Path: news1.ucsd.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.erols.net!news.mathworks.com!news.kei.com!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv From: jabrown@unix.infoserve.net (John Brown) Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.answers,news.answers Subject: Approach Users Mailing List FAQ Supersedes: Followup-To: poster Date: 16 Oct 1996 16:38:38 GMT Organization: Approach Users Mailing List Lines: 1032 Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU Expires: 29 Nov 1996 16:25:18 GMT Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: bloom-picayune.mit.edu Summary: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions provided on the Approach Users Mailing List and the comp.databases newsgroup about the Lotus Approach database, as well as other material that may be helpful to a wide range of Approach users. X-Last-Updated: 1996/10/15 Originator: faqserv@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU Xref: news1.ucsd.edu comp.databases:40306 comp.answers:16632 news.answers:66613 Archive-name: databases/approach-mailing-list-faq Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: 1996/10/08 APPROACH USERS MAILING LIST FAQ, Part 1 --------------------------------------- 8 October, 1996 ------------------------------ Subject: 1. Welcome This FAQ contains a summary of answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the Approach Users Mailing List, as well as other material that may be helpful to a wide range of Approach users. At this stage the content relates to Approach v2.01 and 3.0* unless specified as Approach 96. Not all of the mailing list discussion makes it into the FAQ because some of it will probably be of use only to the person who asked the question, and would therefore simply be wasting space in a FAQ. However that information is not lost. I maintain a database of all the posts to the mailing list, so if others ask similar questions at a later date I will answer with the information I have on record, and add it to the FAQ - if the question does in fact become 'frequently asked'. ------------------------------ Subject: 2. Table of Contents Contents -------- 1. Welcome 2. Table of Contents 3. Notices \ How to get the latest edition of the FAQ \ How to automatically receive the AUML newsletter containing new and updated FAQ articles \ How to get the Archive of Scripts \ Contributions, comments, corrections, or feedback 4. Our collective wisdom so far... UPDATED \ The latest version (including betas) \ How does Approach compare to other DB's? UPDATED \ Lotus Web Site and technotes \ Books UPDATED \ Other information sources about Approach \ Getting started with joined databases! \ Help me design my database! (joins, repeating panels, what data in which database etc...) \ Designing and problem solving techniques \ Stand-alone databases using Approach? UPDATED \ Can Approach handle big databases? \ Optimizing the speed of a database \ Running Approach on a network NEW \ Moving databases (.apr/.vew .dbf .dbt files) \ dBase IV limitations NEW \ Limitations of Approach NEW \ Conversion of old .apr's to Approach 96 NEW \ Field Formatting NEW \ Displaying Negative Values In Red \ Leading zeros \ Trailing zeros \ Free Approach 3.02 Upgrade 5. How the Approach Users Mailing List works \ Changing Your Subscription Address \ Question and Answer Posts \ NO, IT IS NOT OK TO ATTACH FILES \ comp.databases \ Lotus \ Mail errors after posting to the list \ Mail storms 6. Official Stuff \ Acknowledgments \ Disclaimer \ Copyright \ Editor ------ FAQ Part 2 ------ 7. Our collective wisdom so far... (Part 2) NEW \ Internal Error: Cannot load string 0 \ "Could not load infobox dynalink" error NEW \ Printer problems \ "Page Fault... at 0137:0049eb64" in Approach 96 \ Problems with repeating panels \ Working with Paradox database files NEW \ Accessing .dbf's updated by Access / Paradox \ Calculating ages from birth dates \ Calculating number of weekdays \ 21st Century Dates \ Dates before 1929 \ Saving records in their sort order \ Record numbering \ Header / Footer problems in v2.1 \ Automatically opening files \ Automatically opening a particular form \ Automatic macro on opening/closing View file \ Deleting the body in summary reports \ Preserving found set when switching forms \ Keeping users out of design environment \ Stopping people accidentally entering data \ Searches on multipage forms \ MS-Windows 95 printing blank pages (v2 & v3) \ Radio Buttons field label \ Finding the previous weeks records \ Finding records which do not contain *text* \ Finds on repeating panels fields \ Making empty fields disappear \ Running a Macro in a different .apr files \ Converting numbers to words 34 to thirty-four? \ Making keyboard entries into a formula or macro \ Sliding fields together on mailing labels 8. Official Stuff (again) \ Acknowledgments \ Disclaimer \ Copyright \ Editor ------------------------------ Subject: 3. Notices How to get the latest edition of the FAQ ---------------------------------------- Send an email