The five Softwares are: Daisy.B6, Dbx.B6, Udbm.B6, Uptr.B6, Cdbse.B6, and are each independant softwares designed to operate alone or in coordination with each other. All are programmed primarily in Basic with code utilities used as needed where speed is essential. Generally, these softwares make extensive use of the TS-2068 Variable file and the computer’s ROM for Data Base and Disk Drive Management. All of the softwares allow easy access to the computer’s Basic mode. Basic functions can be performed, and when finished the software can be re-entered.
A range of Disk Management functions are available at menus to allow “Disk Library Management” during program operation, and return to Program Menu. These functions allow us to manage from one to four disk drives “while the software is in use”. The functions include: Disk Catalog View or Copy to Paper: Disk File Erase : Screen File view, paint, create, edit, or Copy to paper: Disk Data File View or LPRINT: Data File SAVE: Data File LOAD: Data File Delete. The use of these disk management utilities “without compromise of program parameters” adds immeasurably to the job of Data Base Management, especially for reading orientation during the task of creating a data base or in preparation for word processing.
Concepts of Software Integration With Disk Drive
Computer memory and disk drive storage are fully coordinated. Disk Data Storage is used as if disk space is an extension of computer memory. Data Files are sent to disk as cumulative segments of the same document. Disk Data files are returned to memory for editing, re-save, or word processing.
The Printer is controlled by each software. Each program makes use of a common utility in disk named “Init.B6” which Merges as needed to Initialize the DOS, the Printer, and to establish a print style. The Init utility is programmed for Epson compatable printers and may be adjusted for other printer makes.
There are two methods used to conserve computer memory in order to provide extended software functions. One is to use the disk to store a plethora of menus that are organized by functions. These full screen menus are “subjective” providing a range of options for the tasks at hand. There are more than a dozen of these menus and their storage in disk reduces the overall computer memory use by the main program, thus providing more software capability and more data management capacity. The right menu for the job task in progress “pops on screen from disk” as needed during program operation.
The second method is to store “sections of the program” in disk, on stand-by, for use by the main program. As functions are elected at menu, the proper “program segment” MERGES to the main program. When its job is fininshed the program segment is DELETED from the main. As an example, the Daisy program has about twenty such program segments stored in disk. Their total size, if added to the main program would exceed the Computer’s memory capacity by far. Of course, if the computer’s memory were completely filled with such a large program then there would be no space at all to create or manage data.
The combination of these methods allows the Daisy software to be so large and comprehensive that requires two 360K disks to contain the programming. All of the five main softwares use these methods to provide a wide range of both Data Base Management and Word Processing, and maximum data file lengths.
The Five Main Hybiscus Programs
“DAISY.B6” is a software, originally named “Smart Text“, that has evolved over a period of about 7 years. When Smart Text out-grew the memory capacity of the TS-2068 the methods described above were used to expand the program still further for the disk drive environment. Thus “Daisy.B6” emerged. The software then became a “Disk Data Base Manager” and Word Processor.
In 1987, as Daisy was being developed, it became the software used for publishing Update Magazine. Publishing brings forth many various needs for both Word Processing and Data Management. As these needs surfaced they were added to the Daisy functions. One such need was “offset word processing”, where columns could be printed as masters to be overlayed and copied. This feature, when elected, automatically sets the printer to Condensed style and 50 chr lines. The text file (or files) are then word processed as “alternate columns”. Another need was for “Centered Headers” to be automatically printed above or below paragraphs during word processing. This was added with the ability to elect “Large Headers”. When large headers are needed the software automatically changes the printer mode to “Double High” characters, center prints the header, spaces down a line, and then returns to standard characters to continue word processing.
The theme of Daisy is to provide automatic functions to lessen the distraction while Creating Data and to “take over” and accomplish functions that normally require much time to do manually. Automatic Letterhead, Business Block, and signature line support letter processing. Automatic Formatting for Centered Text printing is another feature. Centered Large Headers is another. Mail Merge is still another.
With Daisy we can type the text of a letter and then use mailing lists stored in disk to print the same letter to from 2 to literally hundreds of persons, each letter individually addressed, each with our own letterhead and signature line. And, Daisy will word process any number of disk data files, either singly or in-chain “from disk”.
Daisy provides two data base files. The primary data base is a multiple “paragraph file”, and the other a data base for creating “Outlines” as in a college class outline having major topics and a group of minor topics of each major.
An “annex” of Daisy is a MERGE program called “usrpgm.B6”. This program (in disk) can be modified by the user to schedule “just anything” that is possible to Print-out. Also it is a “sequencer” for disk data files to be chain word processed, and for individual paragraphs within to be sequenced by paragraph. The usrpgm program is normally MERGED to schedule the main text data base(s) for word processing of memory or Disk files “in the existing paragraph sequence”. The versatility of word processing can be greatly increased by user changes in the usrpgm program lines.
