VidBase
VidBase Help Index

Thank you for using VidBase.  I hope you find it useful. For complete details on registering, select Registration from the Index below. Online help is available at any time by pressing F1.  If a help command or button is displayed, context-sensitive help is provided by selecting it.

About Version 2.3 of VidBase

License Agreement

Registration

Getting Started

Using VidBase

Menu Commands

Viewing the database

Common Questions

Hints Tips and Suggestions for using VidBase

Glossary of Movie Terms

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation

VidBase is copyrighted 1993 by Mike Davis


About VidBase
About VidBase 2.3

VidBase is aimed at the home video collector as a quick and easy method of organizing a video library.  The program is very straightforward and simple to use that even novice users should have no trouble.  Version 2.0 added the ability     to sort the database, specify any font installed on your system, save preferences in an INI file, specify an alternate data directory from within the program, and change column widths.  In addition, minor bugs were corrected and a different interface, using 3D effects, was added.  The only significant     improvement in version 2.3 is that all sorting routines have been     dramatically improved.  Previously, sorting a file with about 500     records took about 7 minutes on a 386 20 MHZ.  This has been     cut down to under a minute and a half, using the same file and     machine.  There were no 2.1 or 2.2 versions.


Getting Started

When you start VidBase for the very first time, you will be asked whether or not to create a new file.  Choose YES and a box will be displayed to type in a name for the data file.  This name can be any valid DOS file name, but do NOT include an extension or a path.  The file will be created in the default directory and an extension of .vid will be automatically appended to the name you supply. The default directory is the directory where the executable file is located.

After the name is typed, click OK.  The Add/Modify/Delete window will appear for you to enter the information for a movie.  The only information you must enter is a title.  Type in the information then click OK to save the record and add another, or click Close to save the record and close the window.  The ENTER key duplicates the OK button.  Access is restricted to the Add/Modify/Delete window while it is displayed. To access menu items or the main display area, click either the Close or Cancel button. For more detailed information refer to Using VidBase.


Registering VidBase
Registration

Bugs and Compatibility

VidBase is a ShareWare product and requires registration after a 45 day evaluation period.  Continued use after 45 days is prohibited and restrictions are built into VidBase to help ensure this.  Be sure to read the License Agreement so you are aware of these restrictions and how they affect use of VidBase.  The cost of registering version 2.3 is $29.95, plus postage.  Ohio residents must also add 6% sales tax.  An online order form can be filled out and printed by selecting Print Order Form under the Help menu. For multiple orders, please complete a separate order form for each, although all orders may be sent together. User Support will be offered only to registered users, with certain exceptions at the author's discretion.

If you are a member of America Online and would like the executable file uploaded directly to you, check the box near the bottom of the form and enter your screen name.  I will send the registered version by attaching it to return E-Mail.  You will get the program within 24 - 48 hours after I receive your order and your check has cleared.  The order form MUST still be completely filled out with your name and address, otherwise, I will send you E-Mail requesting this information before I can upload the file to you.  Using this method does not require the postage to be included.  However, you will only receive the registered EXE file, not the complete program.   Any required sales tax must still be included. This method is currently only available to America Online members.

Registered users are notified of any upgrades and offered the opportunity of receiving new versions at a reduced cost or possibly no cost (with the exception of postage).  Upgrades will be free to registered users for one (1) year after the date of registration.  This will guarantee you receive the most recent version upon registering, and that you also receive any upgrades written within a year of registering at absolutely no cost.  New users will be sent the most recent version automatically.  Registered     users will be sent any and all upgrades automatically for the first year;     thereafter, an upgrade notification will be sent, which the user must respond     to, in order to receive the upgraded version at a nominal fee.

Comments, suggestions, complaints, or bug reports are welcome and encouraged by registered and non-registered users alike. The preferred method of contacting me is by sending E-Mail to MikeD48 on America Online (Internet address: miked48@aol.com) or at 73122,1474 on CompuServe.  You may also write me at the address located in the License section of this help file or the Help,About box.  You will get a much faster reply through E-Mail, however.

It is highly recommended that you do not wait until the evaluation period has expired, or is close to expiration, before you register. It may take as long as two weeks for you to receive the registered version, and during this time, you will not be able to open your data file.  I will send the disk immediately after your check has cleared, but I cannot be responsible for late or lost mail or damages caused by the Postal Service. For these reasons, America Online members are encouraged to register by E-Mail (not to mention you save 3 bucks).


