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Information about “FIND-X”
If you are looking for an easy way to catalog household goods, coins,
photographs and slides, record albums and compact discs, computer
programs, or some other collectible, FIND-X is the program for you.
Designed with the computer novice in mind, FIND-X is relatively easy to
install and use. Once installed, FIND-X is totally menu-driven and
very little computer knowledge is required to add or retrieve
information. However, you probably will be able to use the program
more effectively if you have some familiarity with how dBase programs
create and handle files.
By taking advantage of the relational capabilities of the dBase
language, FIND-X stores data in two small files rather than one large
one, allowing it to find and retrieve information relatively quickly.
The size of the catalogs is limited only by the available disk space.
Conduct exact or generic searches. Exact searches retrieve only those
files containing identical text strings. (Entering "flower" will not
yield entries for which the descriptor is "flowers.") Generic
searches will yield all entries containing a descriptor beginning with
the same text string as that specified by the use. (Entering "flow"
will yield "flower," "flowers," "flowery," and "flowing.")
FIND-X is a friendly program that creates and searches catalogs with
agility. For the home user in search of a bit more order in today's
domestic life, it is worth a look.
DES_FDX.DOC
FIND-X
UNIVERSAL, GENERAL-PURPOSE, CATALOGING AND INDEXING SYSTEMS
By John Forester, Custom Cycle Fitments
726 Madrone Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. 408-734-9426
Sure, a catalog is a list of the items in a collection. But its
most important use is to tell you which items have the characteristics
that interest you today. Find-X provides two different systems for
retrieving lists of items with combinations of characteristics. Find-X1
uses index files for rapid retrieval of all items that have all the
characteristics that you specify. Find-X2 searches for any logical
combination (AND, OR, NOT) of words or phrases that you specify. This
is more general and detailed, but is slower. Both Find-Xs are flexible.
Each allows you to enter a format for the records in each collection,
but you don't have to follow that format. Whatever the format you use
for each record, Find-X can find that record when you ask for items
that have its characteristics.
For example, a collection of photographs of wild flowers needs to
record the common name and the scientific name of each flower in the
photo, the place and the date. When you ask FIND-X for all the photos
of Common Monkey Flower taken in Edgewood Park or Los Trancos Reserve,
but not by Taylor, it displays or prints the list of photos with their
file locations. That's easy. But Find-X doesn't require that you follow
the same format for all records. Some photographs will show scenes in
which many wildflowers appear. You enter the location, the time of
year, the kinds of flowers, the photographer, whether the sky is
cloudy, anything you think significant. You can enter any data that you
want, yet Find-X will retrieve that record when you ask for items with
that data.
FILE1719.TXT
Disk No: 1719
Disk Title: Find-X
PC-SIG Version: S1.2
Program Title: Find-X
Author Version: 3.1
Author Registration: $20.00
Special Requirements: 384K RAM, and 2 floppy drives.
If you are looking for an easy way to catalog household goods, coins,
photographs and slides, record albums and compact discs, computer
programs, or some other collectible, FIND-X may be the program for you.
Apparently designed with the computer novice in mind, FIND-X is
relatively easy to install and use. Once installed, FIND-X is
totally menu-driven, so that very little computer knowledge is
required to add or retrieve information. However, you probably will
be able to use the program more effectively if you have some
familiarity with how DBASE programs create and handle files.
By taking advantage of the relational capabilities of the DBASE
language, FIND-X stores data in two relatively small files rather than
one large one. This allows it to find and retrieve information
relatively quickly, even when the catalogs being maintained are large.
In fact, the size of the catalogs you can maintain is limited only by
available disk space.
A particularly useful feature of FIND-X is that it allows you to conduct
either exact or generic searches. Exact searches retrieve only those
files containing text strings identical to that requested by the user.
Thus, as noted in the manual, entering "flower" will not yield entries
for which the descriptor is "flowers." Generic searches will yield all
entries containing a descriptor beginning with the same text string as
that specified by the use. For example, entering "flow" will yield
"flower," "flowers," "flowery," and "flowing."
FIND-X is a friendly program and it creates and searches catalogs with
agility. For the home user seeking to bring a bit more order to
domestic life, it is worth a look.
PC-SIG
1030D East Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale Ca. 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1989 PC-SIG, Inc.
FINDXMAN.DOC
FIND-X UNIVERSAL CATALOGING SYSTEMS
Finds The Items That You Know Are There
But Can't Locate Today
for IBM-PC-compatible computers
FDX1 Version 2.3
FDX2 Version 1.1
John Forester, M.S., P.E.
Custom Cycle Fitments
726 Madrone Ave.
Sunnyvale CA 94086
ii
The Find-X program was written, developed and compiled
in the Clipper dBase language from Nantucket
Published by
Custom Cycle Fitments
726 Madrone Ave.
Sunnyvale CA 94086
408-734-9426
Find-X Programs and Manual
Copyright John Forester, 1988
The purchaser has purchased only a license
to use these software materials
on one computer for one company.
Copying of the Find-X system as a unit from the distributed disk,
consisting of its program, its data file structures and this
manual, is permitted for purposes of evaluation and trial. Those
who decide to use it should pay a user license fee of $20 to
John Forester at the above address.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
TWO KINDS OF FIND-X CATALOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SEARCHING WITH THE FIND-X2 SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTH FIND-X SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . 3
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
FILE COMMANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
DIRECTORY COMMANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
GENERAL FIND-X INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SELECTING FROM MENUS, MOVING BETWEEN MENUS . . . . . . . . 7
KEYING IN DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
INSERT AND TYPEOVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
UPPER AND LOWER CASE LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Y y N n T t F f . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
DATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
FILE STRUCTURE AND DIRECTORIES FOR FIND-X . . . . . . . . 9
FILES AND DIRECTORIES ON THE FIND-X DISK . . . . . . . . . 9
INSTALLING THE FIND-X SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
COPYRIGHTS AND COPYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
BACKUP COPIES OF DISKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
PREPARING WORKING DISKS BEFORE INSTALLATION . . . . . . 10
INSTALLING FIND-X ON A DUAL-FLOPPY SYSTEM . . . . . . . 11
INSTALLING FIND-X ON A HARD DISK SYSTEM . . . . . . . . 13
ALL INSTALLATIONS: ALLOWING SUFFICIENT FILES . . . . . . 14
TESTING THE STARTUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIND-X CATALOGS . . . . . . . . 16
SELECT & SET UP CATALOGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
NUMBERING ITEMS IN A CATALOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
LOCATING ITEMS FROM THE CATALOG DESCRIPTION . . . . . . 18
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIFIC OPERATIONS WITH FIND-X1 . . . . 18
A ENTERING NEW ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
B SEARCH FOR ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
C DISPLAY LIST OF FOUND ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
D PRINT LIST OF FOUND ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
E EMPTY THE LIST OF FOUND ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
iv
F DELETE EXISTING ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
H CHANGE DESCRIPTORS FOR ONE ITEM . . . . . . . . . . 21
I CHANGE THE DATE OF AN ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
J RENAME A DESCRIPTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
K DISPLAY COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . 21
L DISPLAY ITEMS WITH DESCRIPTORS . . . . . . . . . . . 21
M PRINT COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . 21
N PRINT LIST OF DESCRIPTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
O SELECT, SET UP & REINDEX CATALOGS . . . . . . . . . . 22
P MAKE BACKUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIFIC OPERATIONS WITH Find-X2 . . . . 23
A ENTERING NEW ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
B SEARCH FOR ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
C DISPLAY LIST OF FOUND ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
D PRINT LIST OF FOUND ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
E EMPTY THE LIST OF FOUND ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
F DELETE EXISTING ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
H CHANGE THE DATE OF AN ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
I DISPLAY COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . 25
J PRINT COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . 26
K SELECT AND SET UP CATALOGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
L MAKE BACKUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
PROGRAM LANGUAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE TO USE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
LIST OF FILES IN FIND-X SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
MENUS & DATA ENTRY SCREENS, FIND-X1 . . . . . . . . . . . 29
MENUS AND DATA ENTRY SCREENS, FIND-X2 . . . . . . . . . . 32
1
FIND-X CATALOG INDEXING SYSTEMS
Finds The Items That You Know Are There
But Cannot Locate Today
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
OVERVIEW
The Find-X Universal Cataloging System finds all the
items in a cataloged collection that match the description
that you want to look for. The items in the collection may
be anything at all, but the Find-X Universal Cataloging
System is particularly useful for items whose characteris-
tics you cannot identify by casual inspection, such as
photographic slides, photographs or documents in files,
record collections (particularly records with several
selections), items kept in different places, research
notes, books, etc.
