PDP-11 DATATRIEVE/VAX  Version 3.3                      SPD 25.14.18

DESCRIPTION

PDP-11 DATATRIEVE/VAX is an interactive query, report, and data maintenance 
system designed for the less sophisticated computer user. DATATRIEVE/VAX 
runs under the VMS Operating System in conjunction with VAX-11 RSX. 
DATATRIEVE/VAX utilizes the RMS (Record Management Services) to access data 
contained in disk files of sequential, indexed, or relative organization. 
DATATRIEVE/VAX provides facilities for selective data retrieval, sorting, 
formatting, updating, and report generation without the need for 
programming. 

Record and domain (file) definitions entered in DATATRIEVE/VAX are stored 
in Data Dictionaries shared by DATATRIEVE/VAX users. Dictionaries can also 
be used to store frequently used sequences of commands to be recalled and 
processed later. Commands are provided to list the contents of the Data 
Dictionary, to delete entries, and to control access to individual entries 
in the Data Dictionary. A Dictionary Compression utility is provided to 
compress the Data Dictionary index file. 

DATATRIEVE/VAX enables the user to define domains that cross RMS file 
definitions and subset record definitions. 

DATATRIEVE/VAX provides an Application Design Tool (ADT) to assist the 
novice user in creating domain and record definitions. The ADT uses an 
interactive dialogue technique to guide the user through the data 
definition process. It creates an indirect command file that is then 
processed to actually update the DATATRIEVE/VAX Data Dictionary. 

The DATATRIEVE/VAX report writer provides easy-to-use commands to control 
the following report functions: 

oo   Report name, date, and page numbering

oo   Page width and length specification

oo   Detail line specification

oo   Multiple control break specification with automatic totaling at any 
    level

oo   Multiple report sections

DATATRIEVE/VAX report commands can be freely intermixed with other 
DATATRIEVE/VAX commands. 

DATATRIEVE/VAX uses simple English language-like commands for data 
retrieval, modification, and display. Prompting is automatic for both 
command and data entry. The major commands are as follows: 

oo   HELP provides a summary of each DATATRIEVE command.

oo   READY identifies a domain for processing and controls the access mode 
    to the appropriate file.

oo   FIND establishes a collection (subset) of records contained in either a 
    domain or a previously established collection based on a Boolean 
    expression.

oo   SORT reorders a collection of records in either an ascending or 
    descending sequence based upon the contents of one or more fields in 
    those records.

oo   PRINT prints one or more fields of one or more records. Output can be 
    optionally directed to a line printer or disk file. Format control can 
    be specified. A column header is generated automatically.

oo   SELECT identifies a single record in a collection for subsequent 
    individual processing.

oo   MODIFY alters the values of one or more fields for either the selected 
    record or all records in a collection. Replacement values are prompted 
    for by name.

oo   STORE creates a new record. The value for each field contained in the 
    record is prompted for by name.

oo   ERASE removes one or more records corresponding to the appropriate 
    domain.

oo   FOR executes a subsequent command once for each record in a collection 
    providing a simple looping facility.

oo   EDIT invokes an editor (EDT) that inserts, replaces, or deletes text 
    from procedures defined in the Data Dictionary.

oo   DROP allows the user to drop selected records from a collection.

oo   DECLARE defines global and local variables to be used within a 
    DATATRIEVE query.

oo   DEFINE provides a consistent mechanism for creating domain, record, 
    procedure, table, and view definitions in the Data Dictionary.

oo   REDEFINE - Functions similarly to DEFINE, but an implicit delete is 
    performed on the previous version of the dictionary object.

DATATRIEVE/VAX provides lexical functions consisting of the following four 
groups:

oo   Functions using numeric data:

    -  FN$ABS - Calculates absolute value of input

    -  FN$MOD - Calculates value of input according to specified modulus

    -  FN$SIGN - Indicates the sign of a number

oo   Functions using alphanumeric data:

    -  FN$STR_EXTRACT  -  Extracts substring from input using a default 
       edit string of 30 characters.

    -  FN$STR_LOC - Calculates starting position of substring in input

    -  FN$UPCASE - Changes characters in string to uppercase

oo   Functions using dates:

    -  FN$JULIAN - Calculates Julian date of input

    -  FN$YEAR - Extracts year part of input

    -  FN$MONTH - Extracts month part of input

    -  FN$DAY - Extracts day part of input

    -  FN$TIME - Extracts time part of input

    -  FN$HOUR - Extracts hour part of input

    -  FN$MINUTE - Extracts minute part of input

    -  FN$SECOND - Extracts second part of input

    -  FN$HUNDREDTH - Extracts hundredth-of-a-second part of input

    -  FN$DATE - Converts a date string to an 8-byte data value

oo   Function relating to processes:

    -  FN$DCL  -  Allows you to spawn directly from your main DATATRIEVE 
       process to a specified Digital Command Language (DCL) command.

In addition to the simple data manipulation commands, a number of more 
complex commands are available for the advanced user. These commands, such 
as REPEAT, BEGIN-END, and IF-THEN-ELSE, can be used to combine two or more 
DATATRIEVE/VAX commands into a single compound command. These, in turn, can 
be stored in the Data Dictionary as procedures for invocation by less 
experienced users. 

DATATRIEVE/VAX provides a full set of arithmetic operators (addition, 
subtraction, multiplication, division, and negation) and a set of 
statistical operators (total, average, maximum, minimum, and count), and 
provides data types used in the FORTRAN, COBOL, DIBOL, and BASIC-PLUS-2 
languages. An additional data type is provided that supports time and 
recognizes various date formats. 

DATATRIEVE/VAX provides data encoding, decoding and input validation 
capabilities through tables stored in the Data Dictionary. The user can 
also check data validity by storing validation criteria in the record 
definition. 

SOURCE CODE INFORMATION

The following source code modules are provided on all magnetic distribution 
media:

oo   MESSAGE TEXT

oo   DATATRIEVE DICTIONARY 

oo   OBJECT DEFINITION

    -  DOMAINS
    -  RECORDS
    -  PROCEDURES
    -  TABLES

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

VAX configuration as specified in the System Support Addendum (SSA 
25.14.18-x). 

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS*

VMS Operating System

VAX-11 RSX

*   Refer to the System Support Addendum (SSA 25.14.18-x) for availability 
    and required versions of prerequisite/optional software.

ORDERING INFORMATION

Software Licenses:  QL-105A*-**
Software Media:  QA-105A*-**
Software Documentation:  QA-105AA-GZ
Software Product Services:  QT-105A*-**

*   Denotes variant fields. For additional information on available 
    licenses, services and media, refer to the appropriate price book.

SOFTWARE LICENSING

This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of DIGITAL's 
Standard Terms and Conditions.  For more information about DIGITAL's 
licensing terms and policies, contact your local DIGITAL office. 

LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY

This layered product supports the VMS License Management Facility.

License units for this product are allocated on a CPU-capacity basis.

For more information on the License Management Facility, refer to the VMS 
Operating System Software Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx) or the License 
Management Facility Manual of the VMS Operating System documentation set.

For more information about DIGITAL's licensing terms and policies, contact 
your local DIGITAL office.

SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES

A variety of service options are available from DIGITAL. For more 
information contact your local DIGITAL office. 

SOFTWARE WARRANTY

Warranty for this software product is provided by DIGITAL with the purchase 
of a license for the product as defined in the Software Warranty Addendum 
of this SPD. 