Bugs and Compatibility
A Short Note About Bugs and Compatibility

VidBase has been tested on several different computers running Windows 3.1 using VGA and Super VGA displays.  VidBase will NOT run under Windows 3.0.  If you encounter any problem, do not hesitate to contact the author so it may be corrected.  The only way it can corrected it is if the author is made aware of it.  Also, what may appear to be a bug may not be a bug at all but a compatibility issue, possibly just from the way Windows is configured on your system.  For this reason, please include as much information about your system as possible, notably the contents of your win.ini and system.ini files, in addition to what you were doing or attempting to do in VidBase when the error occurred. Also  state the error message, word for word.


License Agreement

VidBase is copyrighted and has been released for distribution as ShareWare.  You are granted a limited license to evaluate the program for a period of 45 days. After the 45 days, registration is required to continue using VidBase.

IMPORTANT! Each file you create using VidBase can only be opened for 45 days from the date it was created.  After that time, access to that file is denied until the program is registered.  You will be informed each time a file is opened how many days remain to use that file.  In the registered version, this restriction is removed.

The author reserves the right to make any changes in program content and/or file format which may or may not render older versions incompatible with future versions without registering the newer version, whether or not a registration fee is required.

This software claims no warranty, implied or otherwise. This software is provided "AS IS".  The author claims no responsibility for any damages that might be caused by the use or abuse of this software.  This software remains the property of the author and may not be modified by the user in any way.

No person other than the author, Mike Davis, may accept payment or royalties for this software except for distribution costs.

VidBase Copyright 1993 by Mike Davis

Mike Davis

1120 21st ST. NW

Canton, OH  44709


Common Questions

Why won't my data file load automatically?

I don't see a Save command. How do I save my file?

What does packing a file mean and why should I do it?

How often should I pack a file?

How do I change the column widths?


Using VidBase
How to...

Add a new title

Change an existing title

Delete a title

Sort the database


Adding a Title
Adding a new title

Press Ctrl-A, click the RIGHT mouse button, or select Add/Modify/Delete under the Options menu.  The Add/Modify/Delete window will be displayed. This window contains seven field boxes and five buttons. Type the title of the movie you wish to add and press Tab. If the title begins with one of the articles A, An, or The, it is removed and appended to the end to allow correct sorting.  Enter an index number to identify the tape.  See Hints and Tips for some suggestions.  Press Tab to move the cursor to the the Format box.  Click the mouse on the arrow with a line under it, and a list of choices will appear. Click on one of these to select it.  If none of these is appropriate, you may type in whatever you want.  You can also press the Up-Down arrow keys to cycle through the choices.

Press Tab again to move to the Category box. Again, clicking on the arrow will show a number of choices or you may type in whatever category you want.  Tab to the next box and enter the running time of the movie.  In the Rating text box, enter the appropriate numbers of stars indicating the quality of the movie. The last item is the LetterBoxed field.  This is a check box that you select and de-select by clicking in the square.  If the movie is in  Letterbox format, select it.  This box will be automatically checked if you selected Laserdisc as the Format.  The only box that requires information is the Title box.  Everything else is optional.  When all information has been entered, click OK to save the record and add another, or click Close to save the record and close the window. The Cancel button will close the window without saving the record.


Modifying a Title
Modifying an existing title

Press Ctrl-A, click the Right mouse button, or select Add/Modify/Delete under the Options menu.  The Add/Modify/Delete window will be displayed. Type the title of the movie in the Title Box and click the Find Button. Wildcard characters are acceptable.  If you do not use wildcards, you must type the title exactly, including any article appended to the end of the title.  The complete title will be filled in, as well as the other information in its appropriate box. If you did not type the title exactly as it appears in the main display area or use correct wildcards, the record will not be found. The first occurrence of what you entered will be displayed.  If this is not the movie you want, click Find again.  Now simply make the desired changes and click OK.  Unless you changed the title, you will be informed that this movie exists and asked if it should be replaced.  Click YES to replace it, click NO to ADD it to the database, keeping the original title also, or click CANCEL to abort the operation.  Replacing a record overwrites the old one.  If you changed the title, a new record will be added and you must manually delete the old record.  You can also open the Add/Modify/Delete window by turning Quick Delete off and double-clicking on the title in the main display window.  This will display the title with all boxes already filled in and so does not require you to perform the find operation.


deleting a Title
Deleting an existing record

The simplest way to delete a record is to have Quick Delete on and double-click on the title you wish to delete in the main display area.  Another way is to bring up the Add/Modify/Delete window, type the title in the Title Box and click the Delete Button. Multiple records may be deleted by using wildcards. Performing a deletion from this window requires a confirmation before each record is deleted. Deleted records are actually just marked for deletion and are still in the file. They are just not displayed and cannot be searched for.  This allows them to be recovered if accidentally deleted. To permanently erase a deleted record and recover the disk space it is using, the file must be packed.  For more information, refer to the Options Menu Commands in the Menu Commands section of this help file.