Find-X is particularly suitable for items that you
will want to search by different descriptors at different
times. With a record collection you may want to look for
music by a particular composer, or by a particular artist,
or by the type of composition, or even by the date or
publisher. Find-X allows you to seach the collection for
any characteristic regardless of the order that you keep
the collection in.
TWO KINDS OF FIND-X CATALOG
There are two different Find-X systems that operate
in slightly different ways for people with different needs.
Find-X1 provides a very rapid search routine through the
use of indexed files. Find-X2 provides a slower but more
powerful search routine by examining the record for every
item in the collection. Because each program has its own
set of files, you cannot use Find-X1 on a catalog that was
2
Overview
made by Find-X2, and vice versa. Therefore you much choose
at the start which type of catalog you need for each of
your purposes.
Find-X1 has the following characteristics:
Fast search routine through index files
Requires more storage space
Less space in each item for descriptive detail
Searches by only nine indexed characteristics per item
Find-X2 has the following characteristics:
More space in each item for descriptive detail
Able to search for any combination of descriptive phrases
Requires less storage space
Slower search routine by examining every record
SEARCHING WITH THE FIND-X1 SYSTEM
The Find-X1 System operates by searching for the
descriptors of each item in the collection. When you enter
an item into the catalog you are asked to next enter its
descriptors, which are the pertinent characteristics for
which you may want to search for an item. You may enter up
to 9 descriptors for each item in the catalog, and each
descriptor may have up to 30 characters. In addition, if
you wish, you may enter the dates of the items and later
search for items with particular dates or between any two
dates.
When you wish to search for those items with particu-
lar descriptors you enter up to 9 descriptors and, if you
wish, a time interval. Find-X1 will then display those
items that match all of the descriptors and the time inter-
val. If you have a collection of photographs of nature
subjects you may ask for all the flowers that you took in
Edgewood Park. Find-X1 will display a list of those photos,
with their descriptions and serial numbers.
Find-X1 provides two different types of searches,
Exact and Generic. An exact search returns only those items
each of whose entire descriptors match the descriptors that
you enter. If you search for FLOWER you won't be shown
items described as FLOWERS. An exact search for DOR will
not return DORMOUSE, DORIS or DOROTHY items. The generic
seach returns all those items each of whose descriptors
starts like the search descriptor that you entered. A
generic search for FLOWER will return FLOWER items and
3
Overview
FLOWERS items. A generic search for DOR will return DOR-
MOUSE, DORIS and DOROTHY items.
Each Find-X1 search is for items that match ALL of
the search descriptors; it is not for items that match ANY
ONE of them. A search for FLOWER and EDGEWOOD returns only
those flowers photographed in Edgewood. To look at this in
logical terms, the search is an AND search with up to 9
descriptors, not an OR search. To search for those flowers
that you photographed in both Edgewood and Sunol Parks you
must make two searches, one for FLOWER and EDGEWOOD and the
other for FLOWER and SUNOL. You won't have to sort these
lists out; no item on one list will duplicate any on the
other.
The amount of disk space that Find-X1's catalogs use
depends on the average number of descriptors that you use
for the items in that catalog. A rule of thumb is that each
item in the catalog will require 700 bytes of disk space.
SEARCHING WITH THE FIND-X2 SYSTEM
The Find-X2 system operates by examining the record
for every item to see whether it contains the particular
combination of phrases that you have specified. You are
able to ask for logical combinations that are constructed
with symbols for AND, OR and NOT and with parentheses. For
example, you can ask for all Allium AND validum to get a
list of all photos of swamp onions (whose scientific name
is Allium validum). Or you can ask for (Allium AND validum)
AND seed to see if you have a photo of the swamp onion's
seeds. For another example, you can ask for (photographer
AND flower) OR (photographer AND animal) to get a list of
all flower photographers and animal photographers.
Find-X2 provides up to 234 characters of description
and requires only 270 bytes per entry.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTH FIND-X SYSTEMS
Each of the Find-X systems will service as many
different catalogs as you have disk space for on a hard
disk system or, on a dual-floppy system, it will service
any catalog that you put on the disk in the other drive.
You will probably find it most satisfactory if you use
different catalogs for different kinds of items. Even if
you catalog only photo slides, you will have shorter cata-
logs if you keep slides of wild life photos in a different
4
Overview
catalog from those of yachting photos.
Each of the Find-X systems provides a descriptive
section that you can format as you prefer. Find-X1 provides
one line of 78 characters. Find-X2 provides three lines
totalling 234 characters. You may format each description
space as you prefer. When setting up either system, the
description space appears and you are asked to divide it
into fields of any length. You enter the name of each field
and show its termination with the | character. Find-X1
allows up to 10 fields on one line, while Find-X2 allows up
to 20 fields for the three-line space. When you enter a new
item or change an existing item, your own format appears
above the illuminated blank for the description, and when
you press the enter key the cursor skips to the start of
the next field. However, you can always ignore this divi-
sion by continuing to type in words up to the maximum
amount of space. Therefore, you can have a format that
includes the scientific name (family, genus, species), the
common name, the part shown, etc., which you normally use.
However, you can also enter the free-format description of
a scenic photo that shows many different items. With Find-
X2 you can search for any combination of words in that
description. Find-X1, however, cannot search by items from
the description.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOS
FILE COMMANDS
For preparing diskettes and copying files you will
need to know how to use a few of the DOS commands. To
prepare diskettes you need the Format A: or Format B:
commands. To copy diskettes you need the DiskCopy command.
To copy files you need the Copy command. To copy all the
files from a given directory you need the Copy *.* version
of the Copy command. (In contrast to DiskCopy, *.* reorga-
nizes the files as it copies them, so that they are more
quickly read after there have been a lot of changes.) To
remove files you need the Delete command.
DIRECTORY COMMANDS
If you will operate Find-X on a hard disk, you need
to understand DOS's system of directories and method for
describing the paths to reach them. Each hard disk and each
floppy diskette may be divided into parts. Each of these
parts may also be divided, and each of those parts also,
and so on to more levels of detail than you will need. DOS
confuses matters by using the word directory in two senses.
