D |
• Using Postscript programs in Write (to
print stationery and other graphical elements on a page) • Printing a report by birthdate in calendar month order • Copying programming statements to use elsewhere • Calculating the elapsed months between two dates (with the answer in 2-decimal-place format) • Getting Table View to display records in first name order • How to ensure that two fields in a record match (copying one field to another) • Create different Q&A configurations for different users • Creating a custom replacement menu, a special password menu, and custom menus for each user • XLookup doesn't blank the destination field if the lookup field is blank (unlike @XLookup) • Field naming restrictions • Creating a data dictionary • How to make sure Q&A will recognize a number as an actual number (and not a text value) • Creating custom report subtotal labels to improve a report's readability • Making values like AB1, AB2, AB10 sort correctly (treating the letters and numbers separately) • Retrieving sets of records dated x number of months ago • Q&A network installation tips and traps • Using @XLookup in mail merge |
| N o v 92 |
• How to create a
"snaking-column" report (with a layout like a phone book) • More tricks with Keyword fields • How to perform a search when you don't know which field the item is in • Auto-incrementing records with @XLookupR (instead of @Number) • Make addresses aesthetically correct on printed forms • What "zero" ("0")means in Q&A • Protecting documents from changes (using the DOS ATTRIB command) • Outputting the contents of expanded fields to ASCII • Bringing Write documents into an expanded database field for searching • Playing with text strings (a slew of tips and techniques for manipulating string values) • A mail-merge program that selects the shipping address fields when the billing address field = "same" • A retrieval expression that selects the records only for the current year • How to clear your password and other protection techniques • Saving Mass Update Specs for reuse • Printing a birthday list without regard for the year |
| O c t 92 |
• Power bubble sorting (includes elements
missing from example in Q&A manual) • Entering cash receipts without account numbers (looking up names) • Review: Leave the typing to ZIPKEY (automating address entry) • Nth name record selection made easy • Some handy macros to use in the Write word processor • Appending unique records to a master file • Closing a database under Windows • How to name fields with no labels • How to count French braces as a program debugging tool • Standardize punctuation in Keyword fields • Creating a custom menu set for each network user • Using conditional (If-Then) logic in report derived columns (various tricks and techniques) • The critical Q&A files to back up routinely • What to do with hard-coded XLookup paths when the path changes • How to count the number of records within a ZIP Code range • An expression that calculates the number of months between two dates • When you need to copy a Spec from one database to another |
| S e p 92 |
• Using checkboxes in Keyword reports
(and other nifty tricks) • Isolating unique records in a database (to mail one letter to each customer in an invoice database) • Creating a multi-report-printing macro that continues even if one report has "No records found" • Searching across fields (such as a database with several part number fields) • How to make Write retrieve a lengthy document faster • Launching other programs from Q&A (and running a DOS session) • Getting more lines to print on a page • Create a handy "notepad" database • Freeing up macro key identifiers • Concatenating text and money values in reports • Automating one-at-a-time label printing • How to create custom user prompts to display during macro execution • Programming to auto-generate a follow-up date • Setting Insert mode as the default for data entry • Basic elements of Q&A macros • Marking checkboxes with a mouse • Review: Bar-coding your mail (BARLITE, a TSR utility) • Control line-spacing on a LaserJet III • Field names vs. logical field numbers in programming |
| A u g 92 |
• Creating custom menus and menu systems
(tips and traps, comprehensive) • Retrieving just the current month's data • How to create a basic mailing label • Printing the User ID in a mail-merge letter • Assembling complex documents by pointing and clicking • When two identical reports print differently because of Report Global Options settings • When formatting a ZIP Code field as a "number" can cause lookup problems • Using two Lookup Table lines per customer to store all the data • Dropping or changing the currency symbol • Print from screen using two fonts • Using Report to create new records in database "B" from information in database "A" • Overcoming document header / footer limitations |
| J u l 92 |
• Understanding database requirements • Making a database work only for x months • Using a dBASE XLookup • Calculating the percentage difference between two number columns in a report • Using crosstab reports to generate pick-lists for warehouse employees • Custom menus and automatic execution • Condo management with Q&A, part 2 • Relief from RAM cram • Creating a lookup table from another database • Table View editing basics • Resetting @Number via programming • How to retrieve the last record from the previous year |
