at bottom. No subtotals or taxes to compute. Fields for (INV_DATE, INV_NO, PROJ_NO, COMPANY, ADDRESS1, ADDRESS2, CITY, STATE, ZIP, TERMS, PROJ_NAME, PROJ_ADDR, SYSTEM, PO_NO). Contains over 100 fields total, including 20 hidden fields (FIELDCOST1) for calculating and keeping the COST fields blank instead of displaying $0.00 down the length of the Invoice. Calculations: COST#-if(iserr(COSTFIELD#),"",if(COSTFIELD [does no equal] 0,string(COSTFIELD#,2),"")) TOTAL-IF(ISERR(TOTALFIELD),"",STRING(TOTALFIELD,2)) THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT DISPLAYED IN LAYOUT. COSTFIELD#-if(qty#=value(""),value(""),product(qty#,price#)) SUBFIELD-sum(costfield#,.....) TOTALFIELD-ROUND(SUBFIELD,2) Again, these are from memory. They may not be totally accurate. The Invoice GeoFile does not contain any records. Previously tried importing PC-File Invoice dBase, and designing it that way, but after encountering so many problems, I decided to create a blank dBase in GeoFile and go from there. The records in PC-File were fairly old anyway. Tried everything I know and everything I read; nomem, handles, boot from disk, reinstall, frequent backups, with TaskMak/without TaskMax, reset Geos... Subj: I've got an idea! Date: 93-09-23 22:32:26 EDT From: OLEGGIO I've read over and over about the same GeoCalc and GeoFile crashes I'm experiencing and have seen and captured numerous messages with autoexec.bats and config.syses and followed numerous suggestions by many helpful people yet haven't gotten these two applications to behave on my system. How's this for an Idea (it may sound sarcastic, but I'm sincere about this)? You see, these programs must be behaving better on the PCs in Berkeley than on our own, otherwise the nice folks in Berkeley wouldn't have given them to us. How about the folks in Berkeley giving US very detailed descriptions of the various hardware (brand names, everything), config.sys, autoexec.bat, etc. that THEY are using so we in the wilds of San Rafael (close to Berkeley) can emulate the set-ups that workwith these frustratingly finicky pieces of software? I like these pieces of software and am close to getting a new computer. Why not buy what works best with my favorite operating environment? -Oleggio Subj: GeoWorks computers Date: 93-09-23 23:48:39 EDT From: GWRep MK I can give you some ideas as to the computers GeoWorks uses in-house and alpha tests its products on since I have seen them. Included are the following: XTs 286s PS1s 386s 486s Sun SparcStations Name a few others and they are probably there. They have inhouse tons of computer variations of all types and can put together parts of different ones to see what happens. They use OS/2, MS-DOS (various versions), DR-DOS (various versions). Betatesters are selected, among other things, because of the variations in hardware and software they have. Subj: Oleggio... computers Date: 93-09-24 00:04:41 EDT From: GW Steve I can think of perhaps 200 different PCs here in our offices that are used regularly. We do most of our office work in Ensemble 2.0 throughout the company on those machines. There are probably as many different brands and configurations as there are machines. It's hard for me to think of two of them that are the same brand or set up the same way. Personally, at home I use a 386/25 with 8mb clone manufactured in southern California running DR DOS 6 and using SuperSTOR Pro. At the office, my primary machine is a local clone built by a store here in Berkeley, 386/33 with 4mb, also running DR DOS, but no disk compression, on a Novell network. I also sometimes use another 386/33, with 8mb... it's also a local clone, but made by a different company and is running MS DOS 5. Once in a while, I run a 286 "Home Office" computer that has one meg and runs at either 12 or 16 mhz and is loaded with MS DOS 4.01. Those are just the closest machines to my desk, and there are others that I use occasionally for special projects or for testing purposes... like a 386 name brand that has a built in CD ROM drive, and another name brand 286, just to nme a couple offhand. Having this wide variety of machines contributes to our internal testing of the software during alpha and beta phases, as well as in an ongoing way as we work. Sometimes one of our employees experiences problems, just like any other user... the other day, I got a "tech support" call from one of our vice-presidents, in fact. We can't endorse a specific brand of computer, but in my experience it wouldn't be much benefit anyway. For example, I once configured two "identical" machines. They were both purchased from the same store at the same time, same brand name on every part. Yet I had to use a different mouse driver (brand and version) on each machine in order to get them to work properly, even though the mouses and the machines were identical in every respect, as far as I could tell. Steve Subj: All those computer there... Date: 93-09-24 02:29:19 EDT From: TDWoodward How, how, HOW then are you folks able to get GeoWorks workin' all spiffy like on all those machines, but lefties like me in PoDunk Fremont with a noname, "please boss can I get another meg?", super tweaked 386sx-16 can't get GeoWorks Ensemble 2.0 to behave as well as GeoWorks Pro did. Pro made my computer purr. I can't think of any problems I had with Pro. No stress then. Now...big stress. Subj: Helping stress Date: 93-09-24 09:26:47 EDT From: GWRep MK That's why we're here, to take the stress off you and put it on us. Give us detailed information on the problems you are having, your autoexec.bat, config.sys, and about your machine in general and we'd be more than glad to help you get it running right. I would suggest you post the information on the DOS board so that you can get the most expert help. Subj: Stress Transferred Date: 93-09-24 16:56:18 EDT From: TDWoodward I gave everything, and I mean everything, to Neal. I get the feeling he's still scratching his head. I've sent everything along to you now too. Two heads are better than one. Subj: TDWoodward... Date: 93-09-25 02:08:42 EDT From: GWRep Neal See m stress-reducing answer in the GeoFile/Update to GeoFile, when? folder. Neal Subj: Cursor problem Date: 93-09-29 18:07:38 EDT From: WilliamGen Small bug in GeoFile? Short description: Cursor turns to hour-glass shape and will only return to arrow head upon exit from the file. 1. In GeoFile, call up the sample database included as one of the templates. This has 3 records with names and addresses among other things. 2. Choose Mark | Mark Records. 3. Select Zip_Code under Select Mark Field. 4. Select "Ignore Case" and "Match Only at Start of Field" 5. In "Text to Match" use the numeral 6. 6. Click on Mark. 7. You will get an message telling you no match was found and some records may have been erroneously marked. BUT - the cursor turned into the wait (hourglass) shape. You can still use it to click with but you must exit the database to get the arrow back. Note: This only happens if "Match Only at Start of Field" is selected.