Task Master 2.4c
Copyright (c) Robert K. Summers 1988-93
All Rights Reserved.
Distributor: RKS Software, 3820 N. Dittmar Rd., Arlington, VA
703-534-1726 (Voice) 703-534-4358 (FAX) 703-534-7812 (BBS)
Task Master is an all-purpose project tracking program. Its
purpose is to help you keep track of office tasks, projects,
assignments, correspondence, and other work - easily.
LICENSE
You are licensed to use this copy of Task Master on a SINGLE
machine and to make archival copies for the sole purpose of backing
up the program. If you have more than one computer, you must
purchase separate copies of Task Master for each computer.
DISCLAIMER AND WARRANTY
Task Master is provided on an "AS IS" basis, with no implied
warranty regarding merchantability or fitness for any particular
purpose. RKS Software, Inc., and the author, make no
representations or warranties with respect to the contents
hereof, and specifically disclaim any implied warranties. By
using this software you agree that RKS Software, Inc., and the
author, will not be liable to you or any third party for any use
of (or inability to use) this software, or for any damages
(direct or indirect) whatsoever, even if RKS Software, Inc. or
its agents are apprised of the possibility of such damages
occurring. In no event shall RKS Software, Inc. or the author be
liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage,
including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential
or other damages. The entire risk related to the quality and
performance of the program is on you.
A NOTICE TO:
USER GROUPS
SHAREWARE DISTRIBUTORS
ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD OPERATORS
PC user groups, shareware distributors, and electronic bulletin
board operators are welcome to add Task Master to their libraries.
If you have received Task Master through a user group, a
shareware distributor, or an electronic bulletin board, please
remember that any diskette fee you paid DOES NOT constitute
licensing the software, and you are still obligated to pay the
$39 registration fee to RKS Software, Inc. if you decide to
continue using Task Master beyond the 30 day trial period.
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SHAREWARE TRIAL
You may have procured this software from another source such as the
libraries on Compuserve, a BBS, a shareware disk vendor, or from a
friend. That's fine!. We encourage registered users to introduce
new users to Data Master by providing them with an unregistered
copy. Try it out for up to 30 days, and if you decide to continue
using it, pay the license fee of $39. You'll receive a registered
copy and other benefits described below.
Shareware gives users a legal but limited trial period to test the
software before purchase. Task Master in shareware form is fully
functional and completely documented. However, telephone support is
not available to unregistered users. You must purchase the program
(called "registering") before you can get telephone support.
HOW TO REGISTER
Our toll-free order line is 1-800-242-4775.
See TASK MASTER REGISTRATION at the end of this User Manual for
additional information.
If you are a member of COMPUSERVE, just GO SWREG. The $39
registration fee will be charged to your COMPUSERVE account.
COMPUSERVE will notify us immediately of your registration and we
will mail your registered copy of the lastest version immediately.
BENEFITS OF REGISTRATION
1. FREE LICENSED COPY OF THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF TASK MASTER,
sent to you immediately by first class mail. Your registered
copy will include any new features which have been added since
the shareware copy was released, and will include corrections for
any bugs or problems reported to us. In other words, the latest
and the greatest.
2. PRINTED USER MANUAL, containing complete operating instructions
for using Task Master.
3. FREE TECHNICAL SUPPORT by phone, FAX, Compuserve E-mail, RKS
Software BBS, or by regular mail. We will gladly help you with
any problems or questions you may have.
4. DISCOUNT on upgrades to future versions. If you don't register,
we can't notify you of new versions of Task Master.
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SOME QUESTIONS
What is Task Master?
Task Master is a very powerful, yet easy to use project management
program. With it, you can create a file of projects, assignments,
tasks, etc., and easily keep track of all the work going on in the
office. You can query it for any selected subset of records, e.g.,
all of Smith's delinquent projects. You can produce reports in any
of several formats, or design your own reports. It has a
sophisticated pop-up appointment calendar, a pop-up calculator, and
other useful business tools.