Directory means both any part of the disk and the list of
files that that part contains.
This system of directories enables you to logically
arrange your files so that each directory contains informa-
tion about one subject. It also enables you to have files
with the same name but with different data, provided that
they are in different directories. For example, you can
have two files named Items, one for each of two catalogs.
As long as they are in different directories, DOS won't get
them mixed up. To prevent mixups, DOS works in only one
directory at a time unless you specifically tell it which
other directories it can also use. To work on one Catalog
you must either move to the directory that contains it or
tell DOS in which directory to look for it. You move be-
tween directories with the Change Directory (CD) command.
You tell DOS where to look by describing the Path by which
DOS can reach a directory.
Each Path starts from the drive that contains the
disk-- A: or B: for floppy disks, C: for most hard disks.
Next, you name each directory that you must pass through to
reach the file. You separate each level of detail from the
next by a \ (backslash). So the Catalog for nature photos
6
What You Need To Know About DOS
that is on the hard disk [drive C:] will be reached by the
Path C:\FINDX\NATURE. Given that path, when the Find-X
program looks for a catalog file it will find only the
catalog of nature photos, not the catalog for phonograph
records, which will be in the directory that is reached by
the path C:\FINDX\RECORDS.
To make directories you need the Make Directory (MD)
command, and to remove directories you need the Remove
Directory (RD) command. To move between directories you
need the Change Directory (CD) command. To display on the
screen the directory that you are in you must change your
DOS screen display with the Prompt $p$_$g command.
To operate Find-X you must first make the proper
directory structure for the Find-X program and for each
catalog, and then describe to Find-X, when you first run
it, the path for each catalog.
GENERAL FIND-X INFORMATION
SELECTING FROM MENUS, MOVING BETWEEN MENUS
You control all Find-X operations by selecting op-
tions from menus that list the options that are available
at that time. Each option is designated by a letter, like
"A Enter A New Item," which appears on the Main Menu. You
select that option by keying in the letter that designates
the option you desire. Although the designating letter is
always displayed as upper case (capital letter), you may
key in the letter as either upper or lower case. When you
select one of the more complicated operations you will move
to another menu which offers the options that are necessary
to direct that operation. In case you move to a menu that
offers options that you don't want, every menu offers the
option "X Return To Previous Menu" so you can return to
the previous set of choices. Whenever an operation will
make a change that is not easily reversed, such as deleting
an item, or that requires a long processing time, such as
reindexing, you are given the option of deciding not to
make that change.
KEYING IN DATA
Find-X operates with the frequently-used key input
conventions. Information for your use appears in bright
letters on a black background. The space for you to key in
new information is indicated by an illuminated box in which
letters appear in black (reverse video). The place where
the program will place your next keystrokes is indicated by
a blinking black cursor within an illuminated box. There
are two ways to complete the information in the box. If
your data doesn't fill the box, {Enter} to indicate that
that is all. (This means to press the Enter key. If other
characters are between the curly braces, type them in and
then press the Enter key.) If your data fills the box, the
cursor will automatically move to the next box and the
computer will beep.
If any box already contains data that you want to
accept without change, just {Enter} when the cursor is
anywhere in that box. If the box has space for two digits
and contains only one, a 6 for example when the correct
value should be 5, when you input the 5 both digits will
appear. However, when you {Enter} the original digit will
disappear without your having to erase it.
With most data input screens, when several boxes are
8
General Find-X Information
shown you can return to previous boxes to make corrections
until you reach the last box. Completing the last box
completes all the previous boxes.
INSERT AND TYPEOVER
When making corrections you make them in either of
two ways. One way inserts new characters at the cursor,
pushing remaining characters to the right. The other way
types over the existing characters, obliterating them. By
pressing the INS(ert) key you switch from one mode to the
other. Use whichever best fits the circumstances.
UPPER AND LOWER CASE LETTERS
In the cases where input letters control the program,
as in selecting items from a menu or entering descriptors,
when you key in lower case letters they are automatically
changed to upper case letters. In these cases you may key
in either upper or lower case letters as you choose. In all
other cases where you are keying in other types of data,
the program maintains upper and lower cases as you input
them.
Y y N n T t F f
These are the characters that indicate Yes or No,
True or False for times when there is a logical choice.
However, dBase and Clipper display only T or F. If you key
in "y" to answer "Yes" to a question, the screen will
display T. T means True or Yes while F means False or No.
You just have to get used to this convention.
DATES
Find-X has three choices in dates, each of which is
selected from the SetUp Data Screen. You may choose not to
use dates for the catalog that you are setting up. Then you
won't be asked for dates and will be unable to enter them
or search by them. If you choose to use dates you have two
choices, dates only within this century or dates in other
centuries also. If you choose dates only in this century
you will never have to enter the '19' digits for the year,
while if you choose dates in all centuries you will have to
enter them. However, the choice has no effect on the actual
data records; they all contain the correct dates. Therefore
you may change from using only this century dates to using
all centuries whenever you like, or whenever that is conve-
nient.
9
General Find-X Information
Find-X also gives you the choice of using dates in
either American format (mm/dd/yy) or British format
(dd/mm/yy). This selection is also made from the Set Up
Data Screen. As with century, this doesn't affect the dates
in the files but only their presentation, so you can change
back and forth as is convenient.
FILE STRUCTURE AND DIRECTORIES FOR FIND-X
Find-X is set up so that its programs and its data
are in separate directories on a hard disk or on separate
floppy disks. This simplifies backing up and enables one
set of programs to operate on several sets of data files if
necessary. Program files are FDX1.EXE and FDX2.EXE; data
files have .DBF, .NTX or .MEM extensions; .DBF files are
multi-record data files [such as the Catalog] in which all
records in one file have the same structure. The .NTX files
specify the sequences in which the .DBF file records are
searched, presented and used. The .MEM files each contain
an assortment of things with dissimilar structures that
have to be remembered, such as catalog name and whether
dates are used for that catalog. Those files whose name
ends with 1 (like ITEMS1.DBF) are used with FDX1.EXE only,
while those whose name ends with 2 (like PHRASES2.DBF) are
used only with FDX2.EXE. One copy of CATROADS.DBF must be
used with each installation of either FDX1 or FDX2.
FILES AND DIRECTORIES ON THE FIND-X DISK
The Find-X System is distributed as 5 files.
READ-FDX.ME contains the starting instructions, essentially
a duplicate of the next few paragraphs.
FINDX.ZIP contains all the Find-X programs, manual and data
in condensed format.
PKUNZIP.EXE is the program that extracts the Find-X pro-
grams, manual and data from the .ZIP file.
UZIPFDXF.BAT controls the operation of PKUNZIP to extract
the Find-X programs, manual and data from the .ZIP
file on a dual-floppy system.
UZIPFDXH.BAT controls the operation of PKUNZIP to extract
the Find-X programs, manual and data from the .ZIP
file on a hard-disk system.
INSTALLING THE FIND-X SYSTEM
COPYRIGHTS AND COPYING
The Find-X diskette is not copy-protected but the
programs and data on it are copyrighted by John Forester.
By paying the user license fee of $20 you have purchased a
license for you to use Find-X on one computer and to make
backup copies of the Find-X software and the catalogs that
you prepare using it. John Forester retains title to and
ownership of the Find-X programs and data structures. Find-
X programs and data structures may not be modified without
his written consent.
