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TABLE OF CONTENTS
| This issue of DA PAM 25-30, Consolidated Index of Army Publications and Blank Forms (1 JUL 2000) supersedes the 1 APR 2000 edition. The DA PAM 25-30 includes a read-only database application; it uses licensed search and retrieve software, appropriate databases, and includes manuals and information files--all of them accessible from the Menu, as described further below. |
| The software is configured to run three separate database applications; options 2, 3 and 6 in the Menu. Most users work with the PAM 25-30 database (option 2. DA PAM 25-30 (Database Records). Those working with publications for equipment use the LINTOPUB database (option 3. LINTOPUB (Pubs by Line Item No.). And, those who want to prepare the contents of requisition templates for the CSS software package use the ORDERMAN database (option 6. ORDERING MODULE). These three applications are explained in sections V, VI and VII, below. |
| All text files in this application are in ASCII (.TXT) format, and are in the INDEX subdirectory of the CD-ROM. During installation, they are copied to your hard drive (we recommend you create a C:\INDEX subdirectory for it). |
| Users must install the software with every issue. This is necessary because the search and output screens carry the date of publication of the CD-ROM (so users can identify their output). The software is updated only when we make program changes in the application--none were made recently. Although erasing the previous files to install a new version is not a requirement, in most cases it helps users keep their INDEX subdirectory clean. |
| Instructions to install this application to your hard disk are in the second flap of the mailer of this CD-ROM. More detailed instructions are in section IIIa, below. They are also in the SETUP.TXT file in the INDEX subdirectory of the CD-ROM. Please insure first that, your CD-ROM drive is installed correctly, that you have at least 470Kb of RAM free, and are using MS-DOS 3.3 or newer. The DA PAM 25-30 in CD-ROM is a 16-bit MS-DOS application and, as such, it works well under Windows (3.1X, 95, 98, NT) and operating systems that support 16-bit MS-DOS applications. The licensed software is configured for stand-alone operation. There is no network version. |
| This application includes a 10 to 15-minute interactive Tutorial, available from the Main Menu (option 10. INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL...), and new users should certainly go through it before working with this application. See section IV, below. |
| This User's Manual provides descriptions of the software's main features, and examples of how to perform basic searches. Although most of the examples pertain to the DA PAM 25-30 application, the software works in the same vein with the LINTOPUB and with the Ordering Module applications. |
| The text observes the following conventions: |
| -- The names for screens, windows, field names are shown with initial capital letters. For example: Main Search Screen. |
| -- Keyboard keys are shown as named on the keyboard. For example, F2, Enter, or Esc. |
| -- All menu and list choices, as well as screen field names, appear as they appear on the screen. For example, Copy, or Publication/Form Number. |
| -- The caret symbol (^) represents the Control key. When used, as in ^A, it means that the Control key must be held down when typing the letter A. Since most keyboards now show 'Ctrl,' its also used, as in Ctrl-A. |
| -- Pathname refers to a directory path that ends with a filename. For example, C:\INDEX\SECTION1\APPDXA.TXT. |
| In the examples, and in the Tutorial, you will be asked to
'type' entries, 'press' certain keys, 'place the cursor' in a
particular field, 'scroll' up or down the screen, 'pan' right or
left, and so forth. Follow those instructions carefully. |
| The DA PAM 25-30 CD-ROM application includes data from USAPA's PAILS database, licensed software, documentation and information files, as detailed below. |
| a. The INDEX Subdirectory in the CD-ROM. This subdirectory includes some information files, and all the files that are copied to your hard drive during installation. Those files involve information that was originally in the introductory Section 1 of the microfiche version, and which have been updated, made appropriate for this CD-ROM application, and formatted for readability on your monitor. They involve an introduction to the DA PAM 25-30 and files of consolidated reprints and forecast publications. These files can be accessed directly from the Menu. |
| b. The DATA Subdirectory in the CD-ROM. This subdirectory includes three databases and their indices. When you chose option 2. PAM25-30, the application uses the PAM25_30.DAT database and its index (.IDX) file, which involve records of publications and forms dumped from the PAILS database. When you chose option 3, LINTOPUB, the application uses the LINTOPUB.DAT database and its index (.IDX) file, which involve records of LINs (Line Item Numbers (LINs). This database is prepared by LOGSA (Redstone Arsenal). When you chose option 6, ORDERING MODULE, the application uses the ORDERMAN.DAT database and its index (.IDX) file. This database contains the records of all orderable items only, and only the fields that are necessary for USAPA's ordering systems. |
| c. The INSTAL Subdirectory in the CD-ROM. This subdirectory contains the application software--also known as the search and retrieve software, configured for this application. During the installation process, all the files in this subdirectory are copied to the C:\INDEX subdirectory in your hard disk, the path (.PTH) files are modified appropriately, and the Uaserinfo.txt file is created with the publications account information you provided during installation. |