to MAISER@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu with the following in the body of the message: SEND AUML-FAQ.DOC SEND AUMLFAQ2.DOC This FAQ is approved by the *.answers moderators and is therefore also available at from the following sources: NOTE: THE FAQ IS CURRENTLY BEING SPLIT INTO 2 PARTS. PART 2 MAY NOT YET BE AVAILABLE FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES. If you are having trouble, please get it via email using the method shown above. Usenet: comp.databases, comp.answers, news.answers ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/comp.databases/Approach_Users_Maili ng_List_FAQ http://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/usenet-by-hierarchy/comp/databases /Approach_Users_Mailing_List_FAQ Hypertext versions: (Note: These are converted from text to hypertext by the web sites NOT by me. Both of these services automatically convert URL references into links, but with varying degrees of success. The ohio-state document is also broken up into different pages for each contents item - very handy.) http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/databases/appr oach-mailing-list-faq/faq.html How to automatically receive the AUML newsletter containing new and updated FAQ articles ----------------------------------------------------------- If you are a subscriber to the Approach Users Mailing List then DO NOTHING! All the newsletters are posted to the list so soon as they are produced. If you are NOT a subscriber to the Approach Users Mailing List, then send the words SUBSCRIBE AUMLNEWS on the first line of an email to MAISER@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu How to get the Archive of Scripts --------------------------------- Send an email to MAISER@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu with the words SEND SCRIPTS.DOC in the body of the message. The archive contains LotusScripts that can be implimented on Approach v96. Contributions, comments, corrections, or feedback ------------------------------------------------- I would appreciate any contributions, comments, corrections, or feedback that you want to make about the mailing list, the newsletter, or the FAQ. Post these to the mailing list the same as any other post or, if you really have to, you can email them to me at approach-owner@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu. ------------------------------ Subject: 4. Our collective wisdom so far... The latest version ------------------ Approach 96 for Windows 95 is the latest version of Approach. It was released in December 1995 and contains significant new features including LotusScript 3.0 - a programming language that provides a development environment for robust, cross- product applications. To find out more about it see the following Lotus Web Page: http://www.lotus.com/ssuite96/approach.htm Approach 97 is currently under going beta testing. There are no details available yet, apart from a comment that it will include a facility to convert existing macros into LotusScript programs. Beta versions are not freely obtainable. There is a long application procedure to become a beta tester. Keep checking the Lotus Web Site if you are interested. They usually announce when they are looking for testers, or send them a note to be put on a list for next time. How about Approach for OS/2 you ask? The following statement was recently spotted on the Lotus web site: "Lotus' commitment to deliver a complete suite of native applications for the OS/2 platform remains an important part of the Lotus Business Application Division strategy. These releases (WordPRO and Freelance Graphics for OS/2) are only the beginning, as you'll see more products delivered on OS/2 Warp in the months to come." Maybe, just maybe, this might mean a native OS/2 version of Approach(?). How does Approach compare to other DB's? ---------------------------------------- Articles about how Approach ranks against other databases, as well as handy hints, and how to optimize your productivity with Approach and SmartSuite, are available by searching back issues of PC World: http://www.pcworld.com Lotus Web Site and technotes ----------------------------- The Lotus homepage is: http://www.lotus.com For heaps of information on Lotus products including user discussions, file libraries, top 10 downloads, product support (FAQs and hundreds of 'technotes'), and an opportunity to give product suggestions: http://www.support.lotus.com/ Technotes are Lotus's answer about a whole range of problems people encounter using Lotus products and answers to frequently asked questions. They are also available via ftp. ftp://192.216.79.100/pub/desktop/Approach/technotes/text/00_index Books ----- The following books have been recommended in posts to the Approach Users Mailing List: * The manual that come with Approach. Always a good place to start! * Mastering Lotus Approach by James Powell (Sybex / Lotus Books) (This is the most highly recommended book) * Mastering Lotus Approach 96 for Windows 95 by James Powell (Sybex / Lotus Books) (This is the most highly recommended book, however, some subscribers have commented that IF YOU ALREADY OWN THE EARLIER VERSION (for v3.0*, see above) then check it out carefully before you by this one. They expressesd strong disappointment that it has only been minimally updated from the earlier version, and major aspects of Approach 95 are not covered adequately. It therefore may not be worth the expense.) * Building Databases with Approach 3 by Elaine Marmel ("...seems to be an extended, well documented, tutorial on=7F building a database that is usable in a business environment.") * Introduction to Databases" by James T. Townsend (recommend for business uses who are learning and designing databases. It is about databases in general rather than how to use Approach.) * Approach 3.0 for Dummies * Practical Approach version 3.0 by Siegel (MIS Press) * Using Lotus Approach 3 by Plotkin (Que) Other information sources about Approach ---------------------------------------- * A good way to learn about database structure and what Approach is capable of is to study the example databases that come with Approach. * Lotus fax - back service (free) (+1) 800-346-3508 (These are also available from the Lotus Web Page as Technotes) * PC World articles and tips from current and past issues: (Site search available) http://www.pcworld.com * The Approach BBS: (+1) 415-335-2362 * Do It With Lotus SmartSuite (newsletter) http://www.idgnews.com * The Approach forum on CompuServe * Lotus Forums on Compuserve such as LotusA or LotusB * Lotus Business Partners Program (This is for people who develop desktop applications, including Approach, for others for a living. See http://www.lotus.com/bpartbro/bpbroch.htm for details: "You'll receive a complete collection of Lotus software, including Notes, Notes Mail, cc:Mail, SmartSuite, and Lotus Components _ as well as Business Multimedia Products. These PartnerGold CDs include all the software you need to run your business, as well as upgrades for as long as you're in the program. You'll also receive the Lotus Toolkit Collection, a quarterly CD with all the latest developer tools you need to start building applications. Plus you get the Inside Edge CD, a collection of Notes and NotesSuite applications for internal use only. And Knowledge Base is your source for technical support information _ online, via the World Wide Web, or on CD. You get all this plus initial technical support and access to the Partner Forum, a worldwide discussion database monitored by technical analysts from Lotus Support." The Business Partners homepage is http://www.lotus.com/partners/ ) * Approach comes with a small book called: "Using LotusScript in Approach" The following is a quote from that book: "ADDITIONAL LotusScript DOCUMENTATION In addition to this manual and online help, you can refer to the following materials for information on LotusScript: * The LotusScript Language Reference, a comprehensive summary of the LotusScript language, presented in A-Z format. The LotusScript Language Reference is available as Help in all Lotus products that support LotusScript and is also available in print. To obtain this manual, use the coupon enclosed in your APPROACH package. * The LotusScript Programmer's Guide, a general introduction to LotusScript that describes it's basic building blocks and how to put them together to create applications. To obtain this manual, use the coupon enclosed in your Approach package." They are free, but there is a Shipping and Handling Fee. If you don't have to coupons try contacting Lotus directly. The offer apparently expires on Dec. 31, 1996 for the free guides. Getting started with joined databases! -------------------------------------- Understanding relational (or "Joined") databases is a big area, but is vital to fully utilizing a program such as Approach. It can be a frustrating time with many new concepts to learn, as well as all the ins and outs of Approach. DO NOT START by launching into some major project that you expect to be fully functional tomorrow. Start small, using some test data, and test each function before you go onto the next. Read all you can, and spend time carefully planning what databases you need and how they should be joined. Once you have the basic structure of your database set up you can begin entering or importing you actual data. But as I said, start by do some reading. Some books are recommended earlier in the FAQ, but don't forget the Approach manual either. It briefly takes you though the process of setting up joined databases. Looking at the example databases that come with Approach will also help you understand how the different data in different databases is linked together to provide many facilities that are not possible in flat databases. Help me design my database! --------------------------- (joins, repeating panels, what data in which database etc...) Apart from simple 'card file' type databases, every piece of major database software you can think works with relational