Task Master is network-ready. It will run as a multi-user program
on Novell and other local area networks.
What equipment do I need?
Task Master is designed to work on any IBM PC/XT/AT/386/486 or
compatible computer, with a monochrome or color monitor. It
requires 384K of working memory. Task Master works with any dot
matrix or laser jet printer.
Task Master is designed for use on a hard disk system. If you do
not have a hard disk, you may want to consider a less powerful
project management program.
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INSTALLATION
Make a working copy of the program disk and put the original away
in a safe place.
1. Place the distribution disk in drive A.
2. At the A:> prompt, type INSTALL. The default installation
directory is c:\TM, but the installation program will allow you to
change this if you wish.
3. The install program will install the Task Master files start
Task Master for you.
4. To start Task Master any time in the future, go to the TM
directory, and type TM.
INSTALLATION ON A NETWORK: Follow the installation instructions
above for installation on a hard disk. The network supervisor must
assure that Task Master users are given Read, Write, and Create
rights in the Task Master directory. Ideally, they should be given
all rights in the Task Master directory.
The network supervisor must also assure that the Task Master
directory is the current directory when the program is executed.
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CONFIG.SYS FILE
DOS uses the CONFIG.SYS file to set certain defaults for your
computer. It should be in the root directory of your fixed disk. If
you do not already have a CONFIG.SYS file you should create one
that has these two lines:
FILES=21
BUFFERS=16
In a network environment, you may need to set the FILES value to a
higher number, e.g., FILES=31.
If you already use a CONFIG.SYS file that does not include settings
for files and buffers, you should add the two lines above to the
file. You can do it with any text editor. If your CONFIG.SYS file
already contains settings for files and buffers greater than these,
you can leave them as they are.
In most cases, Task Master will be able to detect whether you have
a color or monochrome monitor. If you have a monochrome monitor
and the Task Master screens appear to have a bright, washed out
look, type TM M to start Task Master. The extra M tells Task
Master to use monochrome, not color.
STARTING TASK MASTER
Go to the Task Master directory on your hard disk. Type TM at the
DOS C:> prompt to start Task Master. The first time you run Task
Master it will automatically create the master database, called
PROJECTS.DBF, and other necessary program files.
Opening Screen - the opening screen contains our copyright
statement.
The next screen displays the message "Updating for delinquent
projects." TM is checking for projects with due dates earlier than
today's date. If it finds any, their status code will be changed
to DEL (delinquent).
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MAIN MENU:
You can use any or all of the fields in each record to record
project data. NOTE: you can change the following field labels to
suit yourself. See Option K on the Services menu.
Number: TM automatically numbers your records from 1001 to 99999.
When you hit record 100000, TM will start over at 1001 again.
Type: This field allows you to categorize your records. As you will
see below, one of your report options is to produce a project
report categorized by type.
You can invent any category types you want, e.g., CORR
(correspondence), MED (medical), NY (New York), HIPRO (high
priority), etc.
We suggest you record the types you invent in the TYPES look-up
database accessed through the main menu VIEW option (discussed
below). The TYPES look-up database does not interact with the
program in any way. It is just there so you have an on-line place
to record your "types" codes for reference.
Project: This field allows you to record the name of the project.
Description: This field allows you to describe your project.
Assn Office: This field allows you to record the abbreviation of
the office to which the project is assigned. The OFFICES look-up
table accessed through the VIEW option on the main menu, allows you
to record the abbreviation and the full name. TM uses this look-up
table to print the full office name on project control forms.
Contact: This field allows you to record the name/phone of the
person to contact for information about the project.
Assigned: This field allows you to record the date the project was
assigned. TM automatically assigns today's date as a convenience,
but this may be over-typed.
Due: This field allows you to record the project due date.
Completed: This field allows you to record the date the project was
completed. When you enter a date in this field, TM automatically
places COM (completed) in the Status Code field.