| d. Other Files. We should mention some of the files that are copied to your hard drive during the installation process. The README.TXT is a readme file with introductory and last minute information about the DA PAM 25-30 application, the Ordering Module, and the CSS Software Package. The SETUP.TXT file contains the instructions for installing this CD-ROM application to your PC. |
| The PAMMAN.TXT file contains the User's Manual for the DA PAM 25-30 (you are reading it now), and the ORDERMAN.TXT file contains the User's Manual for the Ordering Module. They can be read from the Menu (options 7 and 8, respectively). |
| The PAM2533.TXT file includes only the text of DA PAM 25-33, User's Guide for Army Publications and Forms (15SEP96) (Menu, option 11, DA PAM 25-33). This text-only version is provided to help those users who do not have the paper version. As the note on its first screen says, if you need the DA PAM 25-33 for any other official purpose, you must use the authenticated version. |
| The USFLINFO.TXT file includes information that many users
need it at hand (such as, IDNs and Series-12 information, status
codes of publications, list of footnote descriptions, and unit of
issue codes--all that in one file. Users who order or manage
publications should print this file and keep it handy. |
| a. Installation. First, make sure that your PC has MS-DOS 3.3 or later, and that your CD-ROM drive works appropriately. If you are using Windows, click on the MS-DOS Prompt program. If you are a new user, create a C:\INDEX subdirectory (where we suggest you load the application software). If you used previous versions, you probably have a C:\INDEX subdirectory. At this point, make sure you know the drive-letter of your CD-ROM drive, and that you have the correct CD in the drive (Disc 1 of 4). |
| Next, move to the C:\INDEX subdirectory and, then, type
X:install. Your command line should look like: |
| C:\INDEX>X:install. |
|
|
C:\Index\Pam.bat. |
| b. The Main Search Screen. Once you have installed the
software, and your prompt is in the C:\INDEX> subdirectory, type
PAM, and press Enter (clicking on your shortcut will do the
same). After a title screen, you should see the Main Menu. The
DA PAM 25-30, LINTOPUB, and the ORDERING MODULE are options 2, 3
and 6. These three options are independent of each other, and
they have their own Main Search Screen. The fields in the search
screens allow you to enter search data that the software uses to
find the desired records. The upper portion of the screens
display the available functions (F-keys), and the lower portion
of the screens display useful hints and instructions applicable
to the current screen. Do not hesitate to try the various
features and options; nothing will be harmed by it. |
| c. On-screen Help. Help on the software is available at
all times when running the application. Press F1 to access the
Help window. All new users should browse the Help screens before
working with the application, because they provide brief but
useful general information on the software's commands and
procedures. |
| d. Search Fields and Parameters. Once you are in the Main
Search Screen, enter your search parameters in the appropriate
fields, and the software will try to find the records that
satisfy all those parameters. Although you can type the entries,
you should use the F5, Index Wheel, for reasons explained below. |
| e. Index Wheels. These are "pop-up windows" that show the contents of the field. In the Main Search Screen, place the cursor in the desired field, and press F5. The Index Wheel window appears and shows a GO TO: field near the top. When you type in this field, the index will scroll to a matching entry (giving the impression of a wheel--thus the name). As in any indexed database, an entry in the Index Wheel means that the database has at least one record with that entry in that field. On the right, the Index Wheel shows the number of records that have that entry. When you identify the desired entry, place the cursor on it and press Enter to transfer it to the Main Search Screen. |
| Obviously, you can type your entries on the Main Search
Screen, but using the Index Wheels eliminates typing and format
errors. If you insist on typing an entry, make sure you follow
carefully the format of the entries in the index wheel for that
field. |
| f. Initial Results Screen. When you press F2, Begin Search,
the search is performed and the software shows an Initial Results
Screen--which lists the records found, one line per record. That
list should help you decide which records you want to see in more
detail. The asterisk in front of an entry means that the record
is 'selected.' Use Shift-8 to remove the asterisk--to 'deselect'
it. The software will display the information only for those
records 'selected' in this screen. To display or to print only
the selected records, in any view, use the Ctrl-P and Ctrl-F keys
while in the Initial Results Screen. |
| g. Views. The information of the selected records can be
seen in one of the various views or formats. Press F7, Select
View, to see the options. The PAM25_30 application offers six
views, the LINTOPUB application offers one, and the Ordering
Module offers two views. The contents and layout of the views
were designed for particular uses, and you should choose the one
that is appropriate for your needs. You can save or print your
results in any of those views as well. |
| h. Exiting the Application. Once finished, press F10,
choose Exit Application, and, in the Main Menu, choose Quit. If
you do not exit appropriately, or if power is cut-off during
operation, the software will not close all working (.SPL) files,
and they will be written to your default subdirectory (C:\Index).