| J u n 92 |
• Optimizing Q&A's performance (all
kinds of tips, tricks, and techniques) • How to retrieve records from the previous month only • Copying a date from one field to another • Condo management with Q&A, part 2 • Preventing the last page of a multi-page form from printing • How to execute programming statements during Batch Posting • Eliminating unwanted zeroes in a crosstab report • Creating unique numbers with text prefixes • Getting system information in Q&A • The basics of creating columnar reports • Using expanded fields to store "alternate contact" information • Avoid the "#" sign in character field values |
| M a y 92 |
• Power XLookups (using Yes and No to
tell Q&A if that's the lookup record you want retrieved) • Exporting dates in YYMMDD format (for an accounting program) • Using a constant percentage value to update other values • Create a number with leading zeroes (so all numbers have the same number of digits) • When Q&A can leave a huge temporary file on your hard disk • Using Q&A with a full-featured accounting package (case study using RealWorld) • Changing macro files with one keystroke • Getting report subtotals and totals to print in separate columns • Standard ASCII import and export tips • Problems that can occur when you let Q&A assign default field names • Creating an automated gradebook with distribution reports • Reusing your Q&A Network Pack diskette • LaserJet printing techniques (envelopes, printer driver, aligning columns with proportional fonts) • Correcting for large fonts in Page Preview • Have Q&A automatically load Write files • The easy way to create optional file descriptions in Write |
| A p r 92 |
• Fine-Tuning LANtastic for speed • Searching a database for birthdays occurring in a particular month • Neatly wrapping columns in merge documents • Printing an "index" report with a new page at each alphabetic break • Using calc-mode to conditionally change one value to another • Conditionally printing one, two, or three pages when printing from screen • Entering charge card numbers • Database standards, part 1 • Record retrieval and Sort Specs (how and why you need to sort) • Expanded Restrict Spec values and system memory • What to do about the "Font file not valid for this printer" error message • How to access multiple font files with one printer driver • Overcoming Q&A's 16-character limit on XLookup Key values, part 2 |
| M a r 92 |
• Parsing multi-line text fields into
single fields in merge documents • How to control split records in reports (record splits onto two pages) • Shortcuts for adding multiple price fields to a database (e.g. retail, wholesale, special wholesale) • Auto-incrementing a transaction number (and conditionally resetting it to "1" automatically) • Some handy new functions in Q&A 4.0 • Viewing your last 12 documents from the Main menu • Overcoming Q&A's 16-character limit on XLookup Key values, part 1 • Installing multiple printers on one printer port • Bar charts in a Q&A report • Counting per-item handling charges with @Field and Gosub • Blank number fields are not zero • Naming Write documents for easy file list sorting • Faster database design/redesign • Basics of using the Retrieve Spec to find the records you need • Auto-stamp records with the date they were last updated • Document numbering (with leading zeros) in a law office |
| F e b 92 |
• How to perform AND, OR, and NOT
searches (Boolean basics) • Separating ranges onto multiple picklists • Quick-printing letters and envelopes • Moving data from a lookup table to a database (QASPEC utility) • Converting a .PCX file for use in a Write document • Displaying custom instructions (such as before sending a job to the printer) • Shortcut keys in File and Write • Managing your Write documents • Disk caching, RAM drive, Expanded memory, FASTOPEN, FILES, and BUFFERS • Manuscript tracking for writers • Payroll with Q&A, part 4 • Exporting Q&A 4.0 data to a Q&A 3.0 database • New audiotape and videotape labels in Q&A 4.0 |
| J a n 92 |
• Gosub and @Field in action (Sales order
database, to cut down on volume of programming needed) • Controlling which duplicate records Q&A saves and removes • Using Gosub to calculate moving averages • Gosub/Return in action • Displaying an @Msg message on-field-entry when the field already contains an on-field-exit program • When a 12- or 15-cpi report always prints in 10 cpi • Pop-up lists for Keyword field entries • Editing your personal spelling dictionary • "No graphics" printer modes speed LaserJet printing • Primary key value lookup limitation workaround • Field-to-field copying using the Programming Editor • Payroll with Q&A, part 3 • When long file descriptions don't stick • Create a birthday report that shows birthdays in a particular month only • Fix for ZIP Codes that print with commas in merge documents • Backing up files from the Main menu • Why not to make a proportional font the "default" font • Running XLookups on a two-computer peer-to-peer network |