Curr Status: This field allows you to record a narrative
description of the current status of the project.
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Status Code: This field allows you to record the current status
code of the project. TM uses three status codes automatically.
You may add any others you want. The three standard TM status
codes are WIP for Work in Progress, COM for Completed, and DEL for
Delinquent. WIP is assigned automatically when you add a new
record.
The CODES look-up table accessed from the main menu VIEW option
shows the three standard status codes. If you invent any other
status codes, this is a good place to record them for future
reference.
Comments: This field allows you to record any comments or notes you
may have about the project.
When you have finished adding data for a new record, TM will ask
you if you want to save the record. If you answer no, TM will
return you to the main menu. If you answer yes, TM will add the new
record to the database, and ask you if you want to print a project
control form.
The project control form is designed to provide a working cover
sheet for the project documents. When the project is completed it
can be filed with the project papers to document project history.
If you have created a memo (F2 key) for this project, it will be
printed on the bottom half of the project control form.
You may select any main menu option by pressing the first letter of
the option, or by placing the lite-bar over the option and pressing
the Enter key.
Add: Select this option to add new records.
Edit: Select this option to edit any record. When editing a date
field, you may increment or decrement the date by pressing the + or
- key, as appropriate.
Next: Select this option to display the next record.
Previous: Select this option to display the previous record.
Find: Select this option to locate any desired record.
Zap: Select this option to delete the current record.
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Reports: Select this option to display a list of available reports.
There are five fixed-format reports, plus a user-defined report.
If you select one of the fixed format reports, you will be given
the option of sending the report to the printer, screen, disk
file, of the form letter file. Send the report to a disk file if
you want to edit the report with your favorite word processor.
Send the report to the form letter file if you want to edit the
report with Task Master's word processor.
The user-defined report is quite powerful. It allows you to create
your own reports, and save the report specifications for future
use. You can create an unlimited number of user-defined reports.
See Appendix B - Report Writer for details of operation.
Services: Select this option to display a list of important
utilities.
A - Purge completed records - This feature allows you to keep your
file up to date by getting rid of records of completed projects.
We suggest that before you purge completed project records, you set
the filter to completed records and print a copy of report # 1 so
you will have a file copy of the records for future reference.
B - Print control sheet - This feature allows you to print a
duplicate copy of the project control form, e.g., in case the
original is damaged.
C - Write form letter - Select this option to prepare form letters.
You can merge data from your records into your form letters, and
them print them. See the instructions which are part of the form
letter utility.
D - Set Printer Options - Select this option to (1) set the lines
per page (default is 55) for the five pre-formatted reports, and
(2) set the printer orientation to regular dot matrix, laserjet
portrait, or laserjet landscape (default is regular dot matrix).
E - Set next number - Use this feature to manually set the next
project number. The next number to be assigned is shown. Changing
the next number is normally NOT something you would want to do,
since Task Master takes care of numbering projects in exact
sequential order for you. However, if you want to reset the next
number to one of your own choice, you can do it here. As in all
parts of Task Master, you can press Esc to back out of this
procedure if you change your mind and decide not to change the next
number.
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F - Set date format - Use this feature to select the date format
you prefer.
G - Toggle auto-statcode - Use this feature to turn the automatic
status code update on or off. When you toggle the automatic status
code update off, Task Master will not automatically check for
delinquent records when the program starts, and will not
automatically change the status code when you edit records. All
status codes must be entered manually when automatic status update
is toggled off.
H - Report/form heading - Use this option to change the heading on
the project control form and reports.
I - Save As - Use this option to save your project records to an
ASCII, dBase, or mailmerge file.
>> Save to ASCII file: Select this option to copy your records to
an ASCII file. You may copy to an ASCII file in which the records
are fixed length or variable length. Fixed length ASCII files are
called SDF (System Data Format) files. Variable length files are
called DELIMITED files.
