No.43 September I October 1988 $3.95 THE MICRO TECHNICAL JOURNAL ICRO ORNUCOPIA Building Databases Whether you're working with databases professionally or just collecting data as a hobby, this issue will fill you in on all the sorted details. Accessing dBASE III Plus Records From Turbo Pascal An inside look at the structure of dBASE files and a close look at ways to access them with Pascal. page 8 Build A C Database Selecting A dBASE III Compatible Compiler Working With Paradox page3o Build A Pascal Database And A Special Project: Designing Custom PC Cards Designing custom PC cards has remained the private domain of the hardware guru. Now Bruce Eckel shows you how to produce your own in an hour. page 42 Plus: The Early Days Of Micro C page 64 Very Fast Fractals page 22 New D Compiler page 69 And Much, Much, More 08 0 74470 19388 3 #1 PROGRAMMABLE EDITOR NEW VERSION 3.0 • Best Multi-Level Undo • Regular Expressions • Pop-Up ASCII Table • Pull-Down Menus • Compiler Support • Column Blocks Until now, if you wanted the best Undo, the best compiler sup­ port, regular expressions and column blocks you chose BRIEF™. If you wanted unlimited keystroke macros, the best FREE EVALUATION COPY* configurability, "off the cuff' command language macros and blazing speed, you chose VEDIT PLUS.® Call 1-800-45-VEDIT Now the Choice is Easy The all new VEDIT PLUS 3.0 gives you the best Undo of any editor, the best compiler support, unequaled windows, true • Fully Network Compatible regular expressions and extensive new features. We're lead­ • Call for XENIX and OS/2 versions ing the way with easy to use pull down menus, context sensitive • 30 Day Money-back guarantee help, a pop-up ASCII table, new printing options and much more. Incredibly, VEDIT PLUS 3.0 is now twice as fast as be­ fore and, at only 60K in size, it loads fast! Features of VEDIT PLUS 3.0 • Simultaneously edit up to 37 files of unlimited size. Completely Configurable • Variable sized windows; multiple windows per file. Change a few keys or redefine the entire keyboard, VEDIT • Execute DOS commands and other programs. PLUS adjusts to your editing style in minutes. You can even • Flexible "cut and paste" with 36 "scratch-pad" buffers. create new editing functions using simple keystroke macros or • Block operations by line, character or column. fine tune existing ones. VEDIT PLUS is so configurable that it • Search with pattern matching or regular expressions. easily emulates other editors and word processors (WordStar • Configuration-determine your own keyboard layout, create your own editing functions, support any screen size. and Word Perfect emulation included). Quickly access editing • Select window colors, support 43 line EGA, 50 line VGA. functions with a single key or through the pull-down menus. EASY TO USE Try before You Buy • Modern pull-down menu system. Pop-up ASCII table. We challenge you to experience the dazzling performance and • Context sensitive on-line help is user changeable. • Multi-level Undo (100 to 1000 levels). Undo keystroke by exceptional features that make VEDIT PLUS the best choice. keystroke or line by line. Our evaluation disk includes the complete editor.* Learn • On-line integer calculator (also algebraic expressions). VEDIT PLUS using our extensive "training" macro that gives • Keystroke macros speed editing, menu function "hot keys." instructions in one window while you experiment in another. FOR PROGRAMMERS See for yourself why no other macro language comes close. • Automatic lndenVUndent for "C," PL/I, PASCAL. Call for your free evaluation copy today. See why VEDIT PLUS • Match/check nested parentheses, e.g. "!"and" J" for "C." has been the #1 choice of programmers, writers and engineers • Flexible macro runs popular compilers and automatically since 1980. moves cursor to each error in your program. Easily changed to support new compilers and assemblers. Supports the IBM PC, XT, AT and PS/2 including DESQview, FOR WRITERS Microsoft Windows, PC-MOS/386, Concurrent DOS and most • Word wrap, paragraph formatting and justification. networks. Also available for MS-DOS, CP/M-86 and FlexOS. • Convert to/from Wordstar and mainframe files. (Yes! We support windows on CRT terminals.) $185. • Flexible printing; fully adjustable margins and Tab stops. MACRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE VEDIT and CompuView are registered trademarks of CompuView Products, Inc. BRIEF is a • If-then-else, looping, testing, string compare, branching, trademark of UnderWare, Inc. PC-MOS/386 is a trademark of The Software Link, Inc. CP/M-86 user prompts, keyboard input, 24 bit algebraic expressions. and FlexOS are trademarks of Digital Research. MS-DOS, OS/2 and XENIX are trademarks of Microsoft. DESQview is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems. • Flexible windowing-forms entry, select size, color, etc. • Simplifies complex text processing, formatting, conversions. •Also available for Tl Professional, Tandy 2000, DEC Rainbow, WYSE 700, Amdek 1280 and Others. • Extensive 400 page manual with hundreds of examples. *Free evaluation disk is fully functional and can even edit small files. 