These files can build up and take up considerable disc space--
which is not desirable. |
| All users, especially new users, should try the Tutorial
before working with this application. The Tutorial runs the PAM
25-30 database in real time, and takes about 12 to 15 minutes.
You need to have only some familiarity with the PC keyboard, pay
attention to the screens, and follow the instructions. As with
most tutorials, you are encouraged to repeat it until you feel
you understand the application. |
| a. Searching for Records of Publications or Forms. As with any computer application, you should start with the simpler cases. Obviously, there are various ways to get the desired information--some more effective than others. In the examples below, and in the Tutorial, you will use some of the efficient options, but, the examples also try to illustrate as many of the appropriate options and features as possible. |
| One of the simplest searches in this database is when you
know a publication or form number. |
| EXAMPLE 1. Searching for AR 25-12 (Also in the Tutorial) |
| In the Main Search Screen, move the cursor to the Publication/Form Number field |
| --Press F5. At the top of the Index Wheel, in the GO TO: field, you should see the blinking cursor. Type AR 25, slowly. Notice that the Index Wheel moves, catching up with your entry. After you typed that far, you should already see the AR 25-12 entry in the window. |
| --Move your cursor to the AR 25-12 entry, and press Enter, to transfer it to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2, to perform the search. When done, the Search Complete Window appears in your screen. |
| --Read the messages, and press Enter twice to see the results in
the Full Record View. |
| Remember that, for most searches, the Index Wheels are your
best tool. When used, they help you enter the appropriate entry
for that field, precluding typos and format errors. |
| EXAMPLE 2. Searching for publications or forms that have the
word 'travel' in their title. |
| In the Main Search screen, move the cursor to the Words In Title field. |
| --Press F5. The Index Wheel window shows all the words in the title field of all records, in alphabetical order. Remember that, as you type in the GO TO: field, the Index Wheel will try to catch up and display the closest matching entries. |
| --Type, T. The Index Wheel will scroll to show entries with a T in the first position. It will act similarly when you type the R, the A, and so on. |
| --When you have typed TRAV, you will note that TRAVEL is already in the Index Wheel. Place the cursor on TRAVEL, and then press Enter to transfer it to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2. When the search is finished, it should display the Search Complete message box, with information about your search. |
| --Press Enter. The Initial Results Screen should appear showing a list of records that have 'travel' in the title field. |
| --Press F7, select Full Record view, and press Enter. |
| The Full Record View shows all the information in the
database for each record retrieved. The small arrows on the
scroll bars indicate that there is more information in the
direction they point. Use your arrow keys or the Page-up and
Page-Down keys to scroll through the records. |
| b. Searching when no Definite Information is Known. At
times, you may have no definite information about a publication
or a form. In those cases you may want to combine field entries
to narrow the search. For example, if you think that the
publication you need may be an active AR, the Index Wheel of the
Section/Heading/Subheading field will allow you to scroll to the
heading of the active Army Regulations (Section 4). Obviously,
when you use this field, you will not retrieve the obsolete ARs
that are in Section 13. Next, in the Index Wheel of the Words in
Title field, you should scroll until you see the word or words
that you think are in the title of the publication or form you
have in mind. You should test combining entries appropriately to
narrow down your search, as in the following example. |
| EXAMPLE 3. Searching for active Army Regulations that deal with
'information,' and whose proponent is DISC4. (Also in the
Tutorial). |
| --Move your cursor to the Section/Heading/Subheading field, and press the F5 key to see the Index Wheel. |
| --In the GO TO: field, type 04. |
| --Notice that the Index Wheel moved (to the 'top of Section 4,' as it were), and already shows the subheading 04.003 Army Regulations (AR). So, place your cursor on that line and press Enter, to transfer it to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Move the cursor to the Words in Title field. (You should always use the Index Wheel to enter search parameters but, for this example only, you are asked to type an entry.) |
| --Type, INFORMATION. |
| --Move your cursor to the Proponent field, and press F5 to see its Index Wheel. |