In fixed length SDF files, records are fixed length, each separated
by a carriage return/line feed. Fields are fixed length and there
is no field separator. Character fields are padded with trailing
blanks, numeric fields are padded with leading blanks, date fields
are written in the form yyyymmdd, and logical fields are written as
T or F. The end-of-file mark ia 1A hex or CHR(26).
In a delimited file, records are variable length, separated by a
carriage return/line feed. Fields are variable length and
separated by commas. Character fields are enclosed in delimiters
(the double quote mark is the default delimiter). Leading and
trailing spaces for numeric and character fields are truncated,
date fields being written in the form yyyymmdd, and logical fields
are written as T or F. The end-of-file mark is 1A hex or CHR(26).
>> Save to dBase - Select this option to copy the projects file, or
selected fields in the projects file, to another dbase file. Task
Master records are stored in a standard dbase file called
PROJECTS.DBF.
>> Save to mailmerge file - Select this option to copy your records
to a file which can be read by the WordPerfect or Microsoft Word
word processing programs.
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J - Change Field Labels - use this option to change the screen
labels of the data fields. These labels will also appear on the
Project Control Sheet.
K - Reindex files - Task Master uses automatically maintained files
called indexes to keep your records in order by number, due date,
office, type, and status code. Power outages, power surges,
brownouts (voltage reductions), or other power-related problems
affecting your system can adversely affect these index files
without your knowing it. If your records ever seem to be out of
sequence, just use this feature to rebuild the index files.
L - Import dbase Records - Task Master's data files (PROJECTS.DBF
and PROJECTS.DBT) are in the industry-standard dbase format. This
option allows you to import records from other dbase files into
Task Master. Your existing Task Master records are not affected.
The new records are just added to your existing records.
IMPORTANT: After importing new records, you will have to do two
things:
1. Number the new records. Use the F3 Set Index key to place your
records in Number order. Because the new records have no numbers,
they float to the top of the file, before those records with
numbers. Task Master does not allow you to change the project
number in Edit mode. Therefore, select View from the main menu,
then Projects, to access the projects in browse mode. Highlight
the Number field of the first blank record, press Enter, and insert
the correct new number. Repeat this for all new records.
2. Reset the next automatic number. Select Set Next Number on the
Services menu, and set the next automatic number. For example, if
the last number you assigned to the new records was 2209, you would
set the next automatic number to 2210.
M - Import ASCII records - This option allows you to import records
from ASCII files. After importing new records, you must assign
record numbers and set the next automatic number as described
above.
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View: Select this option to browse through the records of your main
PROJECTS database and the four look-up databases. This option,
like all others, obeys the filter condition.
Press the Esc key to exit View mode and return to the main menu.
Quit: Select this option to quit TM.
FUNCTION KEYS
F1 function key - press F1 to display the Users Manual. While in
the help screen, you may Search for any desired subject, and print
all or any portion of the User Manual.
F2 function key - use this feature to view or edit the text in the
memo field of the current record. You may enter any text you want.
We suggest you keep your comments short, however, since disk space
used for memos means less space available for records. Press
Ctrl-W to save any changes. Press Esc to exit without saving
changes.
F3 function key - use this feature to select the index, or order,
of your records. The default order is due date. When Task Master
starts, you will be looking at the project with the earliest due
date. With the F3 function key, you may set the order of your
records to due date, number, type, status code, or office. A small
arrow will point to the active order. When you select Next,
Previous, or View the Projects database, the order of your records
will obey this setting.
F4 function key - use this feature to make a copy of the current
record. The copy will automatically be assigned the next project
number.
F5 function key - use this feature to display a pop-up calendar and
appointment notepad. Press Esc to make it disappear.
F6 function key - This is a useful calculator that includes all the
basic operators: addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*),
and division (/), plus exponentation (^) and a full-featured
memory. Whenever you press an operator ('+', '-', '*', '/', or
'^'), the previous number is shown above the display window. This
is handy for when you are processing a list of numbers and forget
where you were.