Copying is permitted to give prospective users the
chance to try the Find-X program, but if they use it they
are responsible for paying the User License Fee of $20.00
to John Forester at 726 Madrone Ave., Sunnyvale CA 94086,
408-734-9426
BACKUP COPIES OF DISKS
Upon receipt, copy the original diskette to a working
diskette and store the original in a safe place.
How you copy from the working copy of the original
Find-X disk to the disk for your own work will depend on
whether you have a dual floppy system or a hard disk sys-
tem. See your DOS instruction manual for the Diskcopy
command.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
Find-X requires the following equipment:
IBM-PC compatible computer with at least the following:
384K of memory;
Two floppy disk drives or one floppy drive and a hard disk;
Printer with at least 80 columns.
On a dual-floppy system, one floppy drive will contain
programs, the other data. A 360K floppy disk has the
capacity of about 450 Find-X1 catalog items, depend-
ing on the number of descriptors used. The same disk
could hold over 1,200 items in a Find-X2 catalog.
PREPARING WORKING DISKS BEFORE INSTALLATION
Make a working copy of the Find-X Disk using either
the COPY *.* or the Diskcopy command. Use the following
11
Installing The Find-X System
instructions to make working disks.
In the following instructions, {XXX} means to type the
command XXX and then press the enter key.
DUAL-FLOPPY SYSTEM
Prepare 4 blank, formatted disks. Label them as follows:
FIND-X1 Program
FIND-X2 Program
FIND_X Data
FIND-X Manual
Insert the FIND-X working disk into Drive B:
Make Drive B: the current drive by {B:}
Then {UZIPFDXF} and follow the instructions that appear on
the screen. UZIPFDXF will direct you insert the freshly
prepared floppy disks into drive A and then will extract
the individual files from the .ZIP file on the other drive.
After UZIPFDXF has unzipped all the files onto the new
disks, insert the FIND-X Manual disk into drive A: and type
out the manual by {TYPE FINDXMAN.DOC > PRN}. This produces
this manual. Then follow its instructions for installing
and using the Find-X system.
Decide on a full name and a short name for each of
the catalogs that you are ready to start. Since the short
name is the one that you will key in when starting up, make
it a convenient name.
INSTALLING FIND-X ON A DUAL-FLOPPY SYSTEM
The Find-X Data disk contains four directories:
EMPTY1, EXAMPLE1, EMPTY2, EXAMPLE2. EMPTY1 contains a set
of empty catalog files for the Find-X1 program. EXAMPLE1
contains a demonstration catalog for the Find-X1 program.
EMPTY2 contains a set of empty catalog files for the
Find-X2 program. EXAMPLE2 contains a demonstration catalog
for the Find-X2 program.
First, make one working copy of the files in the
EMPTY directory for each catalog that you want to start.
Remember to copy from EMPTY1 if you have chosen to use
Find-X1, from EMPTY2 if you have decided to use Find-X2.
To do this, insert the disk into Drive A: and {CD EMPTY1}
12
Installing The Find-X System
or {CD EMPTY2}. Insert a blank disk into Drive B: and then
{COPY *.* B:}. Do the same thing for one copy of each of
the EXAMPLE directories so you can see how they work.
To start Find-X on a dual-floppy system, insert the
appropriate Program Disk into drive A and the appropriate
catalog disk into drive B. Make A the prime drive by {A:}.
Then {FDX1} or {FDX2}, depending on which program you have
installed. The first screen that Find-X shows will ask you
for the name of the catalog. Enter a blank. The screen will
reply that that name is not in the file, and you should
press any key. The second screen is a menu for maintaining
the CatRoads file of paths. Below the menu will appear a
list of all the catalogs that are listed in the CatRoads
file. This file contains the short name of each catalog and
the path to its data directory. You may delete any one or
all of these. Then select A for entering a new name and
path, and the screen will ask again for the name and the
path to the data directory. Enter the catalog name that you
want. For the path, since this is a dual-floppy system and
the data disk is in drive B:, enter {B:}. Then select D to
tell Find-X which catalog you want to work on, and enter
its name. Find-X will then give you the full name of the
catalog that is on the disk. If it gives you the wrong
name, change to the correct disk. (When starting a new
disk, there won't be a full name until you complete the Set
Up procedure.)
If you get an error message across the top of the
screen saying "open error", that means that Find-X cannot
open the first file in the catalog. You have probably made
an error in entering the path or have not copied a set of
catalog files to the working data disk. The other situation
is that you have not instructed DOS to allow sufficient
files. In this case, see the ALL INSTALLATIONS paragraph
for further instructions.
Thereafter, whenever you start Find-X for this cata-
log you need only enter its name at the first screen and
the program will proceed. When you want to work on a dif-
ferent catalog, which must be on a different floppy, you
must enter a new name and follow the initial routine to
enter that name and path into the file. In a dual-floppy
system, all the paths are B:. While you theoretically could
divide one floppy into two or more directories for differ-
ent catalogs, it is not worthwhile to do so because there
13
Installing The Find-X System
is insufficient room on one 360K floppy for two catalogs
with significant amounts of data.
INSTALLING FIND-X ON A HARD DISK SYSTEM
HARD DISK SYSTEM
Make a new FINDX directory directly under the root directo-
ry. Copy the files of the FIND-X working disk into that
root directory. Make that the current directory by {cd
\FINDX} or similar command. Then {UZIPFDXH}. When the
program has completed its tasks you will have a new direc-
tory, FDX, with four subdirectories under it, EMPTY1,
EXAMPLE1, EMPTY2, EXAMPLE2. Directory FDX will contain the
two programs FDX1.EXE, FDX2.EXE, one data file
CATROADS.DBF, and the Find-X manual, FINDXMAN.DOC. Directo-
ry EMPTY1 will contain a set of empty files for a Find-X1
catalog, EXAMPLE1 will contain a demonstration catalog for
the Find-X1 program. EMPTY2 and EXAMPLE2 will contain
similar files for the Find-X2 program.
You use this setup as is to try the demonstration
programs. All you have to do is to enter the correct paths
to the EXAMPLE directories. If you get error messages at
the start, make sure that you are using EXAMPLE1 files with
FDX1 program, or EXAMPLE2 files with FDX2 program.
This particular directory setup may not suit you. In
any case, you will want to copy the EMPTY files to blank
disks for use when starting new catalogs, and once you have
learned from the EXAMPLE catalogs you will want to delete
them. Make floppy disks for Find-X1 program, Find-X2 pro-
gram, Find-X data, and Find-X Manual. Copy FDX1.EXE and
CATROADS.DBF to the Find-X1 program disk. Copy FDX2.EXE and
CATROADS.DBF to the Find-X2 program disk. Copy FINDXMAN.DOC
to the manual disk. Either create the same subdirectory
structure on another floppy disk and copy the files into
it, directory by directory, or use a separate floppy for
each directory. After having done this, you may delete from
your root directory the 5 initial files: FINDX.ZIP,
PKUNZIP.EXE, READ-FDX.ME, UZIPFDXF.BAT, UZIPFDXH.BAT. You
still have 2 copies of the original files, don't you? The
original distribution disk and your working copy?
To install Find-X on a hard disk, first decide on
full names and short names for the catalogs that you want
to start. Make directories for the Find-X program and for
14
Installing The Find-X System
each of the catalogs that you want to start.
