Horse Tracker
Written by:  Ira and Arny Goldklang

Instructions:

This program is designed to store information about foals, race horses, and racing information on each race horse.  We will examine the instructions in sections.


The Main Menu:


The main menu consists of six options for you to choose from:

1) Breeding:  If you enter this mode (by pressing the '1' key), you will be asked to answer certain questions about the foal:  Purchase price, date of birth, cost, parentage (4 generations back), and other relevant information.
2) Race Horses:  If you enter this mode (by pressing the '2'  key), you will be asked certain questions about the race horse.
3) Racing Data:  This section (entered by pressing the '3' key), allows you to enter racing data on an existing race horse.  
4) View Data:  This section (entered by pressing the '4' key), allows you examine the data that has been entered already.  There are six choices on the View Data menu, but this will be discussed later in the section marked 6Viewing Data7.
5) Delete/Re-Activate a horse:  This section (entered by pressing the '5' key) allows you to delete, or re-activate a horse.  This section is useful when a horse is sold, or when you would like to re-enter all data on a horse (delete the horse, and then enter the horse under the proper heading (1, 2, or 3).
6) End:  This (upon pressing the '6'' key) will end the program.


Breeding:


When you have finished entering all the data on the foal (See section labeled "The Input Routines" to read about entering data), the computer will place your information on diskette, and ask you if you would like to enter more data.  If you reply "Y" (for Yes), the computer will prepare for another foal to be entered.  If you answer "N" (for No), you will be returned to the main menu.  If at any time a foal by the name that you have entered exists (and has not been deleted) the computer will call this to your attention, and ask you if you wish to exchange all previous records on this foal, with the records that you will be entering now.  If you reply "Y", the computer will exchange all the previous records.  If you reply "N", the computer will abort what you are doing, and return you to the main menu.

Race Horses:


When you have finished entering all the data (See section labeled "The Input Routines"), the computer will place the information on diskette, and ask you if you would like to enter more data.  If you reply "Y" (for Yes), the computer will prepare for another race horse to be entered.  If you answer "N" (for No), you will be returned to the main menu.  If at any time, a race horse by the name that you have entered exists, and has not been deleted, the computer will call this to your attention, and ask you if you wish to exchange all previous records on this horse, with the records that you will be entering now.  If you reply "Y", the computer will exchange all the previous records.  If you reply "N", the computer will abort what you are doing, and return you to the main menu.


Racing Data:


If you wish to enter data on how the performance of a horse during a race, you must enter this section.  Once the horses name has been entered, the computer will check to see if this horse currently exists on file.  If this horse does not exist, the computer will inform you that you must enter a horse by this name under the section marked 6Racing Data7 before any racing data can be entered.  You will then be instructed to hit the up arrow key, which will place you back at the main menu.  Otherwise, you enter the data requested by the computer (see the section marked "The Input Routines").  If the horses final position is 1, (first place), you will also be asked "Race Fractions", if the horse came in anything else but first, you will not be asked this question.  When you have finished with the input routine, you will be asked if you have any comments about this horse in this race.  When answering this question you will lose all the editing features found in the input routine.  All you will be able to do is hit 4<ENTER>5 to signify that you have finished entering your comments, and the 4<LEFT ARROW>5, to backspace over any incorrectly typed characters.  When you have finished entering your comments, the computer will save the data to disk, and then ask you if you wish to enter more data.  If you do, press the "Y" key, if you don't wish to, press the "N" key, and the computer will return you to the main menu.


Viewing Data:


This section has 6 options for viewing your data.  You type the appropriate number (next to your choice), and then answer the question ('Do you wish this data to go to the printer?') with a "Y"  (yes), or "N" (no), depending on whether you want a 'HARD COPY' (on paper) or not.  If you reply "Y", the computer will not wait between horses, when it finishes displaying one, it will go right to the next one.  If you reply "N", the computer will ask you to hit the up arrow, to continue to the next horse.
If you choose any of the individual numbers (1, 2, 5), you will be required to type in the foals/horses name.  This will allow you to view both active and deleted files.  If the horse has been deleted, the computer will inform you of this at the top of the screen.  If you choose group numbers (3, 4, and 6), you will only see active horses, as deactivated horses do not belong on the list of your horses.
If you choose 6, you will be placed at the main menu once more.


Deleting or Re-activating a horse:


To delete a horse, type "D" when asked, otherwise type "R" to re-activate a horse.  Deleting a horse is useful when you sell a horse, or get rid of a horse in any matter.  All of its records will be marked with a "D" and you may view the horse only by entering its name (See the section marked "Viewing Data" for more details).  If you enter a horse which has been deleted in either Breeding (#1), or Race Horses (#2), the computer will allow you to use this horse's name as if it had never existed.  You MAY NOT enter racing data on a horse which has been deleted.
If you accidentally delete a horse, or if you just want to re-activate the horse, press the "R" key, and enter its name, all data will be re-activated, and you may view this horse by choosing group listings as well as individual listings in the view data mode.


The Input Routines:


This section covers the uses of the on-screen input routine which is supplied inside this program for inputting data about a horse.  This routine will allow you to move the cursor up and down all over the screen and answer the questions, as well as making changes whenever you like.  
NOTE:  You may answer the question with an answer as long as the line you are typing on, when the line ends, you will not be allowed to type anything else except for the keys which will now be discussed.
The <UP ARROW> will move the cursor to the question before the one where it is on now.  If you are at the top question, the cursor will proceed to the last question.
The <ENTER> key will move the cursor down one question.  If you are at the bottom question, the cursor will move to the top question.
The <LEFT ARROW> will backspace over as well as erase a character.
The <CLEAR> key will bring back the original contents of the line before you began typing on it (this is useful if you erased a line, and then realized that you liked what it said before).
The <CLEAR> and <SHIFT> keys (when held down TOGETHER) will erase a line completely, thus eliminating the need to hit the 4<LEFT ARROW>5 many times in order to erase a complete line.
The <ENTER> and <SHIFT> keys (when held down TOGETHER) will ask (at the bottom of the screen) if you are all done, and then supply (in parentheses), the possible answers.  "Y" means yes, "N" means no, and "A" means abort.  You will be offered the "Y" choice only if you have entered the horses name already.  4NOTE:5  Once you have entered the horses name, and it has been checked for duplication, you will no longer be able to edit the horses name.  The cursor will skip over this box.  If you reply "N" then you will be placed back at the first box (unless you have entered the horses name, then it will be the 2nd box).  
If you reply "A", you will be brought back to the main menu.