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Memory Functions: To access memory functions, press "M", then one
of the flashing keys:
'R' -- recall number stored in memory
'C' -- clear memory (reset to zero)
'+' -- add current number to number stored in memory
'-' -- subtract current number from number stored in memory
'*' -- multiply number stored in memory by current number
'/' -- divide number stored in memory by current number
F7 function key - use this feature to display your record count.
Remember that everything obeys the filter. With a filter set, this
feature will tell you how many records you have that meet the
filter condition. This can be extremely useful when someone wants
to know how many projects of a certain kind there are.
F8 function key - exit to DOS. This feature allows you to exit to
the DOS prompt where you may do anything you like. To return to
Task Master, type EXIT and press the Enter key. Caution: always
return to Task Master and quit Task Master normally before turning
off your computer.
F10 function key - this is one of your most powerful features. Use
this feature if you want to work with a selected sub-set of your
records. Choose the Quick Filter, or the Super Filter.
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QUICK FILTER
Use this to define simple filter conditions. For example, if you
want to work with only those records where "Smith" is contained
somewhere in the Comments field, enter SMITH on the Comments line
of the filter-setting screen. Press the PgDn key and you will be
working with only that subset of records. If you were interested
only in the delinquent (DEL) Smith records, you would also enter
DEL on the Status Code line.
You cannot include the Number field in a quick filter, but you can
include the Memo field. If you want to include only those records
that have the word Indian ANYWHERE in the Memo field, just enter
INDIAN on the memo line of the filter screen.
Look at the three date lines of the quick-filter screen. There are
two date blocks on each date line, preceeded by >= (greater than or
equal to) and <= (less than or equal to) signs. You can specify a
time period for the filter by entering dates in the date blocks.
You can use the first date block by itself or in combination with
the second date block to specify a precise time period.
For example, if you wanted to set the quick-filter for all
delinquent projects where the word Smith was contained somewhere in
the Comments field and the projects were assigned between 09/01/88
and 10/15/88, you would enter "08/31/88" and "10/16/88" on the
Assigned line, "DEL" on the Status Code line, and "SMITH" on the
Comments line. Press the PgDn key and you will be working only with
those records that meet the filter condition.
If you wanted to set the filter for only those projects assigned on
one specific day, enter just that date in the first date block.
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SUPER FILTER
This feature lets you use a sophisticated Query Builder to
construct more complex filter conditions. With it you can define
very complex filter conditions and save these definitions for
future use. Although very sophisticated, it is very intuitive to
use. After you have added several records, you should experiment
with this filtering feature so you can see how powerful it can be.
See Appendix A for details.
The filter condition you select affects everything TM does,
including reports. You do not need to use this feature if you don't
want to, but if you experiment with it and understand its power,
you will use it often.
When you set a filter condition, a "filter on" reminder message
will appear to remind you. When you clear the filter, the message
disappears.
When you set a filter condition, EVERYTHING YOU DO conforms to the
filter, including printing reports.
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APPENDIX A - QUERY BUILDER
The query builder allows you to define a condition which a record
must meet in order for the record to be used by your application.
When you Quit the query builder with a query active, your
application will have access to only those records which meet the
query condition.
Think of the query condition as a filter. Records that do not meet
the query condition are temporarily filtered out. The other records
in your database are still there, but they are temporarily hidden.
You can turn the query (filter) off by selecting Zap from the query
builder menu. All your records are now available to your
application.
When you select the query builder, you will be presented with the
following menu:
Build a new Query
Add to current query
Count matching records
Zap (remove) existing Query
Save current Query to disk
Restore Query from disk
Delete stored queries
What is current Query
Edit current Query
View records matching Query
Quit
Build a New Query: When you select this option, you will be
presented with a list of the fields in the database you are working
with. Here is an example:
Database Field List
< Deleted? >
ITEM
AMOUNT
DATE
CHECK_NO
TO
CATEGORY
COMMENTS
OK
MEMO
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Place the lite bar over the field you want, and press Enter to
select the field.