| --In the GO TO: field, type DIS. The Index Wheel should already show the DISC4 entry. Place your cursor on that entry, and press Enter to transfer it to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2 to perform the search. |
| --The Search Complete window should appear, indicating the number of records found. Press, Enter. |
| --The Initial Results Screen shows, one line per record found, of the active ARs that have 'information' in their titles, and DISC4 as their Proponent. |
| --Press F7, choose Full Record View, and press Enter. |
| If you want to see these records in a different view, press
F7, select the desired view, and press Enter. |
| Remember, you should try to perform this and all other searches using the Index Wheels, thus eliminate most typing errors. The strange spellings or odd entries in the Index Wheels reflect what is in that record in the database, and should not be ignored outright. |
| The search and retrieve engine allows use of 'wildcards' in
all the fields of the Main Search Screen. For a review on how to
use them, see Section V-g, further below. |
| c. Using the Section/Heading/Subheading Field. Users must realize that this is an important field. Those who used the microfiche version probably remember that they looked for forms in Section 3, for administrative publications in Section 4, for technical manuals in Section 8, and so on. Therefore, by design, the record of a publication or form could only be under a specific heading or subheading, in one specific 'Section' of the microfiche version. |
| In the CD-ROM application, the Index Wheel of the Section/Heading/Subheading field is essentially a Table of Contents that uses the headings and subheadings that appeared in the microfiche version--with appropriate numerical strings that help make it a useful index. The first two digits of a numerical string indicate the section number, and the last four-digit string identifies the series number of the publication. In the example below, we will select the line 08.078.0009 ORDNANCE, to restrict the search to Section 8 (08), and specifically the Series 9, Ordnance technical manuals (0009)--which is what the text in the subheading indicates. Obviously, when this index wheel is used, the software performs a more efficient search--and that is why it should be used in almost all searches. |
| In general, if you do not use the Section/Heading/Subheading field, the search involves the entire database, and the results can contain records of rescinded and obsolete publications and forms as well--which is seldom what you want. To see if you have retrieved records of rescinded or obsolete items, check the Section field in the left side of the Initial Results Screen. If you see sections 09 or 13, it means that you are retrieving rescinded or obsolete records. |
| For better results, follow the logic of the example below. |
| EXAMPLE 4. Retrieving Records of Ordnance Technical Manuals |
| Since active technical manuals are in Section 8, we will use
the Section/Heading/Subheading field to narrow-down the search. |
| --In the Main Search Screen, place the cursor in the Section/Heading/Subheading field, and press F5. |
| The Index Wheel shows the titles of all sections, and their headings and subheadings. So, we must locate the Ordnance Technical Manuals. |
| --In the Go To line, type 08. This makes the Index Wheel scroll to section 08. NUMERICAL LIST OF TECHNICAL MANUALS (TM), and you can see the subheadings under this Section. |
| --Move your cursor down to the subheading, 08.075.0009 ORDNANCE (the 0009 signifies Series 9). |
| --Press Enter, to transfer the entry to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2. The Search Complete screen should indicate that a certain number of records were found. Press Enter twice to see the records in the Full Record View. You should be seeing the records of Series 9, Ordnance TMs--their publication number should begin with 'TM 9-'. |
| Some users who manage their own databases of publications and forms have found the Full Columns View very useful. |
| --Press F7, choose the Full Columns view, and press Enter. |
| You should see all the records of the TMs in a database structure. Press Ctrl-Left Arrow or Ctrl-Right Arrow to pan the screen and see the other fields. |
| d. Using the Initial Distribution Number (IDN). The IDN involves, essentially, the old six-digit Series-12 form and block numbers. For example, if the publication you want had a Series-12 Form Number 08, and a Block Number 0005, its IDN number is 080005. The IDN was implemented by PAM 25-33 (15Sep96). |
| After the IDN was implemented, during a period of
transition, some screens of the CD-ROM version showed the IDN as
well as the old Series-12 field names. Later, we stopped using
using the old Series-12 form and block terminology. Users must be
aware that IDNs that start with 99 are rather different--and they
are explained in par. 2-5 of the Introduction to DA PAM 25-30.
