A Tutorial/Demonstration

The Library Manager program is designed to be rather intuitive and easy to use. Click on the bookshelf Library Manager icon on the Desktop. The introductory "splash-screen" will disappear within five seconds or when clicked on. There are three things of interest to the user. First, to easily select and view information directly on the screen. Second, to enter and edit information in the database. Third, to create a variety of reports giving printable information about individual titles, subjects/keywords, locations, or authors and also lists of each from the database. The default DemoData subdirectory will be used for this tutorial.

Viewing information

1. Mouse-click on the Browse Menu button. Choose the Browse the Title file - Titles/Location and click on it.
1. Notice how quickly the Browse pops up. The highlight bar should be on the topmost record in the Demo database.
2. Try moving the cursor over the Taskbar buttons that control the primary Titles Browse (the first seven buttons). Try moving the highlight bar up and down using the buttons. Notice how all the information in the whole window is updated instantly to reflect the record being highlighted?
3. Now try using the VCR buttons at the bottom of the primary Titles Browse and do the same thing. Notice that they do not have popup "tool-tips," but otherwise work the same way as those on the Taskbar.
4. Next choose records using the mouse with a single left mouse-click.
5. Now just type the first few letters of the start of a title. Instantly, the highlight bar moves to the nearest match.
6. Finally, just use the up-arrow and down-arrow on your keyboard. Any of these methods can be used to navigate the primary Browse.
7. Using your mouse, move your cursor over various part of the whole Browse Window. Notice how the "tool-tips" popup to describe the purpose of each portion of the Window?

2. Click on the Browse button on the Menu again and choose the Browse the Author file this time.
1. Move the highlight bar around in the primary Authors Browse until an author who has more than one title listed is found. Try typing part of the last name of any author and notice that immediately the highlight bar jumps to that name.
2. Use the mouse and select (with a left mouse-click) a title record other than the first listed. Notice how all the information in the whole window is updated instantly to reflect the record being highlighted? This is the only technique available to select a record in other than the primary Browse.

3. The other Browses work the same, try them.

Entering and Editing information.

1. On the Authors Browse, use any of the methods mentioned in section 6.1 to Edit (Change) a record, choosing one that has some information about the author showing in the Text Window at the bottom left of the Browse Window. Pressing the Enter key on your keyboard - which is one of them, will bring one up..
1. The Changing an Author Record Form pops up. Author's names are entered first name, middle initial, then last name, but are always displayed on the Browses as formatted and located by using the first part of the last name..
2. The Form has two Tabs, a General and a Notes Tab. Click on the Notes Tab and the same information that is displayed in the Browse Text Window is shown. This and live and editable. Change or Delete a word or so and save the record by clicking the OK button. Notice how the information in the Text Window is immediately updated?
3. Now add an author record by clicking the Plus Mark on the Taskbar or just press Insert from the keyboard. The Form is the same but is now empty and is titled Adding an Author Record. Add any name and some comments to see just how easy it is.

2. Let's try the most difficult Form to make sure you understand. Select the already opened Browse the Title file - Titles/Location by clicking the Window Menu button or just clicking on the Browse itself if any portion is visible on the screen. Select a title with a location and more than one author and subject. As described in 8.1 above, access the Title Form in Edit format or just press Enter.
1. Notice that the Titles (General) Tab has a lot more data entry fields than the author's General Tab. Never mind, all but one work exactly the same as before. Notice also that there is a Notes Tab and two new Tabs, Link to Subjects and Link to Authors.
These last two Tabs only are visible during Change in order to prevent the creation of orphan files.
2. Click on the Location entry field - it's the one that is different. This is a Lookup data entry field. Go back to section 6.2.2 and read about how they work. Done? Ok, now try out the various methods until it's clear what is happening.
3. Exploring a Notes text entry field has already been covered in the author's file above. So now click on the Link to Subjects Tab. Notice that a Browse box appears with several subjects listed. Add a subject by pressing the Insert key or right click on the mouse and selecting Insert. Click the little down-arrow (Mouse Look Up Button). To add an existing subject, just Select it from the Select a Subject Record Browse by any one of the methods described earlier (just double left-click on it for now). Notice that it is now added to the subjects linked list.
4. Now try adding a subject that doesn't exist in the database yet. Access the Select a Subject Record Browse as above and press the Insert key or use the right mouse button. An Adding a Subject Record Form pops up. Add a subject and press the OK button. Now Select that new subject as done above (double left-click) and notice that it is added to the Link to Subjects Browse on the Titles Form. Save the Form by clicking the OK button. Move to another title and then back. Notice that the Browse Window is now updated with the new information.
5. Changing a Linked subject or author is not permitted to protect the integrity of your system. If the link is incorrect, then it should be deleted and another added to correct it.

Printing Reports

1. Click on the button with the Printer Icon. A report will be generated on the title highlighted and presented for viewing on the screen. To print it, press the Printer Icon button on the top left of the Report Preview Window. Otherwise press the big X Icon button to exit.
2. Click on the Reports Menu button. Select the Print the Title File - Print All Titles without Detail. Let the program generate and view it on screen. To print it, press the Printer Icon button on the top left of the Report Preview Window. Otherwise press the big X Icon button to exit.

This has now covered everything necessary to use the Library Manager program successfully - only a little practice is needed to become proficient.

The Data Subdirectory is provided for your use. It will hold up to 25 titles in the demo version of Library Manager and the same data will be available for you to add to when you purchase the program. The DemoData subdirectory will no longer be needed or accessible and can be deleted.