databases; Approach, Paradox, Access etc... In order to use any of these packages efficiently, including Approach, you first need to understand what a relational database is, and how you would divide your data into one. If you don't understand this=7F then you are going to have difficulty using many features of Approach, or any other database software. Questions concerning database design are quite common on the Approach Users Mailing List. However, strictly speaking most of these questions and answers have little or nothing to do with Approach. What the people asking these question lack not so much an understanding of how Approach works, but rather an understanding of what a relational database is and how they work. And as it turns out, I am not going to attempt to explain this! Instead, what I suggest you do is this: Allocate some time and perhaps money, to do some reading or perhaps a short course in relational databases. Some books are suggested above. The Approach manual includes some information, but most people seem to need a more in-depth look at it before they really grasp what is happening. The better this ground work the easier and quicker you will be able to build an efficient database. I won't take all that long, and the benefits are huge. Also have a careful took at the example databases supplied with Approach. Go into design and check out the structure of the database; the design of the various views; and how each aspect works. As you are doing these things keep some notes about how you might structure your database. When you are ready begin establishing your database one bit at a time with a small amount of test data. When it is fully functioning, or at least developed enough to do all the major functions, import your data, and begin using it! Designing and problem solving techniques ---------------------------------------- Try this: Rather than working with you main database, try setting up and testing out new things or trying to solve problems on smaller practice databases. This way you minimize the possibility of you loosing valuable data, or disabling your main database when you really need to use it. For example, if your having trouble with an import or export, set up a very simple flat (i.e. no joins) database and view form. Enter some junk data into a couple of records and try exporting it as a text file. If this works, try importing it back in again. When you can do this, expand this test database so that it has two databases that are joined, and the data from both database is displayed on the one form. Then export some data. Add a repeating panel. Export some more. Import some back in. At every stage do only one thing at a time and test it. This way you will easily identify at which point you are getting into trouble. Once you have managed all of this on your test database you should be able to solve the problems on you main database. Stand-alone databases using Approach? ------------------------------------- No, there is no way of creating fully stand alone' database using Approach. There are currently no run time compilers for Approach that I am aware of, but it is rumored that one is under development. Approach is designed to be a 'Front End'. The idea is you can take an existing database (dBase, Access, Excel, Foxpro, Oracle, Paradox, SQL, 123 ...) and create your own Front End, leaving the original database intact for others. Or you can develop your own database from scratch. You can also develop a View files with Macros that give it the appearance of a full-blown application and distribute to other users, but everyone who uses it needs their own copy of Approach. Purchasing site licenses and using Lotus' concurrent licensing scheme will greatly reduce the costs for businesses. Using the Customizing Approach chapter in the user's manual you can be completely customized so that your users can't trash the database that you build for them. Pay particular attention to the Setting Preferences, Defining Passwords for Files, Customizing SmartIcons, and Customizing Menus sections. Also review procedures for defining basic field settings in the various views you give the user. You can design your database using custom pull-down menus and various buttons on forms so that all the native controls in Approach can be turned off or hidden from the user. Approach 96 includes 'LotusScript' which gives you much the same capabilities of Access Basic. But all is not lost for v2.* and v3.