From the appropriate EMPTY disk, COPY *.* to each directo-
ry for your new catalogs.
From the appropriate PROGRAM disk, COPY *.* to the directo-
ry for the Find-X program.
To start Find-X, move to the directory for the Find-X
program. Then {FDX1} or {FDX2}, depending on the program
you have installed. The first screen that is displayed will
ask you for the name of the catalog that you want to work
on. Enter a blank. The screen will reply that that name is
not in the file, and to press any key. Do so, and Find-X
displays the screen for maintaining the CatRoads file of
short names of catalogs and their paths. Below the menu
will appear a list of all the catalog names that are in
that file. You may delete any one or all of these. Then
select A to enter a new name, and enter the name and its
path. You may enter all the names and paths now, or at any
later time whenever you start Find-X. Then select D, to use
a catalog, and enter the name again. Find-X will display
the name of the selected catalog for your approval. If it
is the wrong name, you have entered an incorrect path. (A
catalog has a full name only after you have completed the
Set Up procedure for it.)
If you get an error message across the top of the
screen saying "open error", that means that Find-X cannot
open the catalog files. This means that you probably have
made a mistake in entering the path or have not copied the
catalog data files to that directory. The other situation
is that you have not instructed DOS to allow sufficient
files. In this case, see the paragraph ALL INSTALLATIONS
for further instructions.
Whenever you start Find-X after this, entering the
short name at the first screen allows Find-X to move di-
rectly to that catalog. Check the name of the heading to
the main menu to see that you are working with the correct
catalog.
ALL INSTALLATIONS: ALLOWING SUFFICIENT FILES
Find-X requires more files than DOS initially allows.
Your CONFIG.SYS file should include the statement FILES=15
(or some larger number if you have a print spooler or
15
Installing The Find-X System
similar resident program that also requires files). Insert
the FILES statement into your CONFIG.SYS file and reboot
the computer so that DOS knows to allow for more files.
Increasing the number of buffers to 15 by BUFFERS=15 may
increase the speed of operation. For further information on
the CONFIG.SYS file consult your DOS manual under the
headings Files and Configuration.
TESTING THE STARTUP
To test whether the paths have been properly set, you
need to check that the proper catalog has been selected.
First look at the catalog name at the heading of each menu.
It should be the name of the catalog that you wanted. Then
make a search for items that you know are in that catalog.
If Find-X doesn't find any items, or finds different items,
you are in the wrong directory.
If items are correct but the name is wrong, then from
the main menu select "N Selecting and Setting Up Cata-
logs." Then from the Set Up Menu select "A Setting Up This
Catalog." You will then be asked to enter data about that
catalog, including the correct name.
If the items are not correct, you are in the wrong
directory. From the main menu select "O Select, Set Up &
Re-Index Catalogs." Then from the Set Up Menu select
"B Select A Different Catalog". Enter a blank or a non-
sense name to get to the menu for entering new paths, and
then enter the correct name and path.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIND-X CATALOGS
SELECT & SET UP CATALOGS
Selecting Catalogs when starting up has been covered
under Installation. To Set Up a Catalog, select "O Select,
Set Up & Re-Index Catalogs". Then from the Set Up Menu
select "A Set Up The Current Catalog". Find-X will display
a data-entry screen for you to enter the required informa-
tion. See the illustration under Menus and Data Entry
Screens. Enter the full name of the catalog.
Choose the date format that you wish for this cata-
log, American or British. Say whether you choose to use
dates. If you choose not to use dates, you will not be
asked for them and can never select by them. If you choose
to use dates you will be asked for them and have the abili-
ty to select items by a range of dates. You may choose to
use dates in other centuries. If you choose to do so, you
will have to enter the full four digits for the year; if
you choose dates only in this century you will enter only
the last two digits. However, this is reversible because
Find-X carries the full four digits in its files, so you
can use other centuries only when you need to.
If you are setting up a new or a freshly-emptied
catalog, you may enter a new item starting number for this
catalog.
Then enter, if you wish, a format for the descrip-
tion. Even if you enter one you may disobey it for any
item, because it is only for your assistance and Find-X
doesn't select according to it. If you use the | symbol as
the separator between parts of the description you will
find that entering data is easier. When you complete one
part of the description and press {Enter}, the cursor will
jump to the start of the next part. For FDX1 the descrip-
tion may contain up to 10 parts, for FDX2 it may contain up
to 20 parts. The most convenient way to locate items that
are listed in the catalog is to include their location as
part of the description, so include a section for this
purpose if possible.
For Find-X2 you want to save part of the description
17
Operating Instructions
format for a general description. In this you can put a
series of abbreviations for particular characteristics,
each one separated from the others by a special character
(that you choose yourself) called the description divider.
Many people choose the semicolon, because it is easy to
type and is not likely to be needed otherwise. You may use
any character except ( ) ^ + !, because these are used as
logical symbols. In this section you can include many
characteristics. If your interests are transportation you
might use 'rr' for railroad personnel or firms, 'at' for
air transport, 'mt' for motor truck, 'ss' for ocean steam-
ships. If your interests are artistic, you might use
'paint', 'sculpt', 'phot', 'dance', as descriptors. If you
have both interests, you can use all of these and more as
well. Use abbreviations to save space, but you can create a
new abbreviation at any time, just by entering it in a
description. Just keep a list of abbreviations so you don't
use two different abbreviations for one concept, or one
abbreviation with two meanings. Find-X2 will print out a
list of such abbreviations in alphabetical order, so you
can keep these straight.
Find-X2 will ask for the description divider. This is
one character that you will use to divide sections of the
description to make the logical search easier. You want to
choose a character that is easy to type but will not be
used otherwise. Many people use the semicolon.
Then enter two items about your hardware. Say whether
your printer is hand-fed or not, and whether you intend to
use Drive A or Drive B for backing up catalogs. If you are
on a dual-floppy system it won't matter which you enter
because you will make backups by copying disks, but if you
are on a hard-disk system enter this correctly.
After this final entry, Find-X will file the informa-
tion for later use. Do this once for each catalog that you
start.
If you are on a hard-disk system you may elect to
keep all or any of your catalogs on floppy disks. Just do
whichever is most convenient for you for each catalog.
NUMBERING ITEMS IN A CATALOG
Each Find-X catalog has its own series of item num-
bers. These run from 1 to 999,999. Normally they start with
18
Operating Instructions
1 for each catalog, but you can select a different starting
number when you set up each catalog. You may find it conve-
nient to number the items in some catalogs with the Find-X
item number and keep them in this order in whatever con-
tainers are suitable for objects of this type. With photo
slides, for example, it is easy to number the frame of each
and to store them in this order.
LOCATING ITEMS FROM THE CATALOG DESCRIPTION
The easiest way to locate items from the catalog is
to label the items with the Find-X item number and to
include their locations as part of the description, as
described in the section on setting up a catalog. If you
cannot do this, here are some alternatives. If the item is
easily identifiable from its description (photo slides are
not easily identifiable, books are), then it need not be
labeled. If the item can be labeled with its precise loca-
tion, such as Volume Name or Number, Page Number and Slot
Number for photo slides, then it may be extracted from the
page, used, and returned to precisely the same location
after use, and it need not be labeled with the Find-X item
number. If your storage system is so complicated that you
cannot describe locations within the space allowed, or if
you lend out items so their location continually changes,
then you must use a supplementary card file. Keep the cards
in order of Find-X item number so they may be easily se-
lected.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIFIC OPERATIONS WITH FIND-X1
The following instructions are in order of the selec-
tions from the main menu.
