For most QL users the first Psion program is Quill. Later they brave ARCHIVE and ABACUS.
A big let-down is discovering that Merge means something different in each program. ARCHIVE data files and ABACUS files do not merge.
Merging in ABACUS overwrites data (not text) in a spread-sheet if the file in memory and the files being merged are identical (except for differences in numerical data.) However, formulae are wiped out and the only advantage is that merging is quicker than loading another file.
In ARCHIVE only programs can be merged.
So what is the unhappy camper to do? It’s rather easy, although no one bothers to spell it out in words of two syllables. You export and import.
Refer the Information Section of the User Manual for specific RULES on import and export between ABACUS and ARCHIVE, but the rest is fairly easy.
First, when merging two ARCHIVE databases, the files must have identical structures (i.e. at least the same kind of data in similar fields.)
In ARCHIVE, type look “fnm1” from the command line (where fnm1 is the first _dbf to merge.) Then type export <ENTER> then the name given the export file in the quotes that appear. Press <ENTER> again and the file in memory will be formatted so as to be imported to ABACUS. Close fnm1 and repeat the operation on fnm2. (Giving a different name to each export file.)
Now move to ABACUS. With the cursor in A1, press F3, F for Files and I for Import. Input an export file name, then press C to import by Columns.
When the first file is imported, ARCHIVE field names appear in the first row. Go to column A in the row below the one specified in the Grid Use window and import the next file at that cell.
The field names of that ARCHIVE _dbf appear. Delete this row with the Grid command.
If the two files are compatible, (i.e. all first names are in the same column, etc.), export the spread-sheet formatted for import to ARCHIVE.
The only limitation is that the combined total of the two _dbf files cannot exceed 252 records. (You can change or add field names to an ARCHIVE file by editing the text in the first row.)
Now what about merging ABACUS files?
It’s not quite so simple, but it is quite useful and quick, once you get the hang of it.
For example, if you keep automobile expenses on one spreadsheet and home utility expenses on another, you may want to integrate data from both to report total household expenses.
Integrating two spreadsheets in their entirety is possible, but considerably trickier than can be covered here. What is simple is to integrate the important data from the two spreadsheets.
For example, it is probably not important to have oil, gas, repairs and insurance separately identified for each month in a combined spread-sheet. Monthly total automobile expenses are what count.
In a corner of the spread-sheet create a one word column heading in text (AutoMonExp), then gather monthly totals from whereever by the appropriate cell reference calls directly below this heading (no blank rows, please!) (You could also have a Month column with the names of each month.)
Use the File Export command to export the appropriate grid range to an Abacus compatible file by Columns (you must include the text headings in the specified range.)
Load the utiltiy expense spread-sheet and find some free space to set up identical columns as for the previously exported file. Now import that file (by columns) with the cursor in the cell that has the first column heading. The data (without formulae) will appear below.
The imported data can be added to existing data with appropriate formulae as TotalExp.
Yes, it’s awkward, but if you can multi-task two copies of ABACUS and have ram-disking, the process is very quick, indeed.
And if you think hard about it and read the RULES on page 1 of the Information Section, you may figure out how to actually export an entire spread-sheet – text, blank cells and all – so as to import it (merge) to another spread-sheet.