(Main Menu, option 1. |
| EXAMPLE 5. Retrieving the Record of the pub with IDN 080005. |
| --In Main Search Screen, move your cursor to the IDN field and press F5. |
| --In the Index Wheel, in the GO TO: line, enter 08. |
| --Scroll down to 080005, and press Enter to transfer the entry to the IDN field in the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2 to search, and proceed to display the record retrieved in the Full Record View. You should see that it is ACP 125 US SUPP-2 (A). |
| Since a publication has a unique IDN, every entry in the IDN
Index Wheel corresponds to a publication in the database. (The
few exceptions involve publications issued in series, changes to
publications, posters, etc.) |
| e. Using PUBSTAT and NEWSTAT. These indexed fields describe the status of the publication, and they should be used if you want to retrieve publications or forms with a particular status. PUBSTAT and NEWSTAT are quite versatile, their Index Wheels use the following codes: |
| Codes for PUBSTAT: 01--Active 88--Rescinded for Active Army (Section 9) 99--Obsolete for all Components (Section 13) |
Codes for NEWSTAT:
10--New Item (First time in Index) 20--Revised Item (First time in Index) 30--New Change(s) to Item 40--Rescinded for Active Army (P88) (First time in Index, Section 9) 50--Obsolete (P99) (First time in Index, Section 13) |
| As can be seen, these codes can help you narrow down your
search quite precisely--or retrieve the precise category of
records you want. |
| f. Using the Words in Title Field. This field shows two lines for search entries. The software will find a record that has all the words entered on the first line, or all the words entered in the second line. In Boolean terms, the entries within the lines are 'AND'ed, and the lines themselves are 'OR'ed. At first, you should try entering single words per line. Use both lines when you have a feel for the word patterns in the titles and the power of the software. |
| Often, Army users of joint technical publications know only the 'other service' publication number, not the Army Publication Number. The DA PAM 25-30, however, lists the joint technical publication numbers at the end of the title field, between braces({ }). So, if you know the other service technical publication number, you can enter it in the Words in Title Field, and you should be able to retrieve the appropriate record, with its Army Publication Number. |
| Some users, however, are not totally sure of the other
service publication number, or make mistakes in the format--so
they do not retrieve the correct record. To help retrieve those
records more easily, we have enabled the software to detect
strings that begin with a left brace ({). So, if you have the
other service publication number, you should move your cursor to
the Words in Title field, press F-5, for the Index Wheel, type {
in the GO TO: line, at the top, and the Index Wheel should show
you the initial strings that begin with a left brace. Choose the
appropriate one (i.e. {TO, or {AEC, etc. ), and transfer it to
the main search screen. Then, just to be sure, in case the
publication was not listed first (next to the left brace), also
enter the string without the left brace, in the second line of
the Words in Title field. Once you have the results in the
Initial Results Screen, press F7, and choose Title View. You
should see the Publication Number and Publication Title of all
the records that have those strings. |
| g. Using the 'Wildcard' Feature. Another aid to increase
the effectiveness of the entries in the Main Search Screen is
the 'wild card' character--the asterisk (*). The wildcard
character can only be used at the end of a root string. For
example, if you remember only that the publication you want was
AR 700-eighty-something, the appropriate entry would be, AR 700-
8*. Similarly, in the Words in Title field, if you entered
PLAN*, hoping to also retrieve record titles that included PLANS,
PLANNING, etc., you will be surprised to also see titles with
words such as PLANTATIONS, PLANTERS, PLANNIMETERS, and other such
unrelated words that have the root PLAN. The 'wildcard' logic
works in all fields, is very useful, but users must employ the
asterisk with due care. |
| h. Using the Other Fields for Searching. The Main Search Screen also shows other indexed fields available for searching. |
| The PIN (Publication Identification Number) is useful because all publications have a unique PIN. Note, however, that the PIN field is blank or not used for forms, obsolete or rescinded publications, nor for publications that are not stocked at the St. Louis distribution center. USAPPC's Telephone Ordering System (TOPS), however, uses the PIN exclusively. |
| The NSN (National Stock Number) field in the Main Search Screen has been formatted to show both the FSC (Federal Supply Classification) and the NIIN (National Item Identification Number) fields. Therefore, for example, users who want manuals for a piece of equipment can now search for them using just the NIIN--without concern for any specific FSC in which that equipment may be classified. |
