9. Import/Export/Sort

Figure 9-1 show the menu displayed when the "Import/Export/Sort" item is selected from the main menu. This menu provides functions that allow the sharing of session and candidate data. This can be between VE teams serving a common geographical area, a VE team the VEC, or a VEC and the FCC. The following paragraphs describe each of the functions provided.

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º      Import/Export/Sort      º
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º                              º
º       Import A Session       º
º                              º
º    Export Current Session    º
º                              º
º       Export A Session       º
º                              º
º        Purge Sessions        º
º                              º
º      Sort Database Files     º
º                              º
º   Generate FCC filing data   º
º                              º
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º Enter to Select  Esc to Exit º
ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
Figure 9-1
Import/Export/Sort Menu

"Import A Session" provides the ability to load an entire session's data into the session and history databases from a text file provided by another source. In general, the imported file is provided by another VE team and is the output generated by the "Export Current Session" or "Export A Session" functions.

"Export Current Session" generates an ASCII text file containing all the data necessary to reconstruct the session, candidate, and VE database records associated with this session. It is the only function on this menu that requires an active session. All other functions cannot have an active session.

"Export A Session" allows for the generation of ASCII text files containing all the data necessary to reconstruct the session, candidate, and VE database records associated with one or more sessions.

"Purge Sessions" deletes candidate records from the history database, while leaving the session record in the session database. This function is used to purge old candidate records after they become too old (a year or more) and to keep the history database from getting too large. Deleting a session (Pressing the Delete key in "Session List" (section 5.3, Define/Select Session), or purging should only be done after the session data has been exported and saved for your records.

"Sort Database Files" will sort and reclaim disk space used by deleted records for all of the database files used by VEWD. This function is typically used after deleting one or more sessions from the history database, or after importing a number of sessions in no particular order.

"Generate FCC filing data" is used to generate an ASCII text file containing the FCC required electronic filing data for one or more sessions. This function is useful to Volunteer Examiner Coordinators only, since individual VE teams do not electronically file with the FCC.

9.1 Import A Session

Figure 9-2 shows the form displayed after selecting "Import a Session" item from the "Import/Export/Sort" menu. There is only one field on this form, "filename". Entering the name of a Volunteer Examination Data (VED) file and pressing return will cause the file to be read and made the active session. Figure 9-3 shows the screen displayed during the read operation. Once the file is read, session counts are computed and the session automatically merged into the history database. This results in the display shown in Figure 7-8, Merging Session Message. The file extension ".VED" is the default extension for VED files. If a filename is entered without and extension the default is automatically appended.

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º             Import a Session            º
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º                                         º
º       Enter Filename: 950318A.VED       º
º                                         º
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Figure 9-2
Import a Session
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º                                             º
º    Importing session  4/08/98:A             º
º                                             º
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Figure 9-3
Importing Session

If the Session date and ID contained in the VED file already exists in the session database the display shown in Figure 9-4 appears. To load the session with a different ID, enter another ID letter and press return. Up to 26 sessions can be stored with the same date.

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º         Select another Session ID        º
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º                                          º
º  There is already a session for  4/08/98 º
º           with the session ID A          º
º                                          º
º  Please select another letter: A         º
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º Enter to continue        Escape to abort º
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Figure 9-4
Importing multiple sessions with the same date

The filename of the VED is normally ignored by the import function (The session date and ID is used by the Export function to generate the filename). There are three (3) exceptions to this behavior. If the filename is "TODAY", "TOMORROW", or "YESTERDA" the session date is set to today, tomorrow, or yesterday's date respectively. Today's date is obtained from the computer's internal date.

9.2 Export Current Session

Figure 9-5 shows the screen displayed after selecting the "Export Current Session" item from the "Import/Export/Sort" menu. This function generates an ASCII text file containing all the data necessary to reconstruct the session, candidate, and VE database records associated with this session. It is the only function on "Import/Export/Sort" menu that requires an active session. This file consists of 7 sections:

  1. Header comment line
  2. Session definition line
  3. Zero (0) or more code slot definitions
  4. Attending VE Count
  5. VE records (Two lines per record)
  6. Candidate count
  7. Candidate records (Three lines per record)

Refer to section 14.1, Export file format, for the full format of the VED file.

