This chapter describes how to use the definition program to set up and define your applications.ProFiler has a large number of user-definable options, and you may find that you have to experiment for a little while to get the best set of facilities to meet your own particular requirements.

The program can be used for up to 99 applications and each may have a different configuration and its own set of data files. For each application specified, a parameter file is written to disk which holds details of the configuration. The applications are identified by a three-digit code, such as TIM, and the file which stores details of the configuration on disk always uses the identification as its suffix, with a standard main filename PROFILER — so a typical such file is PROFILER.TIM.

The main functions which are determined in the definition program include:

ProFiler Application List / Create New. Here you may create a new application or add an existing application to the list.

Select Current Application. This allows you to change from one ProFiler application to another without leaving the program.

Location of Files / Expand Files. The files to be used for this application are defined here together with any file automatic file expansion settings.

Application Profiles. This defines global factors, such as the name of the application, date formats and passwords.

Data File Profiles / File Links. These options define the file layouts for all the files to be used (a maximum of eight per application) and the relationship files.

ProFiler Options Definition. This is the most important option to step through, since the specific ways in which ProFiler is to work for this application are defined here.All the menus to be used are defined in this section.

Configuration options. Keyboard function keys (including the recall of standard text) together with screen features and standard printer set-ups are defined from here.

Create Applic. Data Files. The files to be used are created from the base formats already designed, by specifying the maximum file sizes required.

Database utilities. A number of utility routines are available to set up new file formats, amend existing ones, transfer records between files, or simply update or delete a record.

When you select the ProFiler definition program you are offered the following main menu from which to select the definition action you require.