RECORDS - A Psion 3a Database Application


Have you got a large record collection?

Do you run a disco?

Do you forget what records you own?

Or which album a certain track is on?

Want to find all the tracks you have with "certain words" in the title?

Need to quickly find tracks by a particular artist?

Want to list all records you have of a particular type?

If any of these apply to you, then RECORDS is the application you've been 
waiting for. 

RECORDS is a simple database application in which a list of records can be 
stored. Each entry made consists of the record artist, title, type, media 
type and album, if any. The type can be selected from a list, defined by the 
user. This permits lists to be generated of, say, "sixties" records, or 
"rock", for example. The media type can be selected as 7", 12", tape or CD.

Entries can be listed by artist, title ( or fragments of ), or by the defined 
types.

It is possible to export the list to a simple text file for import into other 
applications, printing, etc.

Unless the program is registered, entry of records is limited to 50 titles.


Installation

	To install the program, copy the "records.opa" file to the APP 
directory, and create a subdirectory named "records" in the APP dir. 
When the program is run the user will be asked if new (empty) data files 
are to be created, if no existing files are found.
To create an icon, perform an "application install" from the system menu.


Operation

	Records can be added to the database immediately. It's a good idea to 
plan the record type descriptions carefully however, as changing them later 
could be tedious. Two types, "type1" and "type2" will be created by default. 
These should first be edited to the names of your choice. Further types can 
then be added. There is a limitation however, in that the total length of all 
type descriptions added together cannot exceed 255 characters. Once a type 
has been added, it cannot be removed. This is deliberate, because once a type 
is created, it may have a cross referenced record also. It can, of course, be 
edited.
	Records can be listed and displayed by several methods. If the exact 
artist and title is known, these can be entered directly in the "find record" 
screen. Otherwise, a more general search can be performed, either by artist 
or title. On the "list by artist" or "list by title" screen, a full or 
partial string can be entered. All entries containing a matching string will 
be listed. By entering the displayed  index number followed by "enter", an 
individual entry can be displayed, and edited, if required. Entries can also 
be selected from the full database listing, or a list selected by record type.
	The database can be alphabetically sorted on request, from the 
administration screen. This is unfortunately quite a slow operation and so, 
if the database is of a significant size, should be scheduled for a non busy 
time. It can be left to run in the background. There must also be sufficient 
memory available. In the worst possible case, the database may double in size. 
It will be recompressed on exiting the program.
	There is also a facility to export records data into a text file. 
This is formatted suitably for import into other database environments.


Registration

	 Unregistered, the program is limited to the entry of a maximum of 50 
records. Upon registration, a serial number will be issued, the entry of 
which will remove aforementioned restriction. To obtain your serial number, 
send œ20 to:-
		 C. Hitchcock,
		 17 Henley Wood Rd.
		 Earley,
		 Reading, Berks.
		 RG6 2EE

Your code can be faxed back to you, on request.

Reasonable enhancement requests from registered users may well be considered. 

I am using RECORDS myself, and currently have around 1400 entries in my 
database, categorised into about 11 different types. The datafile size is 
approximately 57Kb.


Colin Hitchcock
colinh@cix.compulink.co.uk

December 1994