HanDBase Version 1.00
Copyright (c) 1998 David Haupert
email: dhaupert@ddhsoftware.com

Note:  HanDBase is released as shareware and must be registered for continued use.  The author assumes no responsibility for any damages caused by the use/misuse of this program.   Make sure to back up (HotSync) your data before installing the program.

--List of related files

--Choosing a Database

--The Main Screen

--Creating/Editing a Database

--Editing Fields

Text Fields
Decimal Fields
Float Fields
Date Fields
Time Fields
Popup Fields
CheckBox Fields
Note fields
Image fields
Calculated fields
Unique fields
Heading Fields
Link Fields
Linked Fields
DB Popup Fields

--Reports Screen

--Edit Image Screen

--Edit Popups Screen

--Edit Note Screen

--Edit Categories Screen

--Edit Filters Screen

--Sort Database Screen

--Search Database Screen

--Preferences Screen

--Program Specifications

If you are a registered user, you are free to use this program for your own needs.  Do not distribute this program to anyone else, or attempt to change the program in any way.  If you know anyone who is interested in registering the program please direct them to:
web page:  http://www.ddhsoftware.com
email:     sales@ddhsoftware.com
Address:
DDH Software
Attn: David Haupert
PO Box 970971
Boca Raton, Fl 33497-0971 USA
Phone:
+1 (561) 470-2133
 
 

HANDBASE.PRC -  The Program to install to the PalmPilot device.
README.TXT  -  This file.
ORDER.TXT   -  An order form to purchase this and other DDH Products.

First, make sure you have the appropriate space available on your pilot. The space required for the program itself is ~83K.  The database you install or create will take up additional space as well.

To see if you have enough memory, run the Memory application on the pilot.  If you do not have at least the appropriate amount free, you will either have to choose to delete apps from the same Memory application, or choose to not install this program until you have that amount of free memory.

To install HanDBase onto your PalmPilot, run the INSTAPP.EXE program which resides in the same directory as the PalmPilot Desktop software.  This program will allow you to specify that a .PRC file should be downloaded to the Pilot during the next hotsync.  Choose to download the HANDBASE.PRC to your PalmPilot.

To open an existing database, press the name of the database within the list box on the screen.  HanDBase will remember where you left off when last viewing or editing the database, and your sorting and filtering settings will be restored.  If you don't see the database you want in the current list, it may reside under a different category.  Select the category by pressing on the top right corner of the screen, where you will see the current category. You can now choose which category's databases to list, or edit the categories themselves by selecting the edit categories choice.

Menu Functions--

File, About
Go to the About screen, to get version details, registered status, etc.

You can choose to perform various actions on a field by press the field name along the top, and a popup menu will appear, allowing you to sort by that field in ascending or descending order, or adjust that field's properties, or run a report on that field.

There are buttons along the bottom that perform various functions:
<DONE>    - Close the database and return to the Database list screen.
<NEW>      - Add a new record.  Brings you to the Edit Record Screen.
<FIND>      - Brings you to the Search screen where you can search the current database for a specific value.
<AGAIN>   - Repeat last search.
<FILTERS> - Brings you to the Filters screen, where you can set filters for limiting the scope of the main screen.
<SORTING> - Brings you to the Sorting screen, where you can set parameters for sorting the data on the main screen.
 

To edit a record press somewhere in the row that the record resides and this will put you into the edit mode.  Some fields, however, may allow editing-in-place, ie, you can edit date, time, popups, and checkboxes just by press on that particular field.  Please see the Preferences section of this manual for information on enabling or disabling this feature.

Menu Functions--

File, Preferences
Bring up Preferences screen.

File, DB Properties
Bring up Edit/New Database screen.

Actions, To Top
Go to the top record in this database.

Actions, To Bottom
Go to the bottom record in this database.

Actions, Sorting
Go to the Sorting screen.

Actions, Filters
Go to the Filters screen.

Actions, Export Records
Export all records within filter range to the MemoPad built-in application.  Record will be named and dated
appropriately, and filed under the 'Unfiled' category.

Actions, Run Report
Go to the Run Report screen.

Actions, Copy Template      
Create a new database with the field parameters from this database.

Actions, Delete Database
Delete the current database.

Help, About    
Go to the About screen, to get version details, registered status, etc.
 

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To create a new database, press the new button at the bottom of the Choose Database screen.  This will bring you into the database setup screen.

From here, you can define your new database properties.  The following is a description of each item on the screen:
 
Database Name   -  This allows you to give a name to the database.  Make sure not to name your database the same as any other databases you may have.  The name can be up to 30 characters long.