Daisy also does an outstanding job of printing labels and envelopes. Mail Files created with the next program to be discussed are loaded by Daisy for printing labels or envelopes that are on tractor forms
The “Dbx.B6” Software
Dbx.B6 is a “Records Data Base” and word processor. Originally this software was named “Mail Merge” and has since been expanded to provide Sorting and Search/Find functions as well as “user defined data base dimensions”. Dbx.B6 Loads and operates independantly, and it is also MERGED to the Daisy software when selected to create smaller Mail Files to be used for Mail Merge, or to create such files as “Invoice Files”. The Record Data base is flexible, in that the user elects the dimensions of the records. For example, a Mailing List may be needed having records of 4 lines and 30 characters per line. Or an Inventory file could be 3 lines of 12 characters per line. Or a set of Invoice files may be 4 lines of 48 characters each.
Sorting: Whatever the file dimensions may be, the file may be selectively Sorted by any line, and by either “first group or last group” within the sorting line. This flexible sorting capability is the key to the data base being adaptable for any type of Records Data Base imaginable.
Search and Find is another function of the Dbx.B6 program. We can input a search word and search any line of the records. When found the entire record is displayed. <Continue> resumes the search and the next Found Record is displayed, or a Not Found report is given.
A word processor is included in the Dbx program. The word processor is used to print-out the whole list, a partial list, or to print Labels or Envelopes on Tractor forms.
Dbx.B6 likely produces the largest data file of any software for the TS-2068. As many as 350 Mail Files (4 lines of 26 chrs per line) may be created. Or an inventory file of 550 Inventory records (3 lines of 20 chrs) can be developed.
But for creating record files to be processed by the Daisy program one must keep in mind that the files could be larger than that program can process.
The “Udbm.B6” Software
“Udbm” stands for “Universal Data Base Manager”. This is a new software designed to create, manage, and word process all of the types of data bases that the TS-2068 and the Larken Disk System can manage. Udbm.B6 manages 7 types of data files as follows:
1. Character Array Paragraph Files (Identical to the Daisy.B6 Text File)
2. Character Array Line Files of the user’s desired line length.
3. Page Macros: Chr Array Line files of finite number of lines of the user’s preferred line length.
4. Sequential Paragraph Files: Paragraphs are sent to an opened Seq file. The file may be from short to enoromous length.
5. Sequential Line Files: Line files of the users desired line length are sent to an opened Seq file in disk. The total number of lines may be from one to hundreds.
6. Sequential Page Macros: Same as Line files except that the program terminates the file when a “page length” is entered.
7. Screen Macro Files: The screen is used to create a formatted data base to be saved to disk as a screen file… Or we can create menu screens and save them to disk.. Or any Screen File in disk may be loaded to be edited, painted, or copied to paper.
The Udbm Software also provides a Word Processor for all of its data files. The word processor pulls data files from disk drive and processes them either singly or in-chain in a continuous document print-out.
The “Uptr.B6” Software
“Uptr” stands for “Universal Word Processor”. It has all of the capabilities of the word processor described with the Udbm program above, plus the ability to Word Process “Mixed Files” of all of the 10 types of files created with the Daisy, Dbx, Udbm, and the Cdbse program yet to be discussed. The Uptr program presents a disk catalog as a menu to input the file names to be word processed. One file name, or up to 50 file names may be keyed in from the catalog listing. Some of these files may be “pre-formatted line files” and others may be un-formatted paragraph files.
As file names are keyed in the word processor “samples” the file and detects if the file is already formatted into lines, and if so, the file’s line length is recorded in a buffer to be recalled to set the line length and margins during word processing.
When all file names to be processed are entered into the “scheduler” the program proceeds to word process all files elected, as a single continuous document print out. Line files are printed to paper “in their already formatted” line lengths. Un-formatted files are word processed to the user’s input desired line length. Headers are printed if present in the files being word processed. The result is a word processed document that can contain from one to fifty disk data files, all files joined and sequenced in the order selected. The types of files word processed may be:
1. The Daisy and Udbm Text paragraph files.
2. Sequential paragraph files.
3. Sequential Line Files.
4. Page Macro Line Files.
5. Sequential Page Macro Files.
6. The Dbx Record files.
7. The Daisy Outline Files.
8. Code Ascii files that have been transposed into Page Macro Files.
9. Code Ascii Files that have been transposed into Sequential line files.
10. Screen Macro Files.
TEXT ORIENTATION: The use of the “built in” Disk Library manager allows the user to selectively view the data within any disk data file. The Viewing of several files before word processing them can be a big help in selecting the data files to be word processed, and deciding the sequence order for them to be processed. The word processor needs all data files to be “in the same disk”. But during operation the disk utilities can be used and if data files need to be transfered one can break-in and LOAD a data file from one disk, then re-save it to the disk to be used for word processing. <CONTINUE> will then resume program operation. Such is the flexibility of choice when operating Basic programs.
The Uptr program word processes such mixtures of Data base files as; Random length two-dimensioned character array files, Random length Sequential Data base files, Record Character array files of three dimensions, Outline “twin character arrays” of two and three dimensions, Page length character array line files, Indefinite length Character array Line Files, Sequential line files, Sequential Page Macro Files, and such files as created by the Cdbse program to be discussed next.