| The UNITOISS (Unit of Issue) field is also indexed. And, since all publications and forms have a Unit of Issue, this field helps retrieve records with a particular unit of issue. For example, if you enter CDROM, you will retrieve all the publications or forms that are issued in CDROM. Users who are not familiar with unit of issues should read the Unit of Issue Table included in the USFLINFO.TXT file in the INDEX subdirectory. |
| At first, you will likely find out that very broad searches
overload the program, retrieve excessive numbers of records, and
always take longer to produce precise or desired results. In time
you will find some combinations of search parameters that narrow
down your search more effectively than others. |
| a. Description of the LINTOPUB Application. This large
database application produces lists of technical publications
for Line Item Numbers (equipment), and their components--if they
have any. The data, generated by LOGSA, is processed and
converted to an appropriate database (Lintopub.Dat). Although the
LINTOPUB application was updated once a year, for the October
issue, we still hope to update it quarterly. |
| b. Searching Using the LIN or NSN. In the Main Menu, select
option 2. LINTOPUB. After showing the title page, the software
will present the Main Search Screen. If you know the LIN or the
NSN, move your cursor to the appropriate field and proceed as in
the PAM25_30 database. Users must note that the Main Search
Screen also provides a field for the NIIN (part of the NSN). As
recommended earlier, when entering search parameters, it is best
to use the Index Wheels, as in the following example. |
| EXAMPLE 6. Searching for publications pertaining to LIN A32355. |
| --In the Main Search Screen, move your cursor to the LIN field, and press F5. In the Index Wheel, scroll down to A32355. Place your cursor on it, and press Enter to transfer the entry to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2. The search proceeds, and then presents the Search Complete message box, which tells how many records were found. |
| --Press Enter. The Initial Results Screen shows the LIN, NSN, and the Generic Nomenclature of the end item. Since the results show only one record, your cursor will be on that record. |
| --Press Enter (or F7, View Report). This view shows all the
available information for that LIN. |
| The publications pertaining to the LIN are listed in table
format. LINs that have components will show a second list, under
PUBS ON COMPONENTS. The small arrows on the scroll bars on the
right side indicate that there is more information in the
direction they point. You can use the arrow keys (or the Page-Up
and Page-Down keys) to scroll the records, or to pan right to see
the remaining columns. |
| c. Searching Using the Generic Nomenclature Field. The
Generic Nomenclature field is indexed (GEN_NOM of the LIN).
Therefore, its Index Wheel shows all the words in all the generic
nomenclatures in the LINTOPUB database, and should be used to
search for publications--as in the following example: |
| EXAMPLE 7. Searching for a Publication with 'Maintenance'
in its Generic Nomenclature. |
| --In the Main Search Screen, place the cursor on the Generic Nomenclature field. |
| --Press F5. Type MAINT. At this point, the Index Wheel should already show the entry MAINTENANCE. Scroll down to it. |
| --With your cursor on MAINTENANCE, press Enter to transfer it to the Main Search Screen. |
| --Press F2. The Search Results window should indicate the number of records found. Press Enter to continue. |
| --In the Initial Results Screen, you should see the word
MAINTENANCE in the Generic Nomenclature field of each record
shown. To see the records of only those in which you are
interested, 'select' them by retaining the asterisk in the first
column--erasing the asterisks of the records you do not want. |
| When viewing the records, remember that some of them may
have many components, and will list all the publications on those
components. The records of some LINs (those of major pieces of
equipment) are quite large and, when printed, cover more than one
page. To scroll through the screens, use the arrow keys or the
Page-Up and Page-Down keys. |
| The aim of the Ordering Module was to provide information
for ordering publications while minimizing keystroking by users
of the CSS software--thereby reduce the error rates in STARPUBS. |
| a. The Ordering Database. The Ordering Module uses the
ORDERMAN.DAT database--which is NOT part of the PAM25_30
database. The ORDERMAN.DAT database involves orderable items
only (items in the shelves in St. Louis PDC), and the records of
those items have only the fields necessary to order publications
and forms using any of the current ordering systems. |
| b. The Manual for the Ordering Module. The user's manual
is available from the Main Menu (option 8. USER'S MANUAL for
Ordering Module). Users should read the Manual, and follow the
instructions to produce a Template 4569 or a Template 12-99, to
save the body of the template as a text file for conversion and
use by the CSS software package. From the outset, users must note
that the Ordering Module does not do the ordering--it only helps
prepare the body of the requisitions. |
| a. Switching Databases. To move from one database to the other, press the F10 (Quit) key and choose Exit Program--which closes the current database and returns you to the Main Menu. In the Main Menu, select the desired database and press Enter. The database will be loaded and, next, you should see its Main Search Screen. |