IMPORTANT! Deleting a record by double clicking in the main display will not ask for a confirmation!


Sorting the database

The database may be sorted by the following methods:  Title, Category, Format, Index, and Record Number.  These may not be mixed and matched; selecting one de-selects any other. The method you use to sort can be saved to the INI file by selecting the Save Sort on Exit box in the Preferences dialog box.  The next time VidBase is started, the sort method in effect when you last quit the program will still be the current sort method.  All sorting is done internally so the original file is NEVER changed in any way.  However, because of this, each time you change the way the file is sorted, or add or delete records, the entire procedure must be repeated.  For a large data file, this may take a moment or two.  The advantage is that any possibility of the data file becoming corrupted is almost totaly eliminated,unless Windows itself crashes. Index sorting does not place records in exact numerical order, rather, indexes of "1" will be first, followed by indexes of "10", then "100", then "11", then "2", etc.  This is by design.  This sort method is useful to see at a glance the different records that are on the same tape, since they are all grouped together.


Menu Commands

File Menu Commands

Options Menu Commands

Sort Menu Commands


File Menu Commands

New

Select this command to create a new VidBase file.  If a file is currently open you will be asked to confirm this selection.

Open

Select this command to display the File Open dialog box. From here you can open any VidBase file from any directory.

Print

Select this to print the database to your printer. Printing is automatic to the default printer specified by Windows' Print Setup.  You MUST have the MS Sans Serif font installed to print the database.  This font is included with Windows 3.1 and should have been installed automatically when you installed Windows. The database will be printed alphabetically by the title of each movie.  The font selected for the screen display has no effect on the printed document.

Exit

Select this to quit the program and save any changes to the INI file.


Options Menu Commands

Add/Modify/Delete

Select this to open the Add/Modify/Delete window.  From this window, you can add a new record to the database, change an existing record, or delete a record from the database. This command can be duplicated by pressing Control-A or clicking the RIGHT mouse button from the main display.

Pack/Restore Records

Select this command to pack the current data file or restore deleted records.  A window will appear showing any records that have been deleted and other information about the file.  Select "Pack" from the menu to pack the file. This procedure may take a little while for large files.

A deleted record can be restored by double-clicking on it. Closing this window by selecting Close from the menu will automatically pack the file if any records have been restored. To close the window without packing, double-click the control box icon.

See also Common Questions

Preferences

The different options available in this dialog box are described below.  Click CANCEL to close this box without making any changes.

Current Path to Data File

This is the path where the current data file is located. This is for information only and cannot be altered.

New Path to Data File

When the Preferences window is first displayed, this path will always match the current path.  If you want to change the location of the data file, type in the new path.  If the directory does not exist, you will be prompted to create it. This will become the default directory.

Quick Delete

Select this to turn Quick Delete on or off.

Auto Update

Select this to turn Auto Update on or off.  When this option is off, a reminder message is displayed at the right edge of the menu bar.

Backup on Exit

Turn this on to create a backup data file when you exit the program.  The backup is created is the directory where the main program is located.

Save Sort on Exit

Turn this option ON when you want to save the current sorting method when you quit the program.  The next time you start the program whatever that sorting method was will be used again.

Fonts

Select this to open the Fonts dialog box. When you exit the program the current font and style will be saved and automatically used the next time the program is started.


Sort Menu Commands

Select one of the five available sorting methods.  A check mark appears in front of the current method.  Sort methods cannot be mixed and matched.  Selecting one de-selects the previous one.  See also  Sorting the database.


Quick Delete allows you to delete a record by double clicking on it in the main display area with no confirmation request.  Double clicking with Quick Delete OFF opens the Add/Modify/Delete window with the data pertaining to the selected record displayed in the appropriate boxes.


Auto Update is a feature designed to speed up the process of adding records to the database.  When this option is OFF, the main display is not updated when the Add/Modify/Delete window is on the screen.  Since the screen is not redrawn, there is no "slack time".