The “Cdbse.B6” Software
“Cdbse” stands for Code Data Base. This is an unusual program that manages Code Ascii files “outside of their home software environment”. If there is anything traditional about computer software it is the “exclusivity” of data files, and the inability to process data files “except by using the software that created the data file”. Here-to-fore any data file, to be managed, required the data file to be loaded to “The Software that created the file”. Indeed, if we intend to manage “just one data file” then the most efficient way to do it is to “Load the software that created the data”. But perhaps we may want to manage two or more data files created by Mscript, Tasword, or Mterm.
Tasword files wont dance with Mscript, nor Mterm, and none will associate with the other. (We could relate this to some of the World’s social problems, eh?)
Anyway, while publishing Update Magazine there were numerous occasions when there was a need to mingle Tasword, Mscript, and Mterm “Code Ascii Files”, and the capability was not present in our vast TS-2068 software library..
“Cdbse.B6” was developed originally and given to public domain as the program named “MS-TAS”. That program would “read and word process” any Code Ascii file that was originally created with the Tasword or Mscript programs.
Further needs resulted in the expansion of the original program. Now, Cdbse does much more. There was a need to be able to “join” Code Ascii Files and to word process them “in-chain” with other data base files “of the Sequential files and the Character array Files” varieties. An Editing capability was needed for Code Ascii Files when processing the files “outside of their “Mother’s environment”. So, two more Annex programs were developed and the main program was re-named to become “Cdbse.B6”.
Cdbse.B6 works on DISK DATA FILES that were Saved by Mscript, Tasword, or Mterm. These are “Code Ascii Files” stored in disk. The composition of these code files is “pre-formatted lines”. Each of the files have different ways of separating the lines and formatting between paragraphs.
The Cdbse program gives us a Menu of management options. The first job to accomplish is to LOAD a code file from disk. The Cdbse program LOADS one of these different code files, and then DISPLAYS the text data on screen. We must then examine the displayed text and determine the “Line Length” that the text is formatted to. We only need to see the first few lines of a data file to examine and find the formatted line length. Once the line length is determined, we “Jab Break” to avoid having the whole text file scroll to its end. When we discontinue the viewing of the file, the program prompts for INPUT LINE LENGTH. Then the Menu is returned to screen, and we are ready for the options for processing the data file. The options at Menu are (not in order):
<5> Word Process the Code File. This elective prints the code file in the format that its “mother program” had formatted it (line length and spacing).
<4> Move Code to a Sequential File. This reads the code file being processed into a Sequential File of Lines, in disk, which can be later word processed either singly or “in chain” with data files of 9 other types (The Daisy and Udbm Data Files).
<6> Pagenate File. This elective results in the Code File being processed and changed into either “Page Length” or indefinite length Character array Files of Lines, which also may be word processed singly or in-chain with 9 other Daisy and Udbm data file types.
<7> Codenate a Data Base. This elective “reverses the electives 4 and 6 above. Existing Sequential Files or Character Array files in disk may be loaded and transformed into either Mscript or Tasword Code files to be processed by those two programs. As the files are transformed they are formatted to a desired line length and codes added for recognition by the Mscript of Tasword programs.
Electives 4 and 6 above will provide the capability to EDIT the lines of the transposed Code file, which are now in Character array form. Editing is accomplished by using the Udbm.B6 program.
Hybiscus Availability
All of the Hybiscus softwares (except the long Daisy program) will be published as Tutorial programs in the 1991 issues of Update Magazine, and possibly in User Group Newsletters (in order to hasten the presentation). The articles will be documentation acclumulative to the manual and the extensive HELP files contained in the Five disks provided with the softwares. The Hybiscus ensemble will be split into two Issue Disks, named “Daisy” and “Udbm.B6”, and will be made available for ordering. Or, the whole ensemble of five disks and manual may be ordered from me as a package for the price of $38.00.
Previous purchasers of the Daisy Software may return their original disks for replacement with the up-graded Daisy Software for $4.00 mailing costs.
The distribution of this software ensemble is intended to be at the lowest cost possible to defray distribution expenses. As most TS-2068 users know, I am always available for telephone help, and I enjoy talking with other Sinclair Timex users.
Bill Jones. (904 871 4513)
1317 Stratford Ave.
Panama City, FL 32404
The Issue Disks
Two issue Disks are now available from Update Magazine. Please specify for either 40 or 80 Track Drive.
Daisy.B6 Ensemble. For LKDOS Systems only. Includes all programs described in the article except the Udbm.B6 software.
Price: $22.00 post paid.
Udbm.B6 Ensemble. For LKDOS Systems only. Includes all programs described in the article except the Daisy.B6 software.
Price: $22.00 post paid.
Oliger DOS Users who are interested in obtaining this software please send an Interest Card. If at least ten SAFE users express interest a Version will be programmed and supplied.
Issue Disk Orders to: Update Magazine
P.O.Box 1095
Peru, IN 46970