PCFORMAT User's Guide

Preface
066374 Tandem Computers Incorporated v
Overview This manual serves as both an introduction and reference guide to the 654X
PCFORMAT File Conversion Facility software program (Product No. 9108)
from Tandem Computers. The PCFORMAT program runs in the Tandem
host system and is used to convert data from a host system database to a
form that is compatible with many of the personal computer (PC) software
packages that run on the 654X workstation (or IBM PC).
Note For a quick walk-through on how to prepare your 654X workstation and run PCFORMAT,
see the first three parts of Section 2 (“General”, “Preparing to Run PCFORMAT”, and
“Running PCFORMAT)”. If your workstation is logged onto the host and displaying the
COMINT prompt (:), you can go straight to Running PCFORMAT. An example of using
PCFORMAT and IXF together is contained in the last section of Section 2 (“Tandem
Database to 654X Application: A Complete Example”).
About This Manual This manual assumes you are familiar with the file system on the Tandem
host network and the basic operating procedures of the 654X workstation
(you should know how to power-up the 654X, install diskettes, use the
keyboard, and so on). To use PCFORMAT, you need access to a Tandem
database (dictionary and files). If you have plans to look at a database and
possibly extract and reorganize some of the data, you must know how to
use the DDL, ENABLE, and ENFORM software from Tandem.
The information in this manual is organized as follows:
Section 1, “Product Overview,” introduces the features and capabilities
of PCFORMAT and provides an operational overview of the steps
involved in converting and transferring a Tandem database file to the
654X workstation.
Section 2, “Operation,” contains procedures for running PCFORMAT.
A complete example, starting with a look at the data from a Tandem
database and ending with the running of a 654X application, shows
how PCFORMAT works with other Tandem-supplied software.