Viewing the database

The main display (the large gray area) shows all records currently in the database. Each record is displayed on a single line.  A letterboxed movie has an asterisk (*) after the movie title.

The display does not extend all the way to the bottom of the screen so that minimized programs can still be accessed easily.  A dashed frame appears around the "active" record.  If the window is resized or maximized, horizontal and/or vertical scroll bars will appear if necessary.  The column heading names do not scroll, so they are always visible.

If the text does not fit within a column, each column can be individually widened (or shortened, if desired) by moving the mouse to the column heading names and to the right edge of the column you want to change.  There is a slight break in the line, indicating where each column ends.  The cursor will change to a vertical line intersected by a horizontal, double-ended arrow.  Press and hold the left mouse button. The cursor will change to a vertical lin extending down the length of the window.  Move this line left or right to change the column widths and then release the button.  The new widths will be automatically saved when you exit the program.


Hints and Tips
Hints, Tips, and Suggestions

1.  Keep all movies in one file, including home movies you shot with a camcorder.  This will keep things much more organized and allow you to print out a complete, alphabetized list of all your movies.  The program is also optimized to work with just one data file, even though it will allow more.

2.  Entering a tape index makes it easy to find a desired tape.  Give each tape a unique number and enter that number in the Index box.  For example, index VHS tapes as 1, 2, 3, etc., and pre-recorded VHS tapes as P1, P2, P3, etc.  Store each format in its own case, labeled with the name of the format.  This allows you to keep each format numbered sequentially without "number jumping" between cases.  It also makes it easy to locate a particular tape in just a few seconds.

3.  You can click the RIGHT mouse button from anywhere in the main display to bring up the Add/Modify/Delete window.

4.  Turn Auto Update OFF when first entering your library or any time you are adding more than just a few records.  You will save a lot of time.

5.  The speed of the program can be increased in a couple of ways.  Each of these methods affects a particular aspect of VidBase.  Turning Auto Update off will decrease the time it takes to add records; installing a disk cache that permits both read and write caching (such as SmartDrive 4.0, which is "free" with Windows 3.1) will significantly reduce the time it take to pack a large file; and defragmenting your hard drive will also help somewhat.  Also, the sort method itself influences the program's speed.  For most uses, Sort should be left on Title.  However, if you already have a fast computer (50 mhz or better), the sort method may be inconsequential.

6.  If you do not want the data file packed after you have restored records, double-click the control box icon.  If you later select the Close command from the menu before exiting the program, the file will still be packed automatically.  On subsequent sessions, the file must be packed by use of the Pack command.


Q. Why won't my data file load automatically?

If the program is not finding the data file (the file with the .vid extension), most likely you moved the file to a different directory using File Manager or a similiar utility. There are two solutions:  1) Move the file back to its original directory; or 2) When the program informs you it cannot find the file and asks if you want to create one, choose NO.  The File Open dialog box will appear and you can open it manually.  Open the Preferences dialog box and then immediately close it by clicking OK.  This will write the correct path to the INI file. You could also edit the INI file with any text editor, such as NotePad, but this is not recommended.


Q. I don't see a Save command.  How do I save my data file?

A Save command is not necessary because the program automatically saves the data every time a record is added, changed, or deleted.  This provides a safeguard against a power failure, a system lock-up or crash, or just forgetting to save the file.


Q.  How often should I pack a file?

There is no straightforward answer here.  It all depends on how concerned you are about disk space and how long you want the opportunity to restore deleted records. As a rule of thumb, you should probably pack after the file has accumulated 10 or so deleted records. Remember that restoring even one deleted record automatically packs the file when you close the window.


Q.  How do I change the column widths?

Changing the columns widths is an easy procedure.  Move the mouse pointer to the column heading name (Title, Category, etc.) and to the right, just prior to the NEXT column heading name.  There is a slight break in the line under the names where the columns end.  If the mouse pointer is in the proper position, the cursor will change to a vertical line bisected by a horizontal double-ended arrow.  Press and hold the LEFT mouse button.  The cursor will change to a vertical line extending the length of the window. Move the mouse left or right to the desired width and release the button.  When you exit the program, the new widths will be saved in the VidBase.Ini file.


Q.  What does packing a file mean and why should I do it?

When a record is deleted, it is really just marked for deletion and is actually still in the file and taking up disk space.  Packing will physically and permanently remove all deleted records from the file and free up that disk space.