A ENTERING NEW ITEM
When entering items into a catalog, Find-X1 will
assign an item number to each item in turn. If you have
chosen to use dates, Find-X1 will ask for the date of the
item. Then, if you have entered a format for descriptions
into the Set Up Data Screen, Find-X1 will present that
format, using the | character as the divider between each
part of the description (provided that you used this char-
acter when setting up the catalog). Underneath that format,
Find-X1 presents the 78-character box for the description.
If the description for this object can follow the format of
the description, enter the first part of the description
and then {Enter}. The cursor will jump to the next part of
the description. If the description for this object cannot
19
Operating Instructions
follow the format, just type in the description and {Enter}
until the box for the first descriptor appears.
Descriptions do not have to have a consistent format
because Find-X1 doesn't search from the item description.
It is there for your convenience in recognizing and locat-
ing the item whenever it is recalled.
Then Find-X1 opens a box for the first descriptor.
You enter any characteristic by which you might want to
recall the item at a later time. When you {Enter} after
entering the descriptor, Find-X1 opens another box below
the last. You enter descriptors until you have no more to
enter, or until you have entered 9. When you have no more
to enter, just {Enter} on a blank box and Find-X1 will
accept the complete item with its descriptors. You are then
asked for another item to enter or to return to the main
menu.
When entering descriptors, remember that you can
search either exactly or generically. In a collection of
flowers you may have lupines named Lupinus bicolor, Lupinus
arboreus and Lupinus polyphyllus. There is sufficient space
in the descriptor for each of these names, and if you make
a generic search for LUPINUS you will get all of these
items, while if you make a search for LUPINUS BICOLOR you
will get only the lupinus bicolor items. Therefore you
don't have to use a different descriptor for each word for
which you may search. Just place the most general word of
each phrase at the front, the more specific afterwards.
The disk space required for a catalog is most affect-
ed by the number of descriptors you use for each item.
Therefore, if you are disk-space limited economize on
descriptors and don't enter descriptors which you are
unlikely to use.
B SEARCH FOR ITEMS
When searching for items Find-X1 will present you
with an illuminated box for the first descriptor. When you
complete that box, Find-X1 will present you with the next.
When you have entered all the appropriate descriptors,
{Enter} on the next blank box to complete the list. If that
catalog uses dates, Find-X1 will ask if you want to search
by dates. If you do, Find-X1 will give you boxes for the
earliest and latest dates.
20
Operating Instructions
Then Find-X1 Searches for the items with all of the
descriptors. It shows the list of descriptors on the screen
and the number of items that it finds that meet each
descriptor. For the first descriptor it may find 154. For
each succeeding descriptor the number will be no larger and
probably smaller, as Find-X1 discards from the list items
that don't match each succeeding descriptor. If Find-X1
shows that some items were found for the last descriptor,
it has created a file of items that may be displayed or
printed.
Because of this search pattern, Find-X1 will work
faster if you enter a rather specific descriptor as the
first one of a series. Then Find-X1 has to match fewer
items against the later descriptors. If the first
descriptor is very general and will match many items, then
Find-X1 has to make more matches to produce the final list.
C DISPLAY LIST OF FOUND ITEMS
When Find-X1 displays the list of found items, it
first displays the list of descriptors that determined the
list. Then it displays the items found four at a time. You
may scroll the list one item at a time with the UP and DOWN
Arrows or move them four at a time with the Page Up and
Page Down keys. Find-X1 will notify you if you reach either
the beginning or the end of the list, and won't move beyond
these.
D PRINT LIST OF FOUND ITEMS
Find-X1 will print the list of found items in 80-
column format.
E EMPTY THE LIST OF FOUND ITEMS
Find-X1 will empty the list of found items in prepa-
ration for another run.
F DELETE EXISTING ITEM
Find-X1 will remvove from the catalog any item that
is specified by its item number.
G CHANGE DESCRIPTION OF ONE ITEM
Find-X1 will display the current description of any
item that you request by item number and allow you to
change the description.
21
Operating Instructions
H CHANGE DESCRIPTORS FOR ONE ITEM
Find-X1 will change the list of descriptors for any
item in the catalog. When you enter the item number, Find-
X1 presents the description of the item and its list of
descriptors. You may change any descriptor, delete any, or
add more (up to 9 total). Then {Enter} until you exit from
the bottom illuminated box. Find-X1 will then change the
list of descriptors in accordance with you latest input.
I CHANGE THE DATE OF AN ITEM
Find-X1 will display the date of any item that you
request by item number and allow you to change that date.
J RENAME A DESCRIPTOR
You may find that you have entered a descriptor with
two different spellings, or that you want to change one
descriptor to match another. Find-X1 will ask you for the
present descriptor and the new name for it. When you enter
both, Find-X1 will revise all of the items with the old
descriptor to match the new descriptor.
K DISPLAY COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS
Find-X1 will display the items in the catalog five at
a time, starting at any item number that you request. You
may scroll through the catalog one item at a time with the
Up and Down Arrow keys, or five items at a time with the
Pg Up and Pg Down keys. Press End to terminate the display.
L DISPLAY ITEMS WITH DESCRIPTORS
Find-X1 will display the items in the catalog, one at
a time, with their descriptors, starting at any item number
that you request. You may scroll through the catalog one
item at a time with the Up and Down Arrow keys. Press End
to terminate the display.
M PRINT COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS
Find-X1 will print a complete list of all the items
in the catalog.
N PRINT LIST OF DESCRIPTORS
Find-X1 will print a complete list of all the
descriptors that have been used in one catalog. You may use
this list when entering descriptors to ensure that
descriptors that should be spelled identically are actually
so spelled. When you search for items, this saves some
multiple searches and some revisions of descriptors.
22
Operating Instructions
O SELECT, SET UP & REINDEX CATALOGS
This moves you to the Setting Up Catalogs Menu. From
this menu you may select:
A SET UP THE CURRENT CATALOG
This enables you to enter the characteristics
for the current catalog as discussed above.
B SELECT A DIFFERENT CATALOG
This moves you to the Setting Paths Menu. Below
the menu is shown a list of all the current
catalogs. From this menu you may select:
A ENTER NEW PATH FOR ONE CATALOG
This is enables you to enter the paths to the
different catalogs.
B DELETE PATH FOR ONE CATALOG
This enables you to delete the path to one
catalog.
C DELETE ALL PRESENT PATHS
This deletes all the paths to catalogs. This is
useful when you have rearranged directories and
you don't know the names of paths to delete.
D PREPARE TO USE ONE CATALOG
This moves you to the designated catalog.
C RENUMBER THE ITEMS IN THE CURRENT CATALOG
This renumbers the items in the current cata-
log. You may select the new starting number,
but it can not be between the present first and
last item numbers. It may be equal to the pres-
ent first item number. The items are numbered
in the order in which they were originally
entered. You are given a chance to reject the
renumbering task, in case you reach this func-
tion inadvertently.
D REINDEX ALL ITEMS IN THE CURRENT CATALOG
This does two tasks. It physically removes all
the empty and deleted records and it reindexes
all the valid records. With a large catalog
this will take considerable time. Reindex to
reduce the size of the files after you have
23
Operating Instructions
made many deletions. Reindex also if the files
have got into a mess through some errors.