If you select the Deleted? option, you will be prompted to answer
T (True/Yes), or F (False/No). T (True/Yes) means you want to
include 'deleted' records in your query. If you answer F
(False/NO), this means you want to exclude 'deleted' records from
the query condition. A 'deleted' record is one which has been
marked for deletion but has not yet been purged, or packed, from
the database. In most cases, you will ignore this option.
If you have selected a character type field, the query builder will
display a menu of choices, as follows:
= (EXACTLY EQUAL TO)
<> (NOT EQUAL TO)
< (LESS THAN)
> (GREATER THAN)
<= (LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO)
>= (GREATER OR EQUAL TO)
$ (CONTAINS)
!$ (DOES NOT CONTAIN)
?* (WILDCARD MATCH)
S (IS SIMILAR TO)
B (BEGINS WITH)
E (ENDS WITH)
If you have selected a numeric type field, the query builder will
display a menu of choices, as follows:
= (EXACTLY EQUAL TO)
<> (NOT EQUAL TO)
< (LESS THAN)
> (GREATER THAN)
<= (LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO)
>= (GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO)
Select the appropriate option, and the query builder will prompt
you as necessary to complete your specification for the field you
have selected.
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The query builder will then present the following menu of choices:
DONE
AND
OR
AND NOT
OR NOT
For many simple queries, you can select DONE. When first learning
and experimenting with the query builder, you will probably want to
select DONE and use the 'View records matching query' option to see
the results of your query specification.
If you wish to include other field specifications in the
query expression, you can select one of the other options, as
appropriate, and repeat the same procedure as above.
An example may help. Let's say your query expression at this point
is something like LASTNAME = "SMITH", and you wanted to work with
only those SMITH's who live in California. Assuming your database
contains a two character STATE field, you would:
1. select AND instead of DONE.
2. select STATE from the field list.
3. select EXACTLY EQUAL TO or CONTAINS
(CONTAINS is often better)
4. enter CA for the state name.
5. select DONE.
Your query expression now contains the appropriate references to
both fields.
When you have created your query expression, Query Active will
flash on the screen. You can now select another option from the
query builder menu. If you Quit the query builder, your
application will filter your records so that only those records
meeting the query (filter) condition will be used.
Add to Current Query: Select this option to add more
specifications to your query expression.
Count matching records: Select this option to have the query
builder count the number of database records that meet the query
condition you have specified.
Zap (remove) existing query: Select this option to remove the
existing query condition. This restores access to all the database
records.
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Save current query to disk: Select this option to save the current
query condition so you can use it later without having to redefine
it. When you select this option, you will be prompted for a
description of the query condition. Enter any description you
want.
Restore query from disk: Select this option to restore a
previously saved query condition.
Delete stored queries: Select this option to have the query
builder display a list of stored queries. Select the one you want
to delete and the query builder will remove it from the query file.
What is current query: Select this option to have the query
builder display the current query.
Edit current query: Select this option if you want to manually
edit the current query condition. Unless you are an experienced
database programmer, you will probably not want to do this.
View records matching query: Select this option to view the
records which match the query condition you have specified.
Quit: Select this option to quit the query builder and return to
your application.
The query builder can seem daunting at first. We suggest you
simply experiment with it, building simple query conditions to get
the feel of it. As you become more comfortable with how it works,
try more complex queries. Remember to save queries which you may
use again. This will save you the trouble of redefining them.
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APPENDIX B - REPORT WRITER
The Report Writer allows you to create custom reports, output the
reports to printer or disk, and save the report specifications for
future use.
The Report Writer menu displays 12 command options down the left
side, a column which gives the column number, and five columns
which show the report specifications. The command options are:
Load REPORT: Select this option for a list of previously
defined and saved reports. Highlight the report you want,
press Enter, and the all the specifications for the selected
report will be loaded into the Report Writer.