**! You may be able to write the routines you need in some other language, such as Visual Basic. These routines could be activated by a Windows macro (i.e. Recorder). Can Approach handle big databases? ---------------------------------- Well, it probably depends on what you call big, the design of your database, and what hardware you have. A number of subscribers have reported having in excess of 40,000, and as high as 90,000 records without any difficulties. Nobody has ever reported reaching a maximum number of records limit in Approach. In theory it should be able to handle the maximum number of records you can put in a dbase IV database, which is 4294967296 (4 gig =3D maximum 32 bit number). In order to maintain the best ratio of speed and stability delete the .adx files (indexes) on a regular basis (say every week or two). It may be a good idea to do this after doing a full back up, and then rebuilding the indexes by opening the databases one at a time. However, if you delete an .adx file for a .dbf that has a numeric field containing an auto - incrementing serial number, then the serial number will be reset to 1. You will therefore need to manually reassign the correct record count in the field definition options. It has been suggested that the number of joins has a far greater impact on the speed and stability of large databases rather than simply the number of records. One subscriber stated that they found a database having "80,000 records and approximately 20 tables joined" to be unusably slow, and suggested that a database of "100,000 records if there are more than 4 or 5 joins" to be a maximum usable size. Meanwhile somebody else replied saying that they had "databases exceeding an average of 400,000 records up to 2.2 million records and joins exceeding 10 databases with Approach 96 having no problems handling the data. We have been doing multi field queries in an acceptable time frame and once the smart indexes are created, finds on fields are just as fast on a (database) with 2.2 million records as a find on a field with 400,000 records. Our standard hardware is a P5 166 with 64 meg of ram." On a P6-200 with 64MB RAM, doing a complex search on 4 fields takes 15 sec. Optimizing the speed of a database ---------------------------------- Having the latest version of Approach on a suitably fast system with plenty of RAM (8 meg or more), fast disk access, and fast disk caching will of course increase the performance of any large database, but you may also what to carefully consider your database design. A badly designed database will perform poorly in any application... For instance, the more joins you have, and the more joined database shown on one form, the slower your database will tend to be, and databases work slower with 'full record locking' than with 'optimistic record locking'. Compressing the Databases on a regular basis will also help. If=7F you are using Approach on a LAN or WAN, also see 'Running Approach on a network' Running Approach on a network ----------------------------- There is no special network version of Approach. When you are doing the installation you will be asked if it it is to go onto a desktop or a server. Check the README.WRI that comes with Approach and the Manual for future information. However, as with all software (executables) you will notice a drop in performance running Approach from the LAN server compared to the running it on a desktop. The general consensus therefore seems to be that you should run Approach on each desktop individually, but just store the data and the .vew/.apr files on the server. With this configuration the speed of your desktops is more critical than the speed of your server. So if you have a choice, use an older slower computer as the server, and your fastest computers as workstations. This configuration also means you won't be loading your network up with large executables. However, unless you have software distribution software, the "software" person to go nuts if there are 100 workstations to upgrade at some stage in the future... I guess you'll just have to way up the pros and cons. Moving databases (.apr/.vew .dbf .dbt files) ---------------- The only reliable and easy way to do this is using the FILE / SAVE AS menu item from within Approach. If you try and move them using a file manager program then the database may not be able to locate some of its components and OLE links may be lost. dBase IV limitations -------------------- Approach can use a number of different database base structures, but uses dBase IV by default. dBase IV has the following limitations that you might need to be aware of: * maximum number of fields =3D 256 * maximum size of a record =3D 4000 characters =3D all the fields added together Memo fields take 10 characters * maximum length of a text file =3D 256 characters * maximum number of records =3D 4294967296 (4 gig) Limitations of Approach ----------------------- (also see dBase IV limitations) * maximum number of 'views' per .apr =3D 100 view =3D forms, worksheets, crosstabs, reports,... Conversion of old .apr's to Approach 96 --------------------------------------- The conversion is straight forward, however people have struck problems with stored finds. All Stored finds should be recreated in Approach 96 and assigned a name. Since Approach 96 handles stored finds slightly differently and v3.02, they actually make more sense when you have done this anyway. Once an .apr has been converted it can no longer be used by an older version of Approach. Therefore make sure you keep a copy of your old .apr just in case you strike problems or need the old version for some