The following is a step by step description of how to use Querybuilder to select records from a file and create a download output file. The example below resulted form a request for a file in the COURSE.SECTIONS file layout to be downloaded into an ACCESS database.

1) From Frontview software, leave all Datatel menus going to the colon prompt. Click on the "RUN" selection on the top tool bar to bring up a drop down menu and select Querybuilder. The screen shown below will be displayed.

2) Click the arrow across from the "Verb" box and chose the option that best serves your purpose. "Select" has been chosen but there is also a SORT option.

3) "File" is the name of the file that you would like to extract information from. There are two methods that can be used to populate the file field, type in the file name or select it from the pulldown list that is displayed when the "File" button is clicked.

4) "Items" is the area for specifying the selection criteria. Click on "Items" button and the screen below will be displayed. Multiple selection criteria can be used by adding item multiple items.

5) The "Output" button is used to select fields from the dictionary of the file selected above to produce output. By clicking on the output field button each field (actual or virtual) is displayed for selection.

6) "Output To:" is the area of the screen used to tell Datatel on what the desired output medium will be. "PC" is the button to push to create a download file to be placed on the users PC. The screen below shows the area to designate the PC file name and location. The Application area allows for the creation of a formatted file acceptable to various PC software packages.

Once the screens have been filled out and the "OK" button has been pushed many operations take place: the selection from the file,, the download is performed, the PC application that was selected is spawned and the file was just created is opened in the application. All the user needs to do is save the file using "Save As".

It is clear that the Querybuilder can also create reports that are sent to the PC or the printer as well.