Chapter 4
(continued)
Working With Entry Forms
The Field Character
A field can be any word followed by the Field Character. The Default Field character used by askSam is the Open Bracket ( [ ). For example, words such as Product[, Price[, Description[ are considered fields in askSam.
You can define the Field Character to be any character. If you are importing information from an email application or the Internet you can define your field character as a colon ( : ). Then words such as Date:, To:, From:, and Subject: can be used as fields.
To Change the Field Character:
1. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES -> FIELD CHARACTER.
2. Type the new character you wish to use as the new Field Character.
3. Choose OK.
NOTES:
1. Even after redefining the Field Character, the closing bracket ( ] ) remains the character that designates the end of a field.
2. The fields in the Entry Forms define the field structure for your file. The list of fields in the Search commands and the Report Editor is generated from these field names. The order in which you enter the fields in the Entry Form determines the order in which they are listed in the field lists.
3. You should define the Field Character before entering your Entry Form. When an Entry From is saved, askSam inserts a space after each field (if at least one space is not already present). This space is required for editing in Data Entry mode. If your Field Character is not defined before the Entry Form is created, askSam will not recognize your fields and the space will not be inserted.
4. You can make the field character and closing brackets invisible by choosing FILE ->
PROPERTIES -> HIDE FIELD CHARACTERS.
5. Although it's possible, we do not recommend using more than one field character in a database.
Automatically Recognizing Fields
With the Automatic Field Recognition command in the TOOLS menu, askSam can automatically insert field names into an Entry Form. Auto Field Recognition searches through an askSam file and displays a list of potential field names. You choose the valid field names from this list, and askSam inserts them into the Entry Form. See the chapter on Customization, Options, and Tools for a complete description.
Entry Form Properties
The Entry Form Properties Dialog Box lets you name (or rename) an Entry Form, define settings for an Entry Form, or see statistics for a form.
To Access The Entry Form Properties Dialog Box:
1. To access the Entry Form Properties Dialog Box, you must be in the Entry Form Editor. Choose TOOLS -> ENTRY FORM, select the Form you wish to modify, and choose the EDIT button.
2. Choose ENTRY FORM -> PROPERTIES.
The Entry Form Properties Dialog Box will appear.
The SUMMARY Tab lets you name (or rename) the Entry Form. You can also enter the author's name, keywords, and notes.
The STATISTICS Tab displays information about the Entry Form such as Size, Number of Lines, Number of Paragraphs, etc.
The SETTINGS Tab lets you define the following Settings for the Entry Form:
Data Entry Mode Data Entry mode simplifies entering data in fields (see the Working with Documents chapter for details). You can choose to have Data Entry turned ON or OFF for this Entry Form, or you can choose “Use File Setting” which defaults to the Data Entry Mode setting in the FILE ->
PROPERTIES menu (this is the default setting).
Shortcut Key Lets you define a shortcut key from ALT+1 through ALT+0 for the Entry Form. Pressing this key will add a Document using with the selected Entry Form.
Add Location This setting determines the location where the Entry Form will be added or inserted in the askSam file.
You can ADD an Entry Form:
· To the end of the file
· To the top of the file
· After the current Document in the file
· After a named Document in the file.
You can INSERT an Entry Form:
· At then bottom of the current Document
· At the top of the current Document
· At the cursor position in the current Document
· At a specific line number in the current Document
· In the line before a specified word or field
· In the line after a specified word or field
Or you can use the Default setting from the FILE -> PROPERTIES menu (this is te default setting).
Text Foreground Color Sets the default foreground color for the text in the Entry Form.
Text Background Color Sets the default background color for the text in the Entry Form.
Hypertext Link Color Sets the color for the Hypertext Links in the Entry Form.
Multiple Entry Forms
askSam lets you have multiple Entry Forms in a single file. There are many cases where multiple Entry Forms are useful:
1. Different Forms Required in a Single Database. In some databases, different forms may be required to organize different types of information. For example, a bibliographic database may require different forms for bibliographical entries from books, journals, chapters, Web sites, and reports. In askSam, you can define a different Entry Form with specific fields for each type of bibliographic entry.
2. Inserting Additional Information in a Form. You can define an Entry Form that inserts at a specific position in an existing Document. This is useful if you have fields that are only occasionally used. For example, in a database of Web sites, you may track URL and site description. You could have an Entry Form for this information, and another Form that is inserted if the site requires a user name and password. The fields for User Name and Password would only be inserted if they were necessary.
3. Repeating Fields. In some databases, repeating fields can be useful. You can use askSam's Entry Forms to insert these fields as required. For example, in a contact database, you may want to have fields for “Call Date” and “Call Notes” each time you contact someone. Using an Entry Form you could insert these fields in your Document each time you made a call.
Adding and Inserting Entry Forms
There are several ways to add and insert Entry Forms into your file. You can find a detailed description of Adding Documents in the Working With Documents chapter. Here is a brief overview of Adding and Inserting Entry Forms:
To add the Default Entry Form:
1. Choose DOCUMENT -> ADD DEFAULT ENTRY FORM (or press CTRL+A).
A new Document is created based on the default Entry Form. Your cursor is in the Entry Form, and you can enter your information.
NOTE: You set the Default Entry Form by choosing FILE -> PROPERTIES -> DEFAULT
ENTRY FORM, and selecting the name of the desired Entry Form.
To add an Entry Form:
1. Choose DOCUMENT -> ADD ENTRY FORM (or press CTRL+SHIFT+A).
The Add Entry Form Dialog Box will appear.
2. Select the Entry Form you wish to add and choose the OK Button.
A new Document is created based on the Entry Form. Your cursor is in the Entry Form, and you can enter your information.
To insert an Entry Form into the current Document:
1. Choose DOCUMENT -> INSERT ENTRY FORM.
The Insert Entry Form Dialog Box will appear.
2. Select the Entry Form you wish to insert.
3. Select the location where you want the Entry Form inserted into the current Document.
4. Choose the OK Button.
The selected Entry Form is inserted into your Document.
Renaming Entry Forms
To rename an Entry Form
1. Choose TOOLS -> ENTRY FORMS.
The Entry Forms Dialog Box will appear.
2. Select the Entry Form you want to rename and choose the EDIT Button.
You are now in the Entry Form Document Type, and the Entry Form you selected is displayed on the screen.
3. Choose ENTRY FORM -> PROPERTIES.
The Entry Form Properties Dialog Box will appear
4. Replace the current Document Name with the new name for the Entry Form.
5. Choose the OK Button.
6. Choose FILE -> SAVE
7. Choose ENTRY FORM -> CLOSE to exit the Entry Form Editor.
Deleting Entry Forms
If you want to delete an Entry Form:
1. Choose TOOLS -> ENTRY FORMS.
The Entry Forms Dialog Box will appear.
2. Select the Entry Form you want to delete and choose the DELETE Button.
The Entry Form is deleted.
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