1955 Pauline s1vd., Ann Arbor, M148103 Campu'4eW (313) 996-1299 • Telex 701821 • Fax (313) 996-1308 "I~ Reader Service Number 7 CASES& KEYBOARDS POWER SUPPLY 5339 Professional XT-AT 150 Watt Power Supply (XT) ....... 50.00 w/12 function key .................. 69.00 200 Watt Power Supply (AT) ....... 80.00 5060 Keyboard AT Style .............. 49.00 XT Slide Case . 34.00 KBlOl Keytronic ....................... 67.00 XT Flip Top or XT Slide with Lock & LED .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38.00 AT with Lock & LED .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65.00 Free Instructions with Each System MONITORS HARD DRIVES EGA/CGA (Auto Switch) ........... 395.00 & CONTROLLERS VGA/EGA/CGA Multi Sync ....... 495.00 CGA Color .............................. 295.00 AT 40 MB Miniscribe 3650 ..........375.00 Amber 12" TIL .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89.00 AT ST 4053 HD ........................525.00 Green 12" TIL .......................... 89.00 AT (MFM) Hard Drive & VGA Analog ........................... 575.00 floppy controller (WD) ............ 130.00 AT RLL HD & FD controller ....... 189.00 VIDEO CARDS - Pictured kevboard is 5339 - 20 MB Miniscribe HD Color/Graphics/Parallel .............. 52.00 KIT OPTIONS with controller (XT) ................ 340.00 256K EGA Graphics ................... 125.00 MS DOS 3.21 w/GW Basic ............ 85.00 30 MB Miniscribe HD Mono/Graphics/Parallel . 49.00 MS DOS 3.3 w/GW Basic .............. 95.00 with controller ....................... 355.00 A TI Graphics Solution- *5339 Keyboard Sub ................... 24.00 *Color Options: SOFTWARE Mono, Herc. Color Emulation on (Includes video card & monitor) The Twin Spreadsheet ................. 49.00 Mono CGA ............ (List 299) 125.00 CGA Color ......................... 200.00 ATI Wonder Auto Switch Mono, Herc CGA/EGA Color ................... 380.00 Leading Edge Word CGA, EGA, VGA CGA/EGA/VGA Color ............ 450.00 Processor .............................. 49.00 Any monitor, Any software, Auto conversion ASSEMBLY AND TESTING Ventura Desktop ............................... (List 499) 240.00 XT Systems .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60.00 Publisher by Xerox ..................525.00 EGA, CGA, VGA (640x480) ....... 185.00 AT/80386 Systems .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 80.00 Leaming Dos-MicroSoft . 45.00 VGA Analog ............................. 320.00 XT KIT WI 2 Floppy Drives. ACCESSORIES EXPANSION CARDS Includes: 640K RAM, Serial, parallel and game 1200 Baud Modem - Internal Clock Card . 22.00 ports, clock/calendar, AT-Style keyboard, cabinet, (Leading Edge Model L) Dual Floppy Disk Controller . 25.00 power supply, mono graphics card and amber or green monitor. Keyboard switchable turbo. Hayes compatible .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.00 Joystick ................................... 25.00 8 mhz with lock, LED, Reset 2400 Baud Modem - Internal Gravis Analog Joystick ................ 49.95 & Turboswitch ............. 825.00 (Leading Edge Model L) Game Port . 19.00 lOmhz with lock, LED, Reset Hayes compatible .................... 1 79.00 Multi-Function, 1 ser/par/clk/game/ & Turboswitch . 895.00 1200 Baud Modem - External 2 floppy ................................ 61.00 Hayes compatible .................... 119.00 Parallel (printer) ........................ 18.00 V20-8mhz . 14.00 Dual Serial Port Card - XT KIT W /20MB Hard Drive. Includes: 640K RAM, Serial, parallel and game Memory Chips ............ {call for prices) 1 installed switchable ports, clock/calendar, AT-Style keyboard, cabinet, Com 1, 2, 3, or 4 .................... 22.00 power supply, mono graphics card and amber or DEPEND ON MICROSPHERE Kit for 2nd Port . 20.00 green monitor. Keyboard switchable turbo. The components and products we sell are 640K RAM (0K installed) ............ 35.00 8 mhz with lock, LED, Reset & Turboswitch ........... 1095.00* chosen specifically because they have been proven lOmhz with lock, LED, Reset in our own use and testing. We guarantee our cards will be compatible when purchased all PTices are subject to change without notice. & Turboswitch ........... 1165.00* Shipping CHARGES will be added. *(For 30MB Miniscribe add $15.00) together. -G:\)\ ~\SP MOTHERBOARDS 80386KIT- ~~vJ \\.~ BUILDING YOUR Includes: 1MB RAM, 1 360K floppy drive, 1-1.2 \.~ OWN CLONE XT/Turbo 4.77 /lOmhz ... .. .. .. .. .. 99.00 MB FD, 1 40MB HD, DTK bios, switchable AT 6/10 mhz Choice of Award, ****FREE BOOKLET**** keyboard, monochrome monitor, monographics. *90-day warranty/30-day money back