reason. Field Formatting ---------------- To display a combination of formatted a numbers and text when a number has been entered into a field, first make sure the field has been defined with the number of significant digits and decimal places that you require, e.g. if you need to display currency up to $1000 make sure you have defined the field as a NUMBER, with a length of 4.2. When displaying the field, either select or enter the format you require in the Styles / Field Format menu item. E.g.. Using a field format of: #,##0.00 " Miles" The following will be displayed: entered displayed 12 12.00 Miles .3 0.30 Miles Check the manual and / or the help files for all the rules and options governing the format codes. For some strange reason, when using above example in v2.1, and v3.0* (v96?), the data is only displayed correctly if there is a space after the first quotation mark. If this space is left out so it reads: #,##0.00 "Miles" it will incorrectly display 12.1 as 1.21 Miles. Strange, but true!=7F Displaying Negative Values In Red --------------------------------- In v2.1 and v3.0*: you need to create 2 calculated fields: one that will only display the number if it is negative: If(DB.NUMBER < 0, DB.NUMBER, ''), and the other that will only=7F display the number when it is positive: If(DB.NUMBER >=3D 0, DB.NUMBER, '') Display these fields on your report or form. Set the Fill Color to transparent on both of them, and the Pen Color to red on the field that will display the negative values. Then use the OBJECT / ALIGNMENT menu item to place one of the fields directly on top of the another. Set the STYLE / FIELD STYLE / LABEL: to be blank, and create a separate text box to label the field if required. In v96: you can either use the same method outlined for v2.1 and v3.0* shown above, or use a script such as the one in "Mastering Lotus Approach 96 for Windows 95" by James Powell (Sybex / Lotus Books). The script is an example they used to demonstrate LotusScript. Leading zeros (eg. 00054628) ------------- To output data with leading zeros create and output a calculated field containing the formula: Right(Combine('0000000',DB.NUMBER), 7) where '7' is the maximum number of digets, and hence the length of the output string, and 0000000 is a line of zeros of the same length. Trailing zeros (eg. 1.400) -------------- First check that you have that the field definition is numeric with the right number of decimal places. While in design mode, select the field and then enter the Style/Field Format menu (v2.1, other versons may be different) and either select one of the custom numeric field formats provided, or enter your own. For exporting data, create and export a calculated field containing the formula: NumToText(DB.NUMBER,'####.00') where ####.00 is the output forumla you require. Free Approach 3.02 Upgrade -------------------------- According to the technotes available at the Lotus web site http://www.lotus.com, version 3.02 of Approach is available free to customers experiencing an issue with Approach 3.0. Technotes on the following topics all contain the phrase, 'This issue has been addressed in Approach 3.02': * Only One Mailing Label Prints Per Page * Error: Unable to Build Index Required for XXX * Fill Field Option is Grayed Out in Browse/Worksheet * Stack Overflow Running Approach 3.0 QuickStart Tutor. * Import Table Has Changed, Unable to Import Data * Sending the Current View Only Sends All Views * General Protection Fault in Module KRNL386.EXE * Record Header Size... Bytes Too Small Saving an .APR * Form or Report Places Fields on Top of Each Other * Repeating Panel Will Not Sort in Approach 3.0 * Crosstab Repeats the Same Value in Each Row * Changing Number to Boolean Returns Incorrect Results * Slow Performance using PowerClick for Grand Total * Internal Error - Couldn't Load String 1035 with Spell * Approach Export Macro to Fixed Length Inserts Spaces * Find Using a Wild Card Returns Blank Date Fields * Error: No Records Found Finding Times in DB2 Database * Error: Out of Disk Space Finding a Date in SQL or DB2 * Fields Formatted as Zip Code Corrupt Data in Approach * Error: Macro Step Not Valid Editing Valid Macro * Percent Format Displays Zeros after the Decimal So, if you are having troubles in any of the above areas it may pay to check what version of Approach you have (by selecting Help: About Approach). If you are using 3.00 or 3.01 then you may be able to get a free upgrade to v3.02 by contacting Lotus. ------------------------------ Subject: 5. How the Approach Users Mailing List works It is fairly simple, but before we get into it please remember one thing: The best source of information about how to use Approach is the printed manual and the help files that come with it. If you have access to the World Wide Web you may also want to check out the technotes and FAQs on the Lotus WWW site: http://www.lotus.com The Approach Users Mailing List is a discussion area for anyone uses or provides user support for the Lotus Approach relational database. Subscribers also