Backup Database -  This option selects whether this database should be backed up on every hotsync.  If the checkbox is checked, an  backup of the entire database will be placed in the Backup folder of your PalmPilot User Name's folder.
For example:
        If your PalmPilot User Name was David Haupert, and the Palm Desktop was installed in your C:\Palm folder, then
 your backup folder would be located at:
                   C:\Palm\Hauperd\Backup

Password        -  You can optionally assign a password for this database, which would be required for viewing and editing this database.  To assign a password press the box to that is labelled either Unassigned or Assigned.  Now a dialog will      come up asking for your password, or showing your current password.  Enter or change your password and hit <OK>.  From this point on, whenever you open this database, you will be prompted for a password.  To disable password checking
for this database, delete the password, and you will no longer be prompted for a password when opening this database.

Category        -  Press the popup trigger to choose a category for this database.  If you wish to edit or create your categories, press the [edit categories] choice.   After choosing a category, this database will reside under that category setting in the [Choose database] portion of the program.

Edit Fields     -  To the right of this label is a list box containing the 30 fields allowed in a database.  Select the field you wish to edit and you will be taken to the [Edit Field] Screen, where you can edit that field's properties.

Once finished, press the <OK> button at the bottom of the screen, and your database will be created, or modified.  From this point on, you can start adding records.   Pressing <CANCEL> will cancel your changes made to that database.

This screen is used for selecting the field type information for each individual field.  The Edit Field screen is a dynamic screen where options will come and go as you switch among field types.  The following options are always present, however:

Field Name      -  Select a name for this field.  A field name can have a maximum of 20 characters.

Field Type      -  Selects what type of field this will be.  Depending on this setting, the rest of the screen will contain various options, explained along with each field type here...

Field Types:

Not-Used     -  Set to Not-Used if you do not wish for any data to be stored in this field.  It will not be visible in either
the Main Screen, or the Edit Record screen.

 
Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

Max Characters
Choose the maximum number of characters allowed for this field.  The range is from 1 to 255.  This will limit the size of the string allocated for this string when editing it in the [Edit Record] screen. NOTE: This can be changed at a later time if you feel you need more room.  It only affects the RAM requirements during the editing of a field.

Edit Popup List
Here you will be brought to the Edit Popup List screen where you can choose the possible values for this field.
NOTE: You cannot edit the popup list until the database has been created (by hitting the OK button on the New Database screen.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

Edit Popup List
Here you will be brought to the Edit Popup List screen where you can choose the possible values for this field.
NOTE: You cannot edit the popup list until the database has been created (by hitting the OK button on the New Database screen.

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 Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

Edit Popup List
Here you will be brought to the Edit Popup List screen where you can choose the possible values for this field.
NOTE: You cannot edit the popup list until the database has been created (by hitting the OK button on the New Database screen.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

Date Behavior
Choose whether this field will default to one of the following:

Ask User for Date
This field will default to No Date and require the user to change it to the date desired.

Date Record Added
This field will default the date to be the date when the record was created.  Further modifications to the record will not affect the value, unless set manually by the user.

Date Record Modified
This field will set the date to be the date when the record was last modified. Each time the record is modified or saved, the date will adjust accordingly.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

Time Behavior
Choose whether this field will default to one of the following:

Ask User for Time
This field will default to the earliest time (00:00), and require the user to change it to the time desired.

Time Record Added
This field will default the time to be the time when the record was created.  Further modifications to the record will not affect the value, unless set manually by the user.

Time Record Modified
This field will set the time to be the time when the record was last modified. Each time the record is modified or saved, the time will adjust accordingly.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

 
Edit Popup List
Here you will be brought to the Edit Popup List screen where you can choose the possible values for this field.
NOTE: You cannot edit the popup list until the database has been created (by hitting the OK button on the New Database screen.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.
 

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.


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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.

Value 1
Choose the field to use as the first operand.  If No field is selected, the constant value written to the right of the words No field is used as the operand.  This constant must be either a Decimal or Floating point value, although if a field is selected, nearly any field type can be used.

Operation
Choose the operation you wish to perform on the two operands.  The current choices are:

+   Add the values.
-   Subtract Value2 from Value1.
*   Multiply the value.
/   Divide Value1 by Value2
Value 2
Choose the field to use as the second operand. If No field is selected, the constant value written to the right of the words "No field" is used as the operand.  This constant must be either a Decimal or Floating point value, although if a field is selected, nearly any field type can be used.

Result Format
Choose the output format of the calculation result. The current choices are:

Float
The output is a floating point value.

Decimal
The output is a numeral.

Time
The output is a time in the format HH:MM:SS.
NOTE: The translation to time is the number of seconds into the day.

Date
The output is a time of the format MM/DD/YY.
NOTE: The translation to date is the number of days since January 1st, 1904.

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.
 

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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.