Create REPORT: Select this option to create a new report. When
you select this option, you will be asked to name the report.
After naming the report, you must select Edit REPORT to define
the new report.
Save REPORT: Select this option to save your report.
Edit REPORT: Select this option if you want to define a new
report you have just Created, or change a report you have just
Loaded.
When defining a new report you have just Created, the lite-bar
will be over column 1 of Column Contents. Press Enter to
display a list of database fields. Place the lite-bar over
the field you want to use in column 1 and press Enter. The
name of the field you have selected will appear in the Column
Contents column.
Whether you are specifying the second column for a new report,
or editing an existing report you have Loaded, the editing
procedure is the same.
Use the arrow keys to move the lite-bar to the Column
Contents, Column Title, Width, Pict, and Total columns. Use
the ENTER key to change the contents of a column. Use the
INSERT key to add a new column. Use the DELETE key to delete
a column. Use the ESCAPE key when finished editing.
To Add: To add a new column to the report, place the lite-bar
over the Column Contents column where you want to insert the
new column, and press Enter. Select the desired field from
the list of fields which will be displayed.
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To Change: To change the contents of any of the five report
specification columns, use the arrow keys to place the lite-
bar over the item you want to change, and press Enter.
If you are changing an item in the Column Title column, you
will first be asked to specify the column width, and will then
be asked for the new title. The Column Title column initially
contains the name of the field you have selected.
The Width column shows how wide the column is. If you want to
change the width of a column, select this item and enter a new
column width. The default is the width of the field.
The Pict column lets you specify a picture, or mask, for
numeric fields. Please ignore this column since Task Master
does not contain numeric at this time.
Delete Report: Select this option to delete previously saved
reports.
Headers/Footers: Select this option to enter page titles
and/or page footers.
Filtering: Select this option to set a filter, i.e., specify
the criteria which records have to meet in order to be
included in the report. See the Query Builder section for a
full discussion of how to specify a filter condition using the
Query Builder.
Grouping Order: This option is only available if the database
has an active index. You can find out if you have an active
index by choosing Grouping Order from the command list, and
then selecting View current sort selection. If there is no
active index, the report writer will tell you.
You may use this option to have the report writer group your
data into major and secondary groups. A group change is a
point where a change takes place in one of the keys in an
indexed database. Report subtotals will be printed at a group
change.
If your database has one or more active indexes, the report
writer will present a menu of index choices. Pick the index
you want to use for the report.
Page 21
Next, the report writer will ask you if you want to select a
major group from the index key. If you answer Yes, the report
writer will present a menu of major group choices based on the
index you have chosen to use. For example, if your index is
based on the expression LNAME + FNAME, the menu will show two
choices:
LNAME
LNAME+FNAME
If you select the full expression (LNAME+FNAME), the report
writer will not ask you if you want to use a secondary group.
If you select LNAME, the report writer will ask you if you
want to select a secondary group from the index key. If you
answer Yes, the report writer will present a menu of choices
based on the unselected portion of the index expression. In
the example we are using, the menu would consist of the single
choice FNAME.
If this seems confusing, don't worry. Experiment with it a
little by producing sample reports, and you will quickly see
how it works.
Other Options: Select this option to customize the look of
your report. There are five categories within this option:
Page Dimensions: Use the choices in this category to set
the desired page length, page width, top margin, and left
margin.
Group Headers and Totals: Use the choices in this
category to give the major or minor groups, if any, a
title. The default titles are Major Group: and Minor
Group:. You can also select any underlining characters
you may want to use for the gropu headers and totals.
Eject (new page) Options: Use the choices in this
category to specify how you want the report writer to
eject pages.
Separator Characters: Use the choices in this category to
specify separator lines and characters for titles,
individual detail lines, columns, etc.
