Field types

Fields represent the different elements of a record. In the Finance program, for example, an Account record contains a Number field, a Name field, etc. It is in these fields that you will enter the data you wish to store.

Fields can take different forms, depending on the type of information they are to contain. Most often, they are simple areas where text or numbers can be entered. In some cases, data can be entered by selecting options from pop-up menus, radio buttons or checkboxes.

Simple fields

Simple fields are defined by a white zone following the field title. This entry field is always preceded by the field name.

It may happen that a normally enterable field is no longer enterable under certain circumstances (for instance in Finance in the case of a locked entry).

Long text fields

Some fields can contain up to 32’000 characters. In these fields, the Return key creates a new line inside the field instead of putting the insertion point into the next field.

Non-enterable fields

Many fields (e.g. the number of reminders sent to a reader in BiblioMaker) are calculated automatically by the program. These fields, although they cannot be entered by the user, are shown on the screen as information.

Non-enterable fields are easily recognisable by the fact that the data are not displayed in a white zone.

Indexed fields

Some fields are known as «indexed». This means that the program automatically and invisibly keeps an index table up to date, thanks to which the application can find one record from amongst ten thousand in less that half a second.

In other words, sort or search operations for an indexed field will be much faster.

Indexed fields appear in bold type in Search  and in the Sort  dialogs.

Enumerated fields

Enumerated fields contain a list of values you define yourself. These fields are recognizable by a darker background under their name. In Finance, the Category field of a template entry, for example, is an enumerated field.

If you type in a value that does not exist in the list, the program suggests to add it to the list. If you click on Cancel, the new value is not added to the list, but remains in the field.

Edit values

If you click on the field’s name (or if you use the command Display values in the Entry menu), you get the list of existing values. Select a value and click on OK, this value will be copied in the field.

Several buttons let you Add a value to the list, Modify or Delete the selected value, or Print a list of existing values.

Custom fields

Some fields are known as «custom». Their purpose is to meet the specific needs of each person using the software. These fields have no name; the user must name them. This is done through the Options of the file containing these custom fields.

The custom fields can be alphanumerical (simple field), numerical or date type.

Multiple values

Some fields may have several values in the same record. For instance in BiblioMaker, in the Titles file : Authors, Secondary Entries (PRO), Series, Other languages, Volume Titles (PRO), Copies, Subjects, Keywords, Addresses and Hyperlinks.

These fields contain horizontal strokes between the values. Moreover, three buttons are placed on these fields’ side :

• + : Adds a new value to the field. The corresponding keyboard shortcut is Command N (Mac) or Control N (Windows).
• Pencil : Modifies the selected value. If the field is also a linked field (read further on), the modification affects other records containing the same value. The corresponding keyboard shortcut is Command M (Mac) or Control M (Windows).
• Waste basket : Deletes the selected value in the field. If the field is also a linked field, the value is not deleted in the linked file. The corresponding keyboard shortcut is Command E (Mac) or Control E (Windows).

By default, the values are displayed in the order they have been entered. You may nevertheless change this order by dragging a value with the mouse towards the top or towards the bottom.

Numerical fields

In numerical value fields you don’t have to bother about data format. Just type the significant numerals. Use the full stop (period) for the decimal point.

Date fields

In date value fields you must separate the numbers with a dot, a space or a slash.

You are not obliged to type the whole date. If you enter only the day, the application will complete with the current month and year.

Link fields

In order to ensure data coherence, the program uses certain fields to establish a link between records of various files. This article  describes this kind of field.