DB - A DATA BASIC Programmer's Utility
DB is a utility designed to make life easier for any PICK/BASIC programmer. It uses a powerful pull-down menu style to guide the programmer through most of the facilities needed when developing programs. The menuing system uses a format similar to that found in powerful DOS application development tools.
If a mouse driver is loaded on the PC, or if Windows is running, the user can move around the menus with either the mouse or keyboard.
The menuing system used by DB is fully re-configurable by the user. The text and commands used by DB are held in the PIX.CONTROL.F file in the records DB.TEXT and DB.COMMANDS. All you have to do when altering these records is to ensure that the multi-values in the 2 records remain in alignment. Existing commands may be replaced with the user's preference. For instance, where DB calls the standard TCL 'ED' verb, the user may want to call their own preferred editor.
Starting DB
DB may be invoked from the TCL command line as follows:
DB {file} {program}
Where:
|
file |
Is the optional PICK file name where the program you want to work on resides. This can be entered/altered from within DB [Program>Change File] option. |
|---|---|
|
program |
Is the optional PICK item name that you want to work with. This can be entered/altered from within DB [Program>Change Program] option. |
Using DB
Using DB is very easy. Use the arrow keys to highlight the menu option you want to select and activate by pressing <Return>. Pressing <Escape> from lower level menus returns you up one level. Press <Escape> from the top level menu to EXIT DB. Using a mouse, if available, is a simple matter of clicking on the required menu and option. To exit DB with a mouse, simply click outside of the menu area.
On exiting DB, the original TCL/application screen is instantly restored allowing DB to be called from virtually anywhere.
The status line normally shows the currently active file and program name. This status display can be disabled/enabled from the CONFIG menu.
DB remembers the last 20 files and programs the user has been working with. The number 20 can be increased/decreased from the CONFIG menu. Any one of the last 20 programs can be reselected to become the currently active one by selecting 'choose from stack' on the Program menu.
DB is supplied with 6 top level menus and these are basically used for the following purposes.
TOOLKiT - Menu 1
From here the user can select what process is required to run on the currently active program, i.e. edit, compile, format etc.
Any one of the options from the TOOLKiT menu can be selected by pressing the appropriate function key from any other menu while within DB.
JET is normally provided as one of the editing facilities from DB and can be used if JET is installed on that system. If the user prefers, the JET command in the DB.COMMANDS record (file PIX.CONTROL.F) can be modified to another editor of your choice.
Program - Menu 2
This menu is used if the user wishes to change the current program being worked on. Three main options are provided to change file, change program or select from the stack of the last 20 programs. A fourth option on the menu allows you to view information on the current program, i.e. size, last compiled etc.
Printing - Menu 3
By default this menu has only one option that processes a BLIST file program (P). Other options may be added/amended to suit the user/system requirements by modifying the PIX.CONTROL.F file records, DB.TEXT and DB.COMMANDS accordingly.
Special - Menu 4
As per menu 3, the options here may be added to/amended to suit the user/system requirements. Any items added to this list are EXECUTEd by DB when selected. Upon exiting the EXECUTEd routine, the user is returned to DB.
DOS - Menu 5
As per menus 3 and 4, the options here may be added to/amended to suit the user/DOS requirements. Any items added to this list are passed down to DOS to be processed. Upon exiting the DOS application, the user is returned to DB.
Config - Menu 6
From here, the user can configure DB to their own requirements. The size of the stack can be changed (the number of programs to remember), the status line display can be toggled on/off.
The user can also turn WINDOWing on/off from this menu. Selecting windows to ON tells DB to attempt to run the commands from TOOLKiT menu in a window. DB sets the TERM width and depth of the port to match the window size, so the user has to be sure that the commands selected can be processed through a WINDOW.
The user can also optionally change the colours used by DB for menus and windows.
The user can also select to view the PC fonts table, which shows which characters are available through HostAccess on this PC.
DB Applications Integration
DB is a verb interpreted by the PIX.DRIVER routine. It is processed by the subroutine PIX.DB which may be called by any PICK program.
To call DB from a program use a program statement as follows:
CALL PIX.DB