General Addendums and Comments for DEC RAINBOW Users

This document provides supplementary information and corrections for DEC RAINBOW users of the DMS software, building upon the existing manual. It details specific functionalities related to the RAINBOW keyboard, including special key uses for MASK and LETTER setups (e.g., "Insert here," "Remove key," HELP, and escape key shortcuts), and clarifies how DMS interprets terminal cursor control codes.

The addendum outlines several general updates to the DMS manual, such as a correction for a field's downward position and the introduction of a new option to view records before processing. It also provides guidance on the letter writer, explaining text justification commands and indentation methods.

The document introduces the VERIFY utility program, which checks DMS file validity, updates record counts and indices, and detects disk errors, recommending its use before backups. It stresses critical file management practices, warning against changing diskettes or DMS files outside of DMS, and emphasizing the importance of regular data backups.

A substantial part of the document is dedicated to the LINK and COPY functions. It explains that LINK extracts data to sequential files with a .MRG extension, allowing for field selection and reordering. COPY, conversely, uses these .MRG files as input to update existing DMS records or create new ones based on a matching key field. The document clarifies the conceptual difference between input and output files in this context. Finally, it offers a comprehensive troubleshooting checklist for common issues encountered when using LINK and COPY, including verifying file names, key fields, parameters, and utilizing the VERIFY program, alongside two practical examples of file restructuring and updating.