Symphony Notes Release 1 For IBM and COMPAQ Personal Computers August 6, 1984 Note 102 Transferring a 1-2-3 Database to Symphony Introduction Symphony works with 1-2-3 database files in much the same way 1-2-3 does. To make use of Symphony's additional database capabilities using the FORM window, however, you must follow the procedure outlined in this note. This procedure involves retrieving the 1-2-3 file with Symphony and saving it as a Symphony file, creating a blank Symphony worksheet, and then combining the file's field name range and Database range with the blank worksheet. Before You Start 1-2-3 and Symphony Databases There are several differences between 1-2-3 and Symphony databases: * The Input range in 1-2-3 is called the Database range in Symphony. * Symphony classifies this Database range as well as the Criterion range and the Output range as the Basic ranges. Symphony specifies the Database and Criterion ranges automatically during form generation. Symphony's Form Generation Process During Symphony's form generation process, you can accept the form setting defaults or you can change them. The FORM window Generate command offers the following form setting options: * The default field type - Choose Label, Number, Date, Time, or Computed. Label is the default. * The default field length - Indicate the column width. The default is 9. * The name of the Database settings sheet - This names the settings sheet. The default name is MAIN. When Symphony generates a form, it automatically creates several different ranges. These ranges adopt the name of the Database settings sheet. Refer to the Symphony How-To Manual and the Reference Manual for more information about these ranges. Procedure Before you begin, be sure to make a backup copy of the 1-2-3 database file you are going to transfer. Start with Symphony loaded in the computer. If you have a two-disk drive computer, put the disk with the 1-2-3 database file in either disk drive. If you have a hard-disk computer, you can either put a disk with the 1-2-3 database file in the disk drive or work with a 1-2-3 database file on the hard disk. 1. Begin in a SHEET window and retrieve the 1-2-3 file you want to transfer. Select Services File Retrieve and call up the 1-2-3 file. Note: Be sure to indicate the appropriate disk drive when you type in the name of the file to be retrieved. If your file is in a subdirectory, make sure you indicate the subdirectory name. You can retrieve the 1-2-3 file with its .WKS extension. When you select File Retrieve, Symphony lists the available files on the command line on the screen. On the status line, you will see the path ending with \*.wrk. Press the Escape key once and *.wrk disappears. Then type in *.wks and press Return; the files with a .WKS extension will be listed. Or, when making the backup copy of the file, you can use the operating system command to change the extension from .WKS to .WRK and then retrieve the file. 2. Next, name two separate ranges: the field name range (consisting of the column headings) and the Database range (consisting of all the data in the worksheet). Be sure to write down the range names you use. To simplify the transfer process, you might use "fields" and "data" for the range names. * Select Menu Range Name Create. Type in a name for the field name range. Highlight the range and press Return. * Follow the same procedure to name the Database range and highlight its boundaries. * Save the file with the Services File Save command. Note: It's a good idea to change the 1-2-3 .WKS extension to the Symphony .WRK extension now if you haven't done it yet. 3. Copy the field name range onto a blank worksheet. * Select Services New Yes to create a blank worksheet. * Copy the field name range onto the new worksheet by selecting Services File Combine Copy Named-Area. Type in the name of the field name range (for example, fields) and select Read and either Value or Formula. Finally, type in the name of the saved file. The field names should appear at the pointer position on the worksheet. Don't worry if some of the field names are shortened on the screen. You can adjust the column widths individually later. 4. Switch to the FORM window and generate an entry form. * Select Menu Generate. You can accept or change Symphony's default settings for the field type and length and the Database settings sheet name at this point or you can wait and change them later. To accept the defaults, press Return three times. * Highlight the field name range so that it includes all of the field names. * Press Return and you will see the entry form. 5. Copy the Database range on the new worksheet. * Switch back to the SHEET window. You will see the database that Symphony generated. The following ranges are on the screen: Entry range, Definition range, Above Report range, Main Report range, Criterion range, and Database range. (Full definitions of these ranges can be found in the Symphony How-To Manual.) * Press Goto and type in the name of the Database settings sheet followed by _DB. For example, if you accepted the default name for the settings sheet, you would type MAIN_DB. Press Return and the pointer moves to the first field name of the Database range. Move the pointer down one row. * Copy the Database range into the new worksheet by selecting Services File Combine Copy Named-Area. Type in the Database range name (for example, data) and select Read and either Value or Formula. Type in the name of the saved file. 6. Since Symphony has not yet extended the range of the new database past the field name row, you must extend the Database range. * With the pointer on the leftmost field name, select Menu Query Settings Basic Database. * Highlight the range to include all the data that has been brought into the Database range to the worksheet. * Press Return and then press Quit three times. Symphony will now automatically adjust the Database range downward each time a new record is entered through the entry form. 7. Switch back to the FORM window and you will see the data for the first record on the entry form. Use the Page Down key to see the next record on the entry form. Select Services File Save to save the file. You now have a Symphony database file.