Page 22
Miscellaneous Options: Use the choices in this category
to specify whether you want to include a standard two
line header on each page consisting of the page #, date,
and time. You can also specify whether you want a full
or summary report. You would use a summary report
primarily for numeric reports where the major group
totals were all you were interested in.
The printer setup and exit codes allow you to send
printer control codes to the printer at the beginning and
end or the report. For example, if you are working with
an Epson dot matrix printer, and want to print a report
in condensed print, you would enter 15 as the setup code
and 18 as the exit code.
For a laserjet printer, the setup code for condensed
print is 27,38,107,50,83. For landscape mode, enter
27,38,108,49,79 for the setup code. The exit code for
laserjet printers is always 27,69.
Printer control codes can vary widely from printer to
printer, so check your printer manual for the exact codes
for your printer.
Unless you are very familiar with the printer control
codes used by your printer, you will normally leave the
printer setup and exit codes blank. Leaving them blank
means that the printer will print in whatever font the
printer is currently set for.
Print Report: Select this option to send the report to the
printer or to a disk file. We suggest using the disk file
option until you are sure you have the report just the way you
want it, since the disk file option displays the report on the
screen while also writing to the disk. You can see right away
whether the report looks the way you want it to.
You can suspend or quit report production by pressing the Esc
key at any time.
If you tell the report writer to prepare a disk file, you will
be prompted for a file name.
Report Status: Select this option to see a summary of the
total configuration being used by the report writer.
Page 23
ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS
Robert K. Summers is a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware
principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-
related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member
directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you
resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not
provide technical support for members' products. Please write to
the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a
Compuserve message via Compuserve Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
IMPORTANT FINAL NOTE
WE ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OF DATA.
Please make regular backup copies of your records to protect
against accidental erasures or system malfunction. Your records are
in the file called PROJECTS.DBF. Memo field data is in the file
called PROJECTS.DBT. These two files must be backed up at the same
time.
In addition to the DOS backup.com and restore.com programs which
come free with each copy of DOS, there are several commercial
programs available for saving and restoring copies of your records.
These include Fastback Plus, PC Tools Deluxe, and Norton Utilities.
Should you ever need to restore backed-up files, please reindex
your records (Services Menu) after restoring.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
We will be glad to help with any problems you may have.
You may contact us for technical support by:
-Compuserve E-Mail at 72357,2034
-FAX...... 703-534-4358
-Voice.... 703-534-1726
-BBS...... 703-534-7812
-Mail at:
RKS Software, Inc.
3820 N. Dittmar Road
Arlington, VA 22207-4565
-- TASK MASTER REGISTRATION --
CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY
You can order with MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover from Public
(software) Library by calling 800-242-4775 or 713-524-6394 or by
FAX to 713-524-6398 or by CIS Email to 71355,470. You can also
mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O.Box 35705, Houston, TX
77235-5705.
THE ABOVE NUMBERS ARE FOR ORDERS ONLY
Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order,
refunds, registration options, product details, technical
support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, etc,
must be directed to RKS Software, Inc. at 703-534-1726.
To insure that you get the latest version, PsL will notify us the
day of your order and we will ship the product directly to you.
NON-CREDIT CARD ORDERS
If you prefer to pay by check, please complete this form and mail
to RKS Software, Inc., 3820 N. Dittmar Rd., Arlington, VA 22207.
Enclose your check for $39.00, plus $4.00 shipping/handling for
U.S. and Canada, and $6.00 shipping/handling for other
international orders.
We accept all U.S. and foreign Postal Money Orders, and will also
accept checks drawn on foreign banks.
SEND TO:
Name: _________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
City: _______________________ State: ________ ZIP: ___________
Phone:_________________________________________________________
Send: ___ 5 1/4 inch disk __ 3 1/2 inch disk
Whether you order by credit card through The Public (software)
Library, or by check to RKS Software, you will receive directly
from RKS Software, Inc. a copy of the most recent version of Task
Master, entitlement to technical support, and notification of
future upgrades at a discounted price.
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