| b. Printing and Saving Results. You can print, or send to
a file, any or all of the records you retrieved. Remember,
however, that the software will view, print or save to a file
only those records that have been selected (with an asterisk) in
the Initial Results Screen. Additionally, when you press F6,
Output, the options include all the views plus the Initial
Results Screen view. To print and save the information, follow
the example below. |
| EXAMPLE 8. Printing and Saving Retrieved Records |
| After you completed a search, the F6, Output key becomes available, and you can output the results in a view of your choice. Press F6 to get the Output Views window--where you choose the desired view. Once you choose a view, and if you have more than one record retrieved, you are asked to specify the First Record and Last Record--which allows you to print only some of the retrieved records, if you so desire. (If you need to reset your Print Parameters, you do it from this menu--to correct LPT port for your printer, lines per page, header, etc.) |
| Once you specified the range, you are ready to output. From the drop menu, choose Write (save to a file), or Print your results. If you chose Write, you will need to provide a pathname for your output file. For example; if you enter A:MEDTMS.TXT, the software will save the results to drive A:, to a file named MEDTMS.TXT. All output files are generic ASCII text files. They can, therefore, be imported by word processors or, with some care, to databases as well. In all cases, the output will look the same as it did on the screen. |
| Also note that, if you only want to see or print only some
of the records in the Initial Results Screen, you should use the
asterisk to select the desired records. If you only want to see
those you selected, you should press Ctrl-P. When you are
through, press Ctrl-F to return to the original Initial Results
Screen. The lower portion of the screen includes those and other
instructions. |
| EXAMPLE 9. Printing and Saving Retrieved Records from the
LINTOPUB Database. |
| Printing and saving retrieved records from the LINTOPUB
database follows the same logic as in the example above. In this
application, however, you have only two options for printing or
saving: the Initial Results List and the Full View. Please note
that records with publications for components are usually over 80
characters wide. |
| c. Using the Browse Feature. This feature allows you to
browse through the records of the entire database, in the order
you chose for a selected field. The Browse command is available
at all times. The following example shows how to browse the
database to see the records ordered by Proponent. |
| EXAMPLE 10. Browsing using the Proponent Field. |
| --In the Main Search Screen, press F4, Browse, and you should see a drop list of indexed fields. |
| --Place the cursor on Proponent, and press Enter to open its Index Wheel. |
| --In the Proponent Index Wheel, scroll or move the cursor to the first entry beginning with AMC/CDA. This value is your 'starting position.' |
| --Press Enter. In the Initial Results Screen, starting with the
first entry, the records should have the Proponent you chose.
For example, if you choose the Selected Columns View, and press
Enter, you should see that the records start with those that have
AMC/CDA as their Proponent, and are listed in database order.
Obviously, you can browse using any view, and in either
direction. |
| Just as with any database program, the Browse feature is
best used for ascertaining if certain records, or sets of
records, are in the database, or if the fields have the expected
contents. Moreover, because the Browse feature is working with
the entire database, you should not use it for producing output--
because you risk having enormous amounts of output. |
| d. Using the Sort Feature. This feature is available when
you are in the Initial Results List screen (after a search, note
that the F5 key changed to F5-Sort). It is used to sort the
retrieved records to the order in which you want to see or output
them. |
| EXAMPLE 11. Sorting a Set of Records by Date. (Also, see Tutorial) |
| We assume that you are using the DA PAM 25-30 application, and have retrieved all the Army Regulations that have INFORMATION in their title, and have DISC4 as their Proponent--and that you are in the Initial Results Screen (See, Example 3). By default, the records are listed in the order they are in the database. |
| --Press F5, Sort. Next, the Select Field drop menu shows you the fields available for sorting. Choose the PUB DATE field, and press Enter. You should see the records on the Initial Results List screen being sorted. |
| --Press F7, and choose a view. When you view (or print or save) the records, they will be sorted by date--as you wanted them. |
| By default, the Sort feature produces results in ascending
order. Once you are familiar with this feature, you can reset
the default sort parameters. |
| e. Using the Notepad Feature. The Notepad is used to edit or work on a block of information captured from the screen. It can then save or print the contents to an ASCII file. This Notepad, just as those in other applications, is quite versatile, and comes with a set of function keys of its own. |
