Page History

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h2. History

While the entertainment and support BBS customers for [Galacticomm|gcomm:Home]'s [The Major BBS|gcomm:TheMajorBBS] were, by 1990, served by a wide variety of software products, the business customer was still under served. [Moonshae Telecomm|MoonshaeTelecomm] recognized this, and began work on a couple of business oriented modules, one being Search and Retrieve, a text-file database manager and alternative to [The Major Database|gcomm:TheMajorDatabase].

Completed in March 1990, [Moonshae|MoonshaeTelecomm], by then called [Galactic Innovations|MoonshaeTelecomm], released the product for $199.00, affordable when compared to [The Major Database|gcomm:TheMajorDatabase].

After the [Galacticomm|gcomm:Home] purchase, [Galacticomm|gcomm:Home] continued to market Search and Retrieve. 

h2. Utility Information

Search and Retrieve is an ASCII text file database manager for the BBS. It can support multiple categories, each with its own file system directory. All files in the directory automatically become active in the database. Users can search for strings or keywords, and display files containing matches. A "brief search" is also available. Categories can be password protected.

The Search and Retrieve module will allow you to search through categories of text files for particular strings. You will then be given the opportunity to display any files that contained the string you searched for.

h4. Selecting a Category

When you first select Search and Retrieve from the main menuing system, you'll be given a list of categories of files that are available for searching. Each category will have a select character next to it. Simply select which category you wish to search first -- you'll always be able to exit back to the category menu to switch to a different category. Once you select a category, you will be given the option to list available files within the category, display a file, search files, or brief search files.

h4. List Available Files

Choosing this option will display a list of files in your current category to you. Each file will have a time and date associated with it (you'll be able to specify starting dates for your searches). Each file listed is an ASCII text file that you can search and display using the other options on this menu.

h4. Search Files

Use this option to search all the files in your current category for a particular string. You'll prompted for the string you wish to search for first, and then you'll get this prompt:

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History

While the entertainment and support BBS customers for Galacticomm's The Major BBS were, by 1990, served by a wide variety of software products, the business customer was still under served. Moonshae Telecomm recognized this, and began work on a couple of business oriented modules, one being Search and Retrieve, a text-file database manager and alternative to The Major Database.

Completed in March 1990, Moonshae, by then called Galactic Innovations, released the product for $199.00, affordable when compared to The Major Database.

After the Galacticomm purchase, Galacticomm continued to market Search and Retrieve.

Utility Information

Search and Retrieve is an ASCII text file database manager for the BBS. It can support multiple categories, each with its own file system directory. All files in the directory automatically become active in the database. Users can search for strings or keywords, and display files containing matches. A "brief search" is also available. Categories can be password protected.

The Search and Retrieve module will allow you to search through categories of text files for particular strings. You will then be given the opportunity to display any files that contained the string you searched for.

Selecting a Category

When you first select Search and Retrieve from the main menuing system, you'll be given a list of categories of files that are available for searching. Each category will have a select character next to it. Simply select which category you wish to search first – you'll always be able to exit back to the category menu to switch to a different category. Once you select a category, you will be given the option to list available files within the category, display a file, search files, or brief search files.

List Available Files

Choosing this option will display a list of files in your current category to you. Each file will have a time and date associated with it (you'll be able to specify starting dates for your searches). Each file listed is an ASCII text file that you can search and display using the other options on this menu.

Search Files

Use this option to search all the files in your current category for a particular string. You'll prompted for the string you wish to search for first, and then you'll get this prompt:

(A)nd, (O)r, (B)egin search, e(X)it, or ?:
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By

selecting

A

or

O,

you'll

be

prompted

for

another

string

to

search

for,

in

addition

to

the

first

one

you

entered.

By

selecting

A

or

O,

you're

saying

"search

all

the

files

in

this

category,

and

tell

me

which

ones

have

my

first

string

AND

my

second

string",

or

"...my

first

string

OR

my

second

string",

respectively.

Once

you

select

your

string(s),

you'll

be

prompted

for

a

starting

date.

Just

hit

RETURN

to

search

all

files.

Otherwise,

if

you

enter

a

date,

only

files

that

are

dated

later

than

(or

the

same

as)

the

date

you

entered

will

be

searched.

Search

and

Retrieve

will

then

search

all

the

files

for

your

string(s).

If

it

finds

any

files

matching

your

search,

it

will

prompt

you

for

whether

or

not

you

want

to

display

the

file.

If

you

don't

choose

to

display

the

file

right

away,

you

can

just

remember

the

file

name,

and

then

display

the

file

later

with

the

D

option.

Brief

Search

of

Files

The

B

option

is

exactly

like

the

S

option

(see

above),

except

when

it

comes

to

what

happens

when

a

file

is

found

that

matches

your

search.

The

B

option

prompts

you

for

a

string,

whether

or

not

you

want

to

do

an

AND/OR

search,

another

string

(if

an

AND/OR

search),

and

a

starting

date

for

the

search.

When

Search

and

Retrieve

finds

a

file

that

matches

your

search,

you're

not

prompted

for

displaying

the

file

right

away.

Instead,

you're

displayed

the

file

name,

and

one

or

two

lines

above

and

below

where

the

match

was

found

in

the

file.

This

way,

you

can

see

the

match,

and

see

whether

or

not

it's

in

the

correct

context

to

be

of

interest

to

you.

If

it

is,

you

can

remember

the

file

name,

and

display

the

whole

file

later

with

the

D

option.

h4.

Display

File

Use

this

option

to

display

a

file

in

this

category

to

your

screen.

If

you

forgot

the

name

of

the

file,

you

can

use

the

L

option

to

list

all

the

files

in

this

category.