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º                                             º
º           Exporting Current Session         º
º                                             º
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Figure 9-5
Exporting Current Session

9.3 Export A Session

Figure 9-6 shows the screen displayed after selecting the "Export A Session" item from the "Import/Export/Sort" menu. This function generates an ASCII text files containing all the data necessary to reconstruct the session, candidate, and VE database records associated with a previously merged session. The following paragraphs describe the columns in the table.

"*" is visible to the left of the session date if the session has been marked via Alt-M. Only marked sessions are exported. This allows multiple VE teams to share their data while allowing each VE Team leader to select just their sessions.

"Date" is the date of the session followed by the session ID. The purpose of session ID is to provide a unique designation for each session when multiple sessions occur on the same day.

"Location" is the location of the session

"Sponsor" is the group or club sponsoring the examination session

"Cand" is the total number of candidates served at the session

"VE's" is the total number of VE's that supported the session

"D" is the session deleted flag. If a "Y" is shown, the candidate data for this session is no longer stored in the history database (VICTIMG.DAT). It is therefore unavailable for this function.

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º                             Export Sessions                            º
º                              Session List                              º
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º  *   Date     Location              Sponsor               Cand VE's  D º
º  *  4/08/98:A Amherst, NH          WW1Y - Sample            26    5    º
º  *  3/18/95:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   27   13    º
º     2/11/95:A Manchester, NH       Amoskeag Radio Club      20   12    º
º     1/19/95:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    21   14    º
º    12/10/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   27    9  Y º
º    11/16/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   47    6  Y º
º    11/13/94:A Manchester, NH       NH Council of VE's       26    4  Y º
º    11/12/94:A Manchester, NH       Amoskeag Radio Club      16   10  Y º
º    10/20/94:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    25   12  Y º
º     9/17/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   36   16  Y º
º     7/21/94:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    18   10  Y º
º Total sessions:   20                           Marked Sessions:    2   º
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º  ALT-M to Mark/Unmark        Escape to Abort        Enter to Continue  º
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Figure 9-6
Export Sessions List

In addition to the usual keys valid while on this screen, the following functions are available by pressing the Alt key and the specified letter key at the same time.

Alt-M toggles the "*" mark for the highlighted session.

Once all desired sessions are marked pressing the return key will cause a separate VED file to be generated in the current default directory. If the file exists, it is overwritten. The format of the filename is YYMMDDx.VED, where YYMMDD is the session year, month, date, and x is the session ID. Figure 9-7 shows the message displayed while the VED file for a particular session is being generated. Refer to section 14.1, Export file format, for the full format of the VED file.

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º                                             º
º    Exporting session  4/08/98:A             º
º                                             º
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Figure 9-7
Exporting session message

9.4 Purge Sessions

Figure 9-8 shows the screen displayed after selecting the "Purge Sessions" item from the "Import/Export/Sort" menu. This function removes candidate records from the history database (VICTIMG.DAT). This differs from the delete session function, in that the session record remains. This function is used to reduce the size of the history database. It is recommended that the data necessary to reconstruct the session, candidate, and VE database records associated with a session be saved in a VED file if it is desired to maintain long term records. The following paragraphs describe the columns in the table.

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º                          Purge History Records                         º
º                              Session List                              º
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º  *   Date     Location              Sponsor               Cand VE's  D º
º     4/08/98:A Amherst, NH          WW1Y - Sample            26    5    º
º     3/18/95:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   27   13    º
º  *  2/11/95:A Manchester, NH       Amoskeag Radio Club      20   12    º
º  *  1/19/95:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    21   14    º
º    12/10/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   27    9  Y º
º    11/16/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   47    6  Y º
º    11/13/94:A Manchester, NH       NH Council of VE's       26    4  Y º
º    11/12/94:A Manchester, NH       Amoskeag Radio Club      16   10  Y º
º    10/20/94:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    25   12  Y º
º     9/17/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   36   16  Y º
º     7/21/94:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    18   10  Y º
º Total sessions:    2                           Marked Sessions:    2   º
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º  ALT-M to Mark/Unmark        Escape to Abort        Enter to Continue  º
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Figure 9-8
Purge History Records

"*" is visible to the left of the session date if the session has been marked via Alt-M. Only marked sessions are exported. This allows multiple VE teams to share their data while allowing each VE Team leader to select just their sessions.

"Date" is the date of the session followed by the session ID. The purpose of session ID is to provide a unique designation for each session when multiple sessions occur on the same day.