| First, of course, you should have on the screen the results with the information you want to transfer to the Notepad. Then, you have to "mark" (block) the specific information you want. Next, you open the Notepad, give it a filename, and then paste (transfer) the marked block to it. |
| So, to start, with the desired results on the screen. Press Alt-M to activate the "marking cursor" (black blinking cursor), and then move it to the desired starting point. Press Alt-C to mark the beginning of the block (cursor becomes blinking red). Move the cursor to where you want to end the block, and press Alt-C again. The marked block of text should appear on a red background. |
| When you are "marking," you have various commands available; among them are the following: |
| --(+) and (-), move the cursor one word, accordingly. |
| --Alt-C, defines the beginning and end of a character block (as used or shown above). |
| --Alt-R, defines the beginning and end of a rectangle block. --Alt-U, unmarks marked block of text, if cursor is anywhere on the block. |
| To activate the Notepad, press Alt-N. The Notepad should appear as last used. If you do not want to continue working with the last notepad, press F4, New Notepad, to open a new clean notepad--which you should give an appropriate filename. |
| Once the new Notepad is set, press Alt-P to "paste" the block of "marked" text to it. |
| The following commands are available when the Notepad is on
the screen: |
| --Alt-C, clears the contents of the Notepad. |
| --Alt-D, deletes the current line. |
| --Alt-E, deletes characters to the end of the line. |
| --Alt-L, toggles (on and off) output of header label, which includes a date and time entry. |
| --Alt-P, pastes marked text into the Notepad. |
| --Alt-W, reflows (wraps) text, to the first blank line. |
| --F1, Help, opens Help information screens. |
| --F2, Save, saves the Notepad to a file. |
| --F3, Directory, displays the Notepad directory of saved .NPD files. |
| --F4, New Notepad, also allows naming new Notepad. |
| --F6, displays Output Menu for the Notepad Editor. |
| The F2, Save Notepad key saves the Notepad to the default subdirectory (C:\INDEX)--it takes the name you provided, and adds the .NPD extension to it. Therefore, you must give it a filename that you can identify easily. The F3, Notepad Dir will show those saved files. |
| To save the contents of a notepad, as an ASCII file, in another subdirectory or drive, you must provide a pathname (I suggest using .txt extension). The F3, Notepad Dir key will not show files in other than the default subdirectory, and you will need to provide the pathname to retrieve them. |
| Please note that the Notepad can handle files of any length,
but with lines no wider than 255 characters. You can append
separately marked blocks to one file, from separate views, and
output them as desired, to a printer or a file. |
| f. The Ordering Info View. This is as useful view, because
it provides, in one line per item, all the necessary information
to fill "12-99" subscriptions and "4569" requisitions (known as
the Mark-Sense View some time ago). I added the PIN to this view
because it was used by the Telephone Ordering Publications System
(TOPS). Finally, I also modified this view to use it as the
Initial Results List view in the Ordering Module. |
| g. Using the DOS Shell. At times, while using this
application, you may need or want to use DOS commands
temporarily. In such cases you can press F10, Quit, and then
choose the Temporary Exit to DOS option. After you are done with
DOS, type EXIT, press Enter, and you will be back in the
application, in the same screen you were before. |
| h. Saving Searches. The software can save the Main Search
Screen, with the entries you provided. Users who perform the
same searches repeatedly, use this feature to save the search
screens that produced the desired results. When you are in the
Main Search Screen, use the F7, Search Files key to save and
retrieve search screens. If you save search screens, however,
you must device a good way to name them, so you do not overwrite
or confuse them later. |
| i. QUITing or EXITing the Application. The appropriate way
to exit the application is to use F10 Exit, choose Exit
Application, and, in the Main Menu, choose Quit and press Enter.
If you do not follow those steps, the application does not close
its working files appropriately. So, it saves those working
files in your default subdirectory (C:\INDEX). If this happens
often, those ".SPL" files will accumulate, and take up storage
space. Obviously, using the appropriate closing procedures
precludes this problem. |
| The software running this application was developed by Reference Technology, Inc., which became part of Dataware, Inc., and is now part of Nexdata Solutions. The FILEVIEW utility, is used to read the .TXT files directly from the Main Menu. The databases use Record ReferenceSet publishing softwarefrom Dataware, Inc. Mastering and replication are done by GPO subcontractors. |
USAPPC encourages all users to send in their comments,
submit their suggestions for improvement, and direct further
questions about this CD-ROM application to:
|
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