Chapter 15
Customization, Options, and Tools
askSam Concepts in this Chapter:
• File Properties
• Security (Passwords And Encryption)
• Index Options
• Global Options (TOOLS - OPTIONS)
• Changing the askSam Screen
• Customizing Toolbars
• Customizing the Keyboard
• The Spell Checker
• Automatic Field Recognition
• Two Digit Year Conversion
• Pick Lists
• Creating and Modifying Templates
• File Recovery
Fine Tuning askSam
askSam is used for different purposes by different people. With this in mind, many customization options and tools have been included. These options and tools let you fine-tune the program for your particular needs.
The askSam Options Overview
In askSam there are two types of settings: file specific settings and global settings. The file specific settings are set in the active file. Global settings determine the askSam system default settings. The global settings are not file specific they are active whenever askSam is running.
The file specific options are:
File Properties (FILE -> PROPERTIES menu)
Index options (FILE -> INDEX menu this is only available in askSam Professional)
The global options are:
Options (TOOLS -> OPTIONS)
Customize Button Bars (TOOLS -> CUSTOMIZE -> TOOLBARS)
Customize Keyboard (TOOLS -> CUSTOMIZE -> KEYBOARD)
File Properties
The File Properties Dialog Box contains options that can be set for the current file. It also lets you set security for the file (passwords and encryption). The Summary tab lets you enter information about the askSam file (such as Author, Subject, and Comments). The Statistics tab displays information about the file (when it was created, how many Documents it contains, file size, and more).
To modify the File Properties options:
1. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES.
The File Properties Dialog Box will appear.
2. Select the option or options you wish to modify.
3. Choose OK for the settings to take affect.
The Settings tab in the File Properties dialog lets you set the following options:
FILE OPTION DESCRIPTION
DEFAULT ENTRY FORM Sets the default Entry Form for the file. The default Entry Form is added when you choose DOCUMENT -> ADD DEFAULT ENTRY FORM.
This option defaults to the NORMAL Entry Form.
FIELD CHARACTER Defines which character designates a field. The default setting is the character [ (open square bracket). Words ending with this character are treated like fields. For example, Name[ or Fax[. If your information contains words ending in another character, and you wish to use these words as fields, define this character as the Field Character. For example, if you have a file containing email and want to use words such as To:, From:, and Date: as fields, enter a : (colon) as the Field Character.
HIDE FIELD CHARACTERS Determines whether the field character is displayed on the screen or hidden. The default value is NO (field characters are displayed on the screen).
DOCUMENT ADD Sets the location where new Documents are added to your file. You can LOCATION choose to have them added to the “End of the File”, “Top of the File”, or “After the Current Document”. The default value is “End of the File”
DATA ENTRY MODE Sets Data Entry mode for the file. You can set it to ON or OFF. Data Entry mode is designed to simplify entering data. When active, pressing ENTER or TAB moves you from one field to the next. You are only able to add and edit in fields. The default value is OFF.
CASE SENSITIVE SEARCHES Turns case sensitive searches ON of OFF. If ON, all searches are case sensitive the case of the word or phrase you enter in a Search must match the word or phrase in the Document. The default value is OFF.
DOCUMENT COUNTER The ^N command can be inserted into an Entry Form to number Documents as they are added. The Document Counter allows you to reset the number of the next Document added to your file. See the chapter Working with Entry Forms for details.
PRINT EACH DOC ON A This option affects how askSam prints multiple Documents. If set to SEPARATE PAGE YES, each Document will be printed on a new page. The default value is NO.
KEEP DOCS TOGETHER, When you print a report containing information from multiple PRINTING REPORTS Documents, askSam keeps Documents from splitting across pages (if the Documents are smaller than a page). If you don't care where the page breaks occur, you can save paper by turning this option off. The default value is YES.
USE PAGE LAYOUT This option determines the page layout settings askSam will use when SETTING FROM printing multiple Documents. You can use the settings from the “First doc printed” (default value), from the “First doc in file”, or “Docs original settings” (which uses the settings stored with the individual Documents).
DATE FORMAT Sets the format for dates in your askSam file. askSam supports a wide variety of date formats. The default value is 12/31/2000 MDY
DATE SEPARATOR Defines the separator character inserted between numbers when dates are in a numeric format. The default value is “/”
INTERPRET DATES WITH Choose whether dates in a 2 digit year format are interpreted as 19xx or 2 DIGIT YEARS AS: 20xx. The default value is 19xx.
TIME FORMAT Sets the time format. The default value is 06:00 PM
WEEKDAY FORMAT Sets the weekday format. The default value is WED.
