RIMAS for UNIX Software Installation

To: All Licenses of EXECutive Inquiry Windows

From: The SHARED LOGIC Group, Inc.

Re: Using EXECutive Inquiry

Date: July 25, 2000

EXECutive Inquiry is a software product, developed by Shared Logic, which provides for access to any and all information in your Shared Logic database via “pop-up” windows. The organization, size, placement, and content of these windows can be defined and controlled by you, the software user.

However, Shared Logic has developed a large number (approximately 40) windows for its software licensees. All of these already defined windows are provided at no additional charge to all users of EXECutive Inquiry. The following screen shows the standard list, as of this writing:

Using EXECutive Inquiry

Your list of EXECutive Inquiry Windows may be “popped up” at any input field in any program by simultaneously depressing the “Shift, Control and Underscore” keys. It is most convenient to do this by holding down the [Shift] and [Control] keys with your left hand, and then tapping the [_] key with your right hand. Of course, you may simply “click” on the [INQUIRE] button with your mouse if you are running a “windows compatible” terminal emulator.

After you “pop up” the list of windows, you may

Enter [END] or [.] to close the window

Enter [P] to print the screen, then enter and dash [-] and your print number (e.g., [-0])

Enter the number that corresponds to the next window you want opened and press [Enter]

If you choose a window by number and press [Enter], another window will be opened. You may then have several options, dependent on the manner in which this second window has been built, including

Answering initial questions that control the content of the window. These questions may allow you to specify a starting point, establish values that your data must match before being displayed, and other options.

When these initial options are offered, you may also enter [END] or [.] to close EXECutive Inquiry, enter [^] or [,] to return to the initial list of windows, or enter [P] to print the screen.

After these initial questions are answered and the first screen full of data has been displayed, you may enter [R] to return to the options, enter [P] to print the screen, enter [END] or [.] to close EXECutive Inquiry, enter [^] or [,] to return to the list of windows, or press [Enter] to display the next screen full of data.

Some windows will display the message “Point and Select” after the screen full of data is displayed, perhaps with additional options. When this message is displayed, you may enter [D]own, [U]p, [B]ottom, [T]op or [H]ome, to move the cursor (i.e., the pointed brackets) to “point” to the line you want to select and then tap [S] to actually select that line (but do not press the [Enter] key after the [S]), which may “cut” data from that line, close all windows and “paste” that data back into your original program. Depending on the how the window was built, tapping [S] may instead cause another related window to be opened and the data to be cut and pasted into that window.

You may also enter [END], [.], [^], [,], [R] or [P] in response to the “Point and Select” option.

Other windows will display a message and accept your response. All of the valid, acceptable responses are usually listed in the message itself. Further, what will happen when you enter one of the acceptable responses should be evident from the context of the message itself.

You may also enter [END], [.], [^], [,], [R] or [P] in response to these messages.

Several (actually as many as 50) windows may be linked together and opened at the same time.

The following is an example of

“Popping up” the EXECutive Inquiry list of windows

From which a “VENDOR LIST (By Code) was displayed. A specified vendor was “selected” in that window.

Next, the VENDOR DISPLAY window was opened, which displayed the complete name, address, contact and phone number of the vendor was displayed.

From there, the OPEN ITEMS window was requested, which displayed a list of all unpaid invoices that have been entered for the vendor.

Finally, the PAID ITEMS window was requested to show a list of all paid invoices for the vendor. At this point, the operator might continue the display, [R]estart the windows from the beginning, [P]rint the screen, or simply return to the original application program from which EXECutive Inquiry was invoked.

Imagine how useful this can be when, for example, you are in the middle of entering a completely unrelated transaction, printing a report, or any other computer program, and you receive a phone call from your owner or manager, or a vendor, requesting this information!

You may only “pop up” the EXECutive Inquiry Window by press [shift-Ctrl-_] as the first keystroke of any input opportunity in any Shared Logic program. This may be the first keystroke in an input field where the “dots” are used to define the length of your input, or in response to any question that is asked by a program. If it is not the first keystroke, the window will not “pop up”, and you will have to press [Backspace] to first remove all of your prior keystrokes in that field.

Some terminals require use of [Ctrl-/] or [Ctrl-?], instead of [Shift-Ctrl-_], although this is rare. On some consoles of SCO UNIX systems, the windows cannot be “popped up” at all.

A manuals have been provided to all licensees of Shared Logic’s EXECutive Inquiry which describes its use, how it is controlled (i.e., how to define you own windows), and its limitations. Please refer to the manual for more information, or contact Shared Logic for specific assistance.