Converting Database files to NoteTaker files

 The latest version of this program (1.02) can work with custom database files: something the earlier version could not do.

 Two freeware programs, GDBIO and GDBUTIL will do much of what XLATE will do. GDBIO can't handle Note fields in the databases. XLATE on the other hand adds the ability to merge or synchronize files as well as translate them. Like other conversion programs, XLATE may fail to translate large Note fields. It seems to truncate Notes that are larger than 2400 bytes in length.

 For example, if you want to export an HP database file for use in DataPerfect or dBASE you would start by converting the HP database file into a Comma Delimited Format (CDF) file. You could do this on the Palmtop with the Smart-Clip function and then print the file to disk.

 The XLATE program will do the same thing but faster and with less chance of making a mistake. XLATE will add the "," (quote, comma, quote) characters in all the right places for you. It will also put a pair of quotes around words that already have quotes and strip off the quotes when it imports a CDF file. It will not put quotes around numbers, dates or times.

 Hopefully the target database program will have a way to import the CDF file.

 The database applications in the HP Palmtop cannot import CDF files. For this you need a program like XLATE or GDBLOAD. (GDBLOAD is part of the GDBUTIL package. Several users have found that GDBLOAD will not handle files larger than 200K bytes. )

 As an example of how to use XLATE, we'll describe how to convert a Database file to a NoteTaker file.

 XLATE will not convert a Database file to a NoteTaker file directly. It does so indirectly using a two-step process.

 To demonstrate the process we will use a modified Phone Book file like the one shown in Screen 1.

 (Tip in a Tip: To modify a Phone Book file, for example TEST.PDB, rename the file as TEST.GDB and open the file in the Database program. Therein use the MENU, File, Modify file (MENU F F) command and add, delete, and rename fields as you wish. For example, we added a date field called "Last Contact " and rearranged and resized some of the other fields. When you re ready, press F10 (OK) and quit the Database program. To open the file in the Phone Book application, just rename TEST.GDB to TEST.PDB. )

 Since the Cpack s XLATE program won t work with modified Phone Book files, we will just rename the file as TEST.GDB and use this as our file.

 We want to extract the Name, Note and Category fields from TEST.GDB and put only this information in a NoteTaker file called TEST.NDB.

 Here's the procedure to follow:

 1.) Create an empty NoteTaker file by opening the NoteTaker program and using the MENU, File, New command. Call the file TEST.NDB and then exit from the program.

 2.) Within Cpack, start the XLATE/ Merge program.

 3.) Press the F2 function key to open the Add dialog window.

 4.) Select Translate from the Task buttons and Database from File Type group (Screen 2).

 5.) (Optional) Type XLATE GDB to CDF in the description field.

 6.) Press F8 to bring up the "Settings: Translate Database" dialog window.

 7.) Press TAB to select the Target field in the File Format box. Press the up arrow key so that "CDF Files" appears. (Leave the Source category field as it is.)

 8.) Press F5 to set the source and use the file picker to find and choose the TEST.GDB file.

 9.) Press F6 and use the file picker to select a drive and directory for the CDF file. Then press ALT+N and give it the name TEST.CDF.

 10.) (Optional) Press F7 and use the file picker to choose a suitable directory for a Log file. Name the file TEST.LOG. (A log file will save any error messages so you can trouble shoot the translation process later.)

 11.) Press F8 to open the Field Mapping dialog box. Leave the Name field as it is. Highlight the word "Title" and press the F7 key to Remap the field. Select <unmap> from the list of field numbers. Press Enter. Do the same for all the other fields except the Category and Notes fields. Highlight the "Category" word and press F7 to remap this to Field 3 (Screen 3). Select "Notes" and remap this to Field 2.

 12.) Press Enter several times to return to the Xlate/Merge opening screen. Press F6 to run the translation.

 The Field Mapping function is XLATE's way to mimic the Smart-Clip feature of the database programs.

 To bring TEST.CDF into the NoteTaker file, repeat steps 3-11 above. This time use NoteTaker as the "File Type" and key in "XLATE CDF to NDB" in the description field. In the "Settings" window make the File Formats "CD Files" and "HP 100/200LX". Use the F5 and F6 keys to specify the Source as TEST.CDF and the Target file as TEST.NDB. The Mappings don't need to be changed.

 Press the F10 key to return to the starting screen of the XLATE program, and press the F6 function key to Run the translation. If an error message "File not found" appears, it means that the translator could not find the TEST.NDB file that should have been created in Step 1 above.

 When you quit the XLATE application, it will ask if you want to save the setup. Answer Yes. The setup can serve as a reminder of how to use this somewhat confusing program.

 If you decide to use XLATE on a regular basis to perform a group of translations, you can build each translation once and then press the F4 function key to Run All of them as a "batch" process.