E EMPTY THE CURRENT CATALOG
This empties the current catalog. You are given
a chance to reject the emptying task, in case
you reach this function indavertently.
P MAKE BACKUP TO FLOPPY DISK
There are two ways to make backups of Find-X1 cata-
logs. For catalogs that are on floppy disks, simply copy
the disk with either the COPY *.* command or the DISKCOPY
command. For catalogs on a hard disk, which may exceed the
capacity of a single floppy disk, Find-X1 uses the DOS
BACKUP and RESTORE commands. To backup a hard-disk catalog,
insert a floppy into the drive that you have designated
during the Set Up proceedure and select "O Make Backup To
Floppy Disk." Find-X1 will fill as many floppies as is
required. To restore that catalog to the hard disk after
correcting a failure, you must RESTORE into a directory
with the same name and path as before. Consult your DOS
manual for the correct procedure, as this is a bit tricky.
You might DISKCOPY the backup disks before trying this for
the first time, just in case.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIFIC OPERATIONS WITH Find-X2
The following instructions are in order of the selec-
tions from the main menu.
A ENTERING NEW ITEM
When entering items into a catalog, Find-X2 will
assign an item number to each item in turn. If you have
chosen to use dates, Find-X2 will ask for the date of the
item. Then, if you have entered a format for descriptions
into the Set Up Data Screen, Find-X2 will present that
format in three triple-spaced lines, using the | character
as the divider between each part of the description. Under-
neath each line of that format, Find-X2 presents the 78-
character box for that line of the description. If the
description for this object can follow the format of the
description, enter the first part of the description and
then {Enter}. The cursor will jump to the next part of the
description. If the description for this object cannot
follow the format, just type in the description.
24
Operating Instructions
Descriptions do not have to have a consistent format.
It is there for your convenience in recognizing and locat-
ing the item whenever it is recalled.
When you get to the general description section,
enter the abbreviations that indicate the characteristics
that you may consider significant in the future. If your
interests are transportation you might use 'rr' for rail-
road personnel or firms, 'at' for air transport, 'mt' for
motor truck, 'ss' for ocean steamships. If your interests
are artistic, you might use 'paint', 'sculpt', 'phot',
'dance', as descriptors. If you have both interests, you
can use all of these and more as well. Use abbreviations to
save space, but you can create a new abbreviation at any
time, just by entering it in a description. You must start
the sequence of descriptors with the dividing symbol,
insert the dividing symbol between each pair of descriptors
and add it to the end. The dividing symbol allows Find-X to
make more accurate searches by eliminating all items that
contain the searched-for sequence of characters as part of
larger words. Thus, a search pattern of ;prob; will select
only ;prob; descriptors and will skip over items with the
words 'probable', 'improbable', 'probate', 'reprobate' and
the like in their descriptions.
B SEARCH FOR ITEMS
Find-X2 displays the instructions for formatting the
search request, with below it the illuminated box for the
search request. You may search for any combination of words
or parts of words that may be in the description. Each
string of letters, either one word or several words, that
form one string to be searched for must be enclosed in
parentheses. You may combine all of these strings with the
logical symbols + (AND), ^ (OR), and ! (NOT), using the
parentheses, ( and ), to group items. For example, to
search for all photos of the swamp onion you enter:
(swamp onion). If you want all photos of the swamp onion
that were taken by H. Baum, you enter (swamp onion) + (H.
Baum). If you want all photos of buildings taken by Taylor,
then you enter (;bldg;) + (Taylor). This presumes that you
have identified all photos of buildings with the ;bldg;
descriptor. If you want all photos of buildings taken by
either Taylor or Forester, you enter ((;bldg;) + (Taylor))
^ ((;bldg;) + (Forester)). If you want all the photos of
buildings that were not taken by Forester, you enter
((;bldg;) + (! (Forester))).
25
Operating Instructions
Take care to use parentheses to properly group items.
If you don't have equal numbers of left and right parenthe-
ses, Find-X2 will tell you to correct the search request.
You cannot use either single or double quotation marks in
any search request, or the program will terminate. To find
an item identified as Prince's Plume, break it into two
strings as (Prince) + (Plume).
C DISPLAY LIST OF FOUND ITEMS
When Find-X2 displays the list of found items, it
first displays the search request that determined the list.
Then it displays the items found four at a time. You may
scroll the list one item at a time with the UP and DOWN
Arrows or move them four at a time with the Page Up and
Page Down keys. Find-X2 will notify you if you reach either
the beginning or the end of the list, and won't move beyond
these.
D PRINT LIST OF FOUND ITEMS
Find-X2 will print the list of found items in 80-
column format.
E EMPTY THE LIST OF FOUND ITEMS
Find-X2 will empty the list of found items in prepa-
ration for another run.
F DELETE EXISTING ITEM
Find-X2 will remvove from the catalog any item that
is specified by its item number.
G CHANGE DESCRIPTION OF ONE ITEM
Find-X2 will display the current description of any
item that you request by item number and allow you to
change the description.
H CHANGE THE DATE OF AN ITEM
Find-X2 will display the date of any item that you
request by item number and allow you to change that date.
I DISPLAY COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS
Find-X2 will display the items in the catalog five at
a time, starting at any item number that you request. You
may scroll through the catalog one item at a time with the
Up and Down Arrow keys, or five items at a time with the
Pg Up and Pg Down keys. Press End to terminate the display.
26
Operating Instructions
J PRINT COMPLETE CATALOG OF ITEMS
Find-X2 will print a complete list of all the items
in the catalog.
K SELECT AND SET UP CATALOGS
This moves you to the Setting Up Catalogs Menu. From
this menu you may select:
A SET UP THE CURRENT CATALOG
This enables you to enter the characteristics
for the current catalog as discussed above.
B SELECT A DIFFERENT CATALOG
This moves you to the Setting Paths Menu. Below
the menu is shown a list of all the current
catalogs. From this menu you may select:
A ENTER NEW PATH FOR ONE CATALOG
This is enables you to enter the paths to the
different catalogs.
B DELETE PATH FOR ONE CATALOG
This enables you to delete the path to one
catalog.
C DELETE ALL PRESENT PATHS
This deletes all the paths to catalogs. This is
useful when you have rearranged directories and
you don't know the names of paths to delete.
D PREPARE TO USE ONE CATALOG
This moves you to the designated catalog.
C RENUMBER THE ITEMS IN THE CURRENT CATALOG
This renumbers the items in the current cata-
log. You may select the new starting number,
but it can not be between the present first and
last item numbers. It may be equal to the pres-
ent first item number. The items are numbered
in the order in which they were originally
entered. You are given a chance to reject the
renumbering task, in case you reach this func-
tion inadvertently.
D EMPTY THE CURRENT CATALOG
This empties the current catalog. You are given
a chance to reject the emptying task, in case
27
Operating Instructions
you reach this function indavertently.
