This manual describes the software available in the C/Base Utilities package. With the C/Base Utilities package, you may program in the C language to access and enhance applications built with C/Base.
The C/Base Utilities package includes a library suitable for linking with user written C programs, and additional utility programs for porting an application produced on one kind of machine to a different machine.
There are several groups of functions provided in the C/Base library. One set of functions provides a terminal independent interface for writing output to the display, and for reading keystrokes from the keyboard. These routines are described in Chapter 2, Terminal Independent I/O.
The data entry program, form(C-3), is provided in object code form in the C/Base library. A programmer can add additional editing code to form that is executed during data entry. Chapter 3, Form Programming Guide, describes how to write edit routines for form.
All of RMS file access routines are also included in the C/Base library. These routines are used by C/Base programs to read and write data in RMSfiles and databases. By using these routines, you can also access or create data in any RMSfile created by the C/Base Application Generator. Chapter 4, RMS Programming Guide, describes how to integrate the RMS routines to accomplish various tasks.
System crashes are a major headache for most system administrators. When a system goes down hard (data files are lost - head crashes, etc.), recovering data is an important feature. Chapter 5, Transaction Logging, discusses how to enable and use the transaction logging features of the C/Base programs.
Chapter 6, Transferring C/Base Applications, describes the procedure to convert an application developed on one computer so it can be transferred to a dissimilar computer. The C/Base Utilities package is required on both machines when porting an application.
An important feature of the C/Base programs is the context-sensitive on-line help facility. Chapter 7, Creating Helpfiles, describes how to create or modify help files.
Chapter 8, C/Base Functions, and Chapter 9, C/Base Include Files, gives detailed descriptions of each function provided in the library, along with the include files supplied with the C/Base Utilities package.