"Location" is the location of the session

"Sponsor" is the group or club sponsoring the examination session

"Cand" is the total number of candidates served at the session

"VE's" is the total number of VE's that supported the session

"D" is the session deleted flag. If a "Y" is shown, the candidate data for this session is no longer stored in the history database (VICTIMG.DAT). Having already been purged, it is therefore unavailable for this function.

In addition to the usual keys valid while on this screen, the following functions are available by pressing the Alt key and the specified letter key at the same time.

Alt-M toggles the "*" mark for the highlighted session.

Once all desired sessions are marked pressing the return key will cause the candidate records associated with each session to be removed from the history database. Figure 9-9 shows the message displayed while purging a particular session. Once a session is purged, it may no longer be selected for any VEWD function except to delete the session (See section 5.3, Define/Select Session)

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º                                             º
º          Purging session  4/08/98:A         º
º                                             º
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Figure 9-9
Purging session message

9.5 Sort Database Files

Figure 9-10 shows the screen displayed after selecting the "Sort Database Files" from the "Import/Export/Sort" menu. This function will sort and reclaim disk space used by deleted records for all of the database files used by VEWD. This function is typically used after deleting or purging one or more sessions from the history database, or after importing a number of sessions in no particular order. This function can take minutes if the databases are large, there are many records out of order, and the computer is a slower model.

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º                                         º
º  This may take awhile.  Please wait...  º
º                                         º
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Figure 9-10
Sorting Databases

9.6 Generate FCC filing Data

Figure 9-11 shows the screen displayed after selecting the "Generate FCC filing data" item from the "Import/Export/Sort" menu. This function generates the session and candidate records required by the Federal Communications Commission for electronic submittal of amateur license information. This function is only useful to a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. The following paragraphs describe the columns in the table.

"*" is visible to the left of the session date if the session has been marked via Alt-M. Only marked sessions are exported. This allows multiple VE teams to share their data while allowing each VE Team leader to select just their sessions.

"Date" is the date of the session followed by the session ID. The purpose of session ID is to provide a unique designation for each session when multiple sessions occur on the same day.

"Location" is the location of the session

"Sponsor" is the group or club sponsoring the examination session

"Cand" is the total number of candidates served at the session

"VE's" is the total number of VE's that supported the session

"D" is the session deleted flag. If a "Y" is shown, the candidate data for this session is no longer stored in the history database (VICTIMG.DAT). It is therefore unavailable for this function.

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º                       Generating FCC filing data                       º
º                              Session List                              º
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º  *   Date     Location              Sponsor               Cand VE's  D º
º  *  4/08/98:A Amherst, NH          WW1Y - Sample            26    5    º
º  *  3/18/95:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   27   13    º
º     2/11/95:A Manchester, NH       Amoskeag Radio Club      20   12    º
º     1/19/95:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    21   14    º
º    12/10/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   27    9  Y º
º    11/16/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   47    6  Y º
º    11/13/94:A Manchester, NH       NH Council of VE's       26    4  Y º
º    11/12/94:A Manchester, NH       Amoskeag Radio Club      16   10  Y º
º    10/20/94:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    25   12  Y º
º     9/17/94:A Nashua, NH           Nashua Area Radio Club   36   16  Y º
º     7/21/94:A Salem, NH            KY1N Memorial Session    18   10  Y º
º Total sessions:   20                           Marked Sessions:    2   º
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º  ALT-M to Mark/Unmark        Escape to Abort        Enter to Continue  º
ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
Figure 9-11
Generate FCC filing data session list

In addition to the usual keys valid while on this screen, the following functions are available by pressing the Alt key and the specified letter key at the same time.

Alt-M toggles the "*" mark for the highlighted session.

Once all desired sessions are marked pressing the return key will cause a file to be generated in the default directory containing the FCC required format for the sessions and candidate records associated with each session. The name of the generated file is yymmdd.FCC, where yymmdd is the current date. If this function was invoked from the "FCC Data Generation" item on the "Post-Session Activities" menu, then yymmdd is the date of the current session and the session ID is appended after the date. Figure 9-12 shows the message displayed while purging a particular session. Refer to section 14.2, FCC Filing Format, for details on the FCC required filing format.

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º                                                              º
º              Generating FCC data for  4/08/98:A              º
º                                                              º
ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
Figure 9-12
Generating FCC data



Last Modified: 01 January 1998
Jim Heedles: heedles@ww1y.mv.com