When packing a file, if you receive a message stating that a temporary file already exists, it means that during a previous packing attempt an error occurred, either in the program itself or in Windows. In either case, your original file should have been restored and the temporary file was just never deleted. As a precaution, you should verify that your data file is 100% intact, then delete the temp file, located in the same directory as the data file. You can, however, delete the temp file right then and continue.


Glossary of Movie and Industry Terms
Glossary of Movie Terms

Art Director

B-Movie

Best Boy

BlockBuster

Blooper

Boom

Box Office

Bridge Shot

Cinematographer

Colorization

Director

Editor

Executive Producer

Extra

Gaffer

Grip

Gross

Lead Role

Letterbox

M.P.A.A.

Pan & Scan

Point of View Shot

Producer

Prop

Scene

Set

Shot

Sound Effect

Sound Stage

Supporting Role

Wide-Screen


The following are valid wildcard characters:

*	zero or more characters

?	any single character

#	any single digit

For example, if you wanted to find the title "Raiders of the Lost Ark", typing in "raiders" or "lost" or "ark" would not find it, but "raiders* ", " *lost* ", and " *ark" would. Matches are not case-sensitive.  Other character patterns are possible, but these should be all you need to find any record.  Use caution when using wildcards to find titles you are going to delete.  The title you want may not be the first occurrence of the pattern you entered.


LETTERBOXING. A technique of displaying the same dimensions, or aspect ratio, of a movie on a television as it was originally shown in the theaters, by placing black borders above and below the image.  The aspect ratios of most American made movies are 2.35:1 or 1.85:1 and a television is 1.33:1. Available on some videocassettes; widely used on laserdiscs.  Also referred to as wide-screen format.


WIDE-SCREEN. A movie filmed with an aspect ratio of 1.66:1 or greater.  That is, the width of the image is 1.66 times the height.  Common wide-screen ratios are 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 (anamorphic wide-screen)   See also letterboxing


ART DIRECTOR. Person who designs the sets and sometimes costumes


B-Movie. An inexpensive and quickly produced movie


BEST BOY. First assistant to the gaffer


BLOCKBUSTER. An extremely successful movie at the Box Office, or a movie so expensive that it must do well at the Box Office in order to not lose money


BLOOPER. An actor's error


BOOM. A movable pole to hold a microphone above the actors and outside the area of the image being filmed


BOX OFFICE. Money earned by a movie from ticket sales; coined from the name of the booth where tickets are sold


BRIDGE SHOT. A shot used to indicate a change from one instance in time, place, etc. to another.  For example, in the Indiana Jones movies, the shots of the world map detailing the traveling route taken by Dr. Jones and his friends


CINEMATOGRAPHER. Person in charge of cameras and lighting; also known as Director of Photography


COLORIZATION. Controversial practice of adding color, through the use of computers, to black and white films; does have some redeeming value in the restoration of faded color movies


DIRECTOR. Person in charge of the actors and technicians on a set; generally has considerable input and/or influence throughout all phases of a movie's production


EDITOR. Person who splices filmed shots together


EXECUTIVE PRODUCER. Specific term for the producer who finances a movie


EXTRA. An actor in a minor role with no dialogue


GAFFER. Chief electrician on a movie set


GRIP. Person in charge of props


GROSS. Total amount of money collected for a movie at the Box Office


LEAD ROLE. Role(s) that is(are) the main focus of the story of a movie; sometimes referred to simply as "LEAD"


M.P.A.A. Motion Picture Association of America


PAN & SCAN. The technique of fitting a wide-screen movie to the size of a television.  Accomplished by centering the main action of the image and panning back and forth to contain as much of that action as possible, and making additional edits in the movie. This results in the left and/or right edges of the image being chopped off.  Also known as cropping.  Most directors do not like their movies panned & scanned, but it is the studios preferred method of transferring movies to videocassette.  See also letterboxing and wide-screen


POINT OF VIEW SHOT. Shot which shows the point of view of the character(s)


PRODUCER. Person in charge of the "business" end of a movie and generally hires cast and crew; the actual influence a producer has on a movie can vary greatly


PROP. Any physical item used in a movie


SCENE. A shot or series of shots focusing on one action and location


SET. A scene location, generally built on a sound stage


SHOT. An uncut and unedited piece of film, regardless of its length; a movie is made up of many, many shots


SOUND EFFECT. Any sound which is not speech or music


SOUND STAGE. A building constructed specifically for the use of sets


SUPPORTING ROLE. Any role that is not a lead role