Sinclair

ZX Spectrurn

with 18K or 48BK RAM
VU-FILE

trem PSION %

Load and Run by typing LOAD "'VU-FILE"

At both home and work we continually use lists, card
indices, filing cabinets etc. to store in an ordered
manner repetitive data for all kinds of information.

In the home this includes address books, lists of

members of clubs or societies that we may belong to,

dictionaries, encyclopaedias, etc. At work, schools,

colleges, businesses and particularly government

departments have numerous filing cabinets and card

| indices for all manner of information.

VU-FILE is a computer program for the electronic

| storage of lists or files based on the Spectrum. The

edvantage of a computer for doing this is not only that

| the information can be stored easily and compactiy, but
particularty that the computer is very powerful in

ordering, seguencing, searching, finding and listing

such files.

The file consists of a collection or lists of "racords"''
where each record may contain various items of
information. Each item of information on a record is
called a "data-fleld': VU-FILE allows You to lay out or
format the standard record of a particular file in a
manner of your own choosing. Each record will Bppear
8s one page on the screen and you may have as many
data-fields in each record as is Consistent with your lay-
Out on the screen. After laying out or formatting the
record a whole series of commands allows you to

aaa ara aa

develop the file and interrogate it, in, sa
ve it from the cassatte for sibsenu "8settes ang
Throughout VU-FILE you will find oa Use,
information heading in the top four lines Spedni Or
This heading continualiy Prompte you as to 8 eCreen,
under which you are acting. The res k

tofth
always shows the general or current konte ete
After loading the program from a Virgin or originaj
Cassette, choose the option to enter a new file,

Formatting a Record

initial option o the
user
or format standard headings, titles, colour nale

to format the general record as he wishes. hiš SE )
On entering, a red cursor sguare will be situated in the 7
top left-hand corner of the record. The keyboard may
be used as a simple typewriter to enter standard titles.
and headings. In addition the cursor may be moved.
more rapidly around the screen with the aid of the arrow
keys. Only information which is fixed or repeated on s.
every record should be entered at this stage. The colour.
for paper and ink can be varied throughout the record.
layout by pressing "EDIT", (caps shift with key"1").

The current attributes will be displayed and may be
sitered. When the standard information has been
entered the user may exit from this mode with the
"STOP" command (shift A).

After oxiting from the RECORD LAY OUT mode the

Il inmediately enter a new mode called |
A new command heading will appear at

the top of the screen. The mode allows the user to
define the positi n where he wishes to
lace variable information items. For example, if a file

hi "MA s ose,

might show the word ""NAME:" levi re the ka
particular name "a ROWN JOHN goro
record. The letters "NAME: would have been

in the record lay out mode and are fixed on overy nar"
record. The letters "ARROWN JOHN" area nosa
and vary from one record to another. The usar m s
specify the position on the record where the data-

(e.g. "BROWN JOHN") is to appear, namety nie
"NAME:" Move the cursor sguaro with the arrow keys
to a position immediately after "NAME:" and press
ENTER at the correct position. Youodiba maca.
efine the r and ink colours tor

The pot tion of the data field will now be marked with
45] Continue to define the position of data-fielc
You reduire on the record. Press the command
"STOP" to exit.

VU-FILE Commands —
After exiting from this mode the vvilf
automatically enter the main VU-FIL
(option 1 from the main menu). The main cormmands
available to the user are ENTER, ALTER, INFORM,
FORWARD, BACK, RESET, ORDER, SELECT, AUIT,
LIST, PRINT, COPY, DELETE. H the file is empty, the
ENTER command will automaticelty be attected.

Most of these commands are self-explanatory and
can be implemented from any point of VU-FILE (under
option 1) by typing the first letter of each command.

Entering, Deleting and Altering Records
From the command point press k to enter a
new rec ' 4 a blank
record with the standard titles and heaadings which have
been entered previously. The red cursor box will be
situated at the position for the first data-fietd. You may
now simply enter the information for the fiald and for
the record that you regulre. In the example included on
side B of the cassette ''Gazetteer'" the first item of fixed