NUMERIC 1000 Defines the character that will be used as the thousands separator in SEPARATOR numbers. This is used when you total fields in reports, and when you set a decimal tab. The default value is a comma.
NUMERIC DECIMAL Defines the character that will be used as the decimal point in numbers. SEPARATOR This is used when you total fields in reports. The default value is a period.
CURRENCY SYMBOL Defines the character that will be used as the currency symbol. This is used when you total fields in reports. The default value is a dollar sign ($).
CURRENCY SYMBOL Determines where the currency symbol will be positioned. This is used PLACEMENT when you total fields in reports. The default value is to place the currency symbol directly in front of the number - $1,000
DISPLAY BOOKMARK Turns the display of the bookmark icon on and off. When a bookmark ICONS is set in askSam, an icon can be displayed in the margin beside the line containing the bookmark. This option lets you turn off these icons. The default value is YES (bookmark icons are displayed).
TEXT FOREGROUND COLOR Sets the default foreground color for text. The default value is NONE.
TEXT BACKGROUND COLOR Sets the default background color for text. The default value is NONE.
HITS FOREGROUND COLOR Sets the default foreground color for highlighting hits in your Documents. The default value is white.
HITS BACKGROUND COLOR Sets the default background color for highlighting hits in your Documents. The default value is black.
SEARCH LINE OUTPUT Defines the separator that is placed between Documents when SEPARATOR outputting fields from the askSam search line. You can set the output separator to be a blank line or lines, a line of a character, a page break, or no separator. By default nothing is output between Documents.
SORT TABLE Lets you define a customized order for the Sort command. Place characters in the order you want them sorted.
SORT ARTICLES Lets you define which words are articles. These words are ignored when you sort with the “Ignore Articles” options set to YES. The default articles are A, AN, and THE.
PROMPT FOR DOCUMENT When set to YES, askSam will prompt for a Document name the first PROPERTIES time you save a new Document. The default value is NO.
MINIMUM NEW RECORD When you add information to an existing askSam Document, askSam SIZE needs to allocate space for the new information. This setting determines the amount of space that will be allocated. When a file is packed, any extra space is removed. The default value is 2048 bytes (2 KB)
SAVE BACKUP FILE When askSam packs a file, it automatically creates a backup file with a BEFORE PACKING. .BAK extension. If this backup file already exists, it is renamed to a .SAV file and a new .BAK file is created. If you set this option to NO, .SAV files are not created. This conserves disk space.
The Summary tab in the File Properties dialog lets you enter information about your askSam file.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
LOCATION Displays the drive, path, and name of the askSam file.
AUTHOR Lets you enter the name of the author for the file.
SUBJECT Lets you enter a subject line for the file.
KEYWORDS Lets you enter keywords for the file.
COMMENTS Lets you enter comments for the file.
The Statistics tab in the File Properties dialog displays statistical information the active file.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
CREATED The day, date, and time the askSam file was created.
CREATED BY The login name and computer name for the user who created the file.
MODIFIED The day, date, and time the file was last modified.
LAST MODIFIED BY The login name and computer name for the user who last modified the file.
LAST PACKED The day, date, and time the file was last packed. . When a file is packed, askSam permanently removes deleted Documents and reclaims fragmented space (which makes the file smaller).
FILE SIZE The size of the file in MB and bytes.
% FRAMENTATION Percent of the file that is fragmented. If this number is high, the file should be packed. A file becomes fragmented as you edit and delete existing Documents.
NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS The number of Documents contained in the file.
NUMBER OF ENTRY FORMS The number of Entry Forms contained in the file.
NUMBER OF REPORTS The number of reports contained in the file.
NUMBER OF MAIL MERGE The number of Mail Merge documents contained in the file.
NETWORK FILE ACCESS Displays whether file is opened in a “shared” or “exclusive” mode. If a file is opened exclusively, other users cannot access the file until you exit. If a file is “shared”, multiple users can add, edit, and search in the file. Only available in the askSam Network version.
Setting File Properties for All New Files
The File Properties Dialog Box contains options that can be set for the current file. If you want to change the default file properties for new files, you will need to modify the file property settings in the NORMAL.ASK file.
When you create a new askSam file, it is based on the NORMAL.ASK file. Any data, reports, or settings in the NORMAL.ASK file are contained in the new file.
To modify the File Properties Options for all new files:
1. Choose FILE -> OPEN and open the NORMAL.ASK file. This file is in the templates
subdirectory off of the directory where you installed askSam.
2. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES and set the File Settings you want as default values when you
create new askSam files.
3. Save and close the NORMAL.ASK file.
Any new files you create will contain the File Properties you set in the NORMAL.ASK file.
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