L MAKE BACKUP TO FLOPPY DISK
There are two ways to make backups of find-X2 cata-
logs. For catalogs that are on floppy disks, simply copy
the disk with either the COPY *.* command or the DISKCOPY
command. For catalogs on a hard disk, which may exceed the
capacity of a single floppy disk, find-X2 uses the DOS
BACKUP and RESTORE commands. To backup a hard-disk catalog,
insert a floppy into the drive that you have designated
during the Set Up proceedure and select "O Make Backup To
Floppy Disk." find-X2 will fill as many floppies as is
required. To restore that catalog to the hard disk after
correcting a failure, you must RESTORE into a directory
with the same name and path as before. Consult your DOS
manual for the correct procedure, as this is a bit tricky.
You might DISKCOPY the backup disks before trying this for
the first time, just in case.
PROGRAM LANGUAGE
Find-X was written, developed and compiled in the
Clipper dialect of dBase from Nantucket.
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE TO USE
The Find-X programs and this manual are copyrighted
by John Forester. Copies of the programs, their data struc-
tures and this manual may be made and circulated for review
and trial, but those who find it useful for their purposes
ought to obtain a user license from John Forester at 726
Madrone Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 for a fee of $20. John
Forester will answer questions from registered users at
408-734-9426.
END
LIST OF FILES IN FIND-X SYSTEM
IN THE TOP DIRECTORY
READ.ME Tells you to print the Find-X Instruction Manual
FINDXMAN This Find-X Instruction Manual
IN THE PROGRAM DIRECTORY
FDX1.EXE Find-X1 Program
FDX2.EXE Find-X2 Program
CATROADS.DBF List of paths to the catalogs
IN THE DATA DIRECTORY FOR EACH Find-X1 CATALOG
ITEMS1.DBF
ITDEX1.NTX
DATEDEX1.NTX
CLUES1.DBF
CLUEDEX1.NXT
KNUMDEX1.NTX
TEMP1.DBF
TDEX1.DBF
FINDMEM1.MEM
IN THE DATA DIRECTORY FOR EACH Find-X2 CATALOG
ITEMS2.DBF
PHRASES2.DBF
FINDMEM2.MEM
ITDEX2.NTX
PHDEX2.NTX
MENUS & DATA ENTRY SCREENS, FIND-X1
'THE NAME OF YOUR CATALOG' CATALOG
Enter Task Letter
A Enter New Item
B Search For Items
C Display List of Found Items
D Print List of Found Items
E Empty The List of Found Items
F Delete Existing Item
G Change Description Of One Item
H Change Descriptors For One Item
I Change The Date of an Item
J Rename A Descriptor
K Display Complete Catalog Of Items
L Display Items With Descriptors
M Print Complete Catalog of Items
N Print List of Descriptors
O Select & Set Up Catalogs
P Make Backup To Floppy Disk
X Exit Find-X Program
Copyright (C) 1988 John Forester: All Rights Reserved
The Main Menu, Find-X1
Item 'I' does not appear when this catalog doesn't use dates.
Item 'O' does not appear when the catalog is on a floppy drive.
30
Menus and Data Entry Screens
SELECTING & SETTING UP CATALOGS IN THE FIND-X1 SYSTEM
THE CURRENT CATALOG IS 'THE NAME OF YOUR CATALOG'
Enter Task Letter
A Set Up The Current Catalog
B Select A Different Catalog
C Renumber The Items In The Current Catalog
D Reindex All Items In The Current Catalog
E Empty The Current Catalog
X Return To The Main Menu
The Set Up Menu, Find-X1
Find-X - The Universal Catalog Indexing System
SETTING PATHS FOR DIFFERENT CATALOGS
A Enter New Path For One Catalog
B Delete Path For One Catalog
C Delete All Present Paths
D Prepare To Use One Catalog
X Exit The Find-X Program
RECIPES SLIDES BOOKS
The Path Selecting Menu, Find-X1
31
Menus and Data Entry Screens
'YOUR CATALOG'S NAME' CATALOG -- SETTING UP CATALOG FORMAT
Name of This Catalog: Example of Photo Slide
Date Format - A/B: B
Use Dates In This Catalog? T
Need Dates In Other Centuries? F
Enter Desired Next Item Number: 23
Enter The Format For Item Descriptions:
Latin Name |Common Name |Part of plant |Location
Is Your Printer Hand-Fed? T
Drive For Backup Data - A/B B
Set Up Data Entry Screen, Find-X1
'YOUR CATALOG'S NAME' CATALOG -- ADDING ITEM
Item Number: 238 Date of Item 01/04/70
Description of Item
|Genus |Species |Variety |Common Name |
Triteleia laxa Wally's basket
Triteleia laxa This and the items below it are the
Wally's basket indexed fields upon which the item
H. Baum may be searched.
grasslands
Calif
Oregon
Adding New Item, Find-X1
32
Menus and Data Entry Screens
MENUS AND DATA ENTRY SCREENS, FIND-X2
'YOUR CATALOG'S NAME' CATALOG
Enter Task Letter
A Enter New Item
B Search For Items
C Display List of Found Items
D Print List of Found Items
E Empty The List of Found Items
F Delete Existing Item
G Change Description of One Item
H Change Date of an Item
I Display Complete Catalog of Items
J Print Complete Catalog of Items
K Select and Set Up Catalogs
L Make Backup To Floppy Disk
X Exit Find-X2 Program
Copyright 1989 John Forester: All Rights Reserved
Main Menu, Find-X2
SELECTING & SETTING UP CATALOGS IN THE FIND-X2 SYSTEM
THE CURRENT CATALOG IS 'YOUR CATALOG'S NAME'
Enter Task Letter
A Set Up The Current Catalog
B Select A Different Catalog
C Renumber The Items In The Current Catalog
D Empty The Current Catalog
X Return To The Main Menu
Selecting & Setting Up Catalogs Menu, Find-X2
33
Menus and Data Entry Screens
SETTING PATHS FOR DIFFERENT CATALOGS
A Enter New Path For One Catalog
B Delete Path For One Catalog
C Delete All Present Paths
D Prepare To Use One Catalog
X Exit the Find-X2 Program
RECIPES BOOKS PHOTOS STAMPS
AUDIOREC AUDIOTAP
Setting Paths Menu, Find-X2
'YOUR CATALOG'S NAME' CATALOG -- SETTING UP CATALOG
Name Of This Catalog: 'Your Catalog'
Date Format - A/B: A
Use Dates In This Catalog? T
Descriptor Dividing Character: ;
Is Your Printer Hand-Fed? T
Need Dates In Other Centuries? F
Enter The Format For Item Description:
Use | For Description Separators & At End Of Line, 20 Max.
Family |Genus |Species |Variety |
Common Name |hrt|CRTE|Plant Comm. |Geo Range |
Remarks |Slide #|Location |
Adding New Item Screen, Find-X2
GO.TXT
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ <<<< Disk #1719 FIND-X >>>> ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ To unzip files to a hard drive, type: UZIPFDXH (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To unzip files to a floppy drive, type: UZIPFDXF (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To print installation info, type: COPY READ_FDX.ME (press enter) ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #1719
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
UZIPFDXF BAT 1382 11-13-89 8:47a
UZIPFDXH BAT 904 11-13-89 6:40a
DES_FDX DOC 1836 11-19-89 7:50a
PKUNZIP EXE 22022 10-01-89 1:02a
FINDX ZIP 225415 3-24-90 3:43p
READ_FDX ME 1910 2-08-90 9:39a
GO BAT 38 1-01-80 1:37a
GO TXT 694 4-22-90 5:49a
FILE1719 TXT 3405 4-22-90 7:07p
9 file(s) 257606 bytes
60416 bytes free