receive an occasional newsletter summarizing recent additions to the FAQ as well as other relevant information and notices. The Approach Users Mailing List is not moderated. Any message sent to it is automatically bounced back out to everyone on the list. While I in no way want to stifle free discussion, as list owner I reserve the right to step in if a flame war erupts that becomes tedious for other subscribers, or if someone becomes unseemly (excessive use of profanity, for instance). You may choose to receive the mailing list as normal individual emails, or to receive all the posts for each day compiled into a single 'Digest'. <<<< =3D=3D VERY IMPORTANT =3D=3D>>>> Please read the remainder of this section very carefully, as this mailing list has two different addresses for different purposes, and errors will occur if you use the wrong one. <<<<=3D=3D SAVE THIS MESSAGE NOW =3D=3D>>>> ^^^=7F You should keep a copy of this section on your computer so that you can refer to it in the future. This is particularly handy if you want to know how to subscribe or unsubscribe one day in the future. If you have a personal message for someone, please send it to their address, not the list server address. Any mail sent to the APPROACH List Server address will automatically be sent to everyone on the list. The list has two addresses. One is the APPROACH List Server address, and the other is the MAISER Command address: The MAISER Command address is: MAISER@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu -------------- It recognizes the following commands in the body of the message (NOT THE SUBJECT LINE): SUB APPROACH to subscribe UNSUB APPROACH to unsubscribe SET APPROACH DIGEST to turn on the digest option SET APPROACH NODIGEST to turn off the digest option SET APPROACH NOMAIL to turns off your mail temporarily (say, if you're going away for a few days) SET APPROACH MAIL to turn your mail back on HELP to receive the MAISER help file INDEX to receive a list of files SEND AUML-FAQ.DOC to receive the Approach Users Mailing List FAQ SEND LIST.TXT to receive a list of other mailing lists at this site. To subscribe to them send a message to the MAISER Command address with SUB listname, e.g. SUB INROOTS in the body of the text. ALL COMMANDS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE MAISER COMMAND ADDRESS. ENTER THE COMMAND AS SHOWN BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR MESSAGE. MULTIPLE COMMANDS CAN BE SENT AT ONCE, ONE PER LINE WITH NO BLANK LINES BETWEEN THEM. If your email software automatically adds a signature to your email, then you should put the word EXIT on the line immediately after the last command so that the list server knows to ignore the rest of the message. The APPROACH List Server address is: -------------------- APPROACH@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu Do not send commands to this address! All posts sent to the APPROACH List Server address will be immediately sent out to everybody on the list. Make sure you are using the correct address, and that you have not made any errors or omissions in your message. If you have any difficulties with the mailing list please email me at approach-owner@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu with APPROACH in the subject line. Changing Your Subscription Address ---------------------------------- If you want to change the email address you are subscribed from, simply unsubscribe from you existing account, then subscribe from the new one. If for some reason you cannot access your old account to unsubscribe please email me at approach-owner@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu and I will remove your old subscription for you. Question and Answer Posts ------------------------- I suggest you use the following format: a) Summarize your question in one sentence, being as specific as you can. E.g. 'Is it possible to save records in alphabetical order?' b) In a short paragraph following the question, provide any further information that people may need in order to fully understand your question E.g. 'I find it annoying to have to continually sort the records and it would be easier if I could just save them in their sorted order. Is this possible?' c) In a final paragraph state what version of Approach you are using (2.1, 3.0,...) as well as any other software or hardware that you refer to. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. NO, IT IS NOT OK TO ATTACH FILES ---------------------------------- No. It is not OK to attach files. Doing this substantially increases the size of the email, even if the file is compressed. There are many different mail system around the world and not all of them meet the same standards. Attached files can sometimes be treated different ways which can (and does) cause problems. Finally, many people around the world pay by the minute to receive their email, and downloading large and unwanted files adds unnecessarily to the cost of their service. Many service providers consider attaching or sending large files to mailing lists a breach of service and may terminate your email account for doing it. So don't! Being on a mailing list gives you privileged access to email boxes of many people around the world. Be wise about how you this privilege or it will be revoked. Keep you posts short and to the point. You can always asked people to email you directly if they want more information or a .zipped copy of your database. comp.databases -------------- There is no official association between the mailing list and the Usenet newsgroup comp.databases, or any other newsgroup. However comp.databases is a good forum for discussion. Relevant information gathered from the newsgroup will be included in the Newsletter and FAQ. If you do post to comp.databases please include the word 'APPROACH:' in the subject line, preferably a the beginning in capital letters, so that it shows up clearly in a subject line search. e.g. Subject: APPROACH: Can you save sorted records? Remember, most people on the mailing do not regularly access comp.databases. Lotus ----- There is official no connection between this mailing list and the Lotus Corporation what so ever. This is a completely unofficial and unconnected mailing list. Mail errors after posting to the list ------------------------------------- You may sometime receive an error message from various mail servers after you have posted something to the mailing list. If it contains words like 'undeliverable' or 'unrecoverable' you should forward them to me at approach-owner@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu. Mail servers should do this automatically but many do not. Error messages containing words like 'warming, message could not be delivered for 4 hours' can generally be ignored, but make sure you have read it properly first. Error messages from .rmgate.indiana.edu are usually directed at you personally, and generally means that you have done something wrong. Email me if you cannot work out what it is. Mail storms ----------- A mail storm is caused by a mail server which incorrectly sends error messages to the mailing list instead of the Error_to: address in the message header. When it sends an error message to the list it sometimes causes the same error to be repeated. This goes on and on and our inboxes quickly fill up with recurring error messages. This is what is called mail storm. They are unusual, but one has occurred in the life of this mailing list. There is nothing I can do to stop this from happening because it is caused by an error in the remote system. I am able to remove the offending address from the mailing list when I log on and discover the problem, but the mail storm will probably have been stopped by the mail server before I do this. I will however make a complaint to the postmaster of the offending system, asking them to permanently correct the problem. If this ever occurs again DO NOT SEND ANY MAIL TO THE LIST AS IT WILL ONLY MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE BECAUSE EVERY ADDITIONAL MESSAGE SIMPLY INCREASES THE RATE OF THE MAIL STORM. I will appreciate your understanding and cooperation with this, as will everybody else on the list. ------------------------------ Subject: 6. Official Stuff The following people have contributed information to the mailing list which is contained within this FAQ: Mike Armour Charles Atkinson Anthony Barker Michael Attenborough 'Bigjc6991' Bill Bosking 'CedarsMT' Sue Clark Tim Cook Bruno Dumon Elizabeth Durkin Rhodri Edwards 'JoeF3900' Richard A. Garrard Charles T. Hall Cornel Huth 'Bobj19' Vance Jochim Fred Kennedy Peter M Ladstaetter Carl E Lloyd Lewis N. Payton Donald Ravey Ed Recker R M Reddicks Bernie Sakel Ben Schorr Scott 'pccscott' Alan Shein David Sherman Jerry Sikes Bill Tarkulich Patrick Timmins Walter Thompson Doug Tymes Doug S. Varney Bernard Victor Mark Wright 'zarief' Some information was also gathered from the Lotus Web Site. If you would like you name added to this esteemed list, please feel free to post some helpful suggestions and answers to the Approach Users Mailing List. Disclaimer ---------- This document is provided as is without any express or implied warranties. The editor and contributors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Copyright --------- (C) Copyright 1996 by John Brown, all rights reserved. Permission is given for this document to be distributed in electronic form (such as email, newsgroups, and the WWW) as long as it is posted in its entirety including this copyright statement, and is not distributed for financial gain. Editor ------ Editor: approach-owner@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu (John Brown) ******************************************************** * TO OBTAIN Part 2 OF THIS FAQ, WHICH CONTAINS SECTION * * 7 INCLUDING MANY MORE FAQ ARTICLES (See the contents * * at the top of this doucment) send the words * * SEND AUMLFAQ2.DOC on the first line of an email * * message to MAISER@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu * ******************************************************** .