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For example, a doctor may have a database of Patient info, which would include a link field that linked to a Visits database.  When the 'Visits' link button is pressed under a patient record in the 'Patient' database, the Visits database would switched to, and would only show the visits that Patient had made.

Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Other Database Name
Choose the name of the database to link to, or select from the current existing databases by pressing the trigger to the right.

Other Field Number
Choose the number of the Linked Field in the Other Database Name database to link to.  This other field must be a Linked Field for the link to function correctly.  This number is the number of that field ranging from 1 to 30.


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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Other Database Name
Choose the name of the database linked by, or select from the current existing databases by pressing the trigger to the right.

Other Field Number
Choose the number of the Link Field in the Other Database Name database that links to this. This other field must be a Link Field for the link to function correctly.  This number is the number of that field ranging from 1 to 30.


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Visible
Check if you want this field to be visible on the Edit Record Screen.  Uncheck if you wish to hide it on the Edit Record Screen.

Pixels Shown
Choose the number of pixels in width that will be shown on the Main Screen.  There are a maximum of  160 pixels in width on the screen, so this is the maximum value this can be.  Setting to 0 will hide this field on the Main screen.
 
Max Characters
Choose the maximum number of characters allowed for this field.  The range is from 1 to 255.  This will limit the size of the string allocated for this string when editing it in the Edit Record screen.
NOTE: This can be changed at a later time if you feel you need more room.  It only affects the RAM requirements during the editing of a field.

Other Database Name
Choose the name of the database to jump to when the users selects the Popup list, or select from the current existing databases by pressing the trigger to the right.

Other Field Number
Choose the number of the field in the Other Database Name database to get the text from.  This number is the number of that field ranging from 1 to 30.
 

Menu Functions--

Editing, Undo
Undo last text edit function.

Editing, Cut
Move selected text to clipboard.

Editing, Copy
Copy selected text to clipboard.

Editing, Paste
Paste text from clipboard to current field

Editing, Select All
Select/Highlight all text in the current field.

Editing, Keyboard
Bring up popup keyboard for typing.

Different field types can be edited in different ways.  This section outlines the ways to edit a particular field:
 

Text Fields
Multi-line text input fields with popups for your most common values.  To edit a field, press the portion of the screen to the right of the field name, and begin writing your text.  To set the text to a pre-defined value, press the bold text showing the field name to the left.  You will be presented with a popup list of your most common values for this field.  To add, edit, or delete items from this list, choose the Edit Popup List option.  You will then be taken into the Edit Popup screen.

Decimal Fields
Numeral values with popups for your most common values.  This is different from the Text field mainly in the sorting of entries. To edit a field, press the portion of the screen to the right of the field name, and begin writing your text.  To set the text to a pre-defined value, press the bold text showing the field name to the left.  You will be presented with a popup list of your most common values for this field.  To add, edit, or delete items from this list, choose the Edit Popup List option.  You will then be taken into the Edit Popup screen.

Float Fields
Floating point values with popups for your most common values.  This is different from the Decimal field in that the numbers can have a decimal point in them. This field is commonly used for money amounts. To edit a field, press the portion of the screen to the right of the field name, and begin writing your text. To set the text to a pre-defined value, press the bold text showing the field name to the left.  You will be presented with a popup list of your most common values for this field.  To add, edit, or delete items from this list, choose the Edit Popup List option.  You will then be taken into the Edit Popup screen.

Date Fields
Pops up calendar for choosing date.

Time Fields
Pops up time picker for choosing a time.

Popup Fields
This field type will pop up a list of choices when selected.  This differs from the other fields that have popup lists in that the value can only be one of the popup choices.

CheckBox Fields
Has a checkbox for it value, which can be checked or unchecked.

Note Fields
Allows for memopad-type notes (currently up to 2000 characters in length) and a Popup to insert common phrases, words, etc.  When selected, the screen will switch to the Edit Note screen.

Image Fields
Capture a pen-drawn image, or a handwritten signatures using this field type.   When selected, the user is taken into a canvas-type Edit Image screen where they may sketch out their image with the stylus.

Calculated fields
Allows you to perform operations on other fields or constant numbers.  The operation is as follows:
[Value1] [Operation] [Value2] = Field in [Result Format]
This field is not editable, but rather is calculated when any dependant field is modified.

Unique Fields
Automatically filled with a value unique to that record.  This field type cannot be edited.

Heading fields
Organize sections of your database with a bold, centered, heading.  This field actually doesn't hold any value, but is used for organizational purposes only.

Link fields
This serves as the starting point for linking two databases together.   The Link field will display a button with the field name in it.  When pressed, the program will switch to the specified database. The database, however, will only show the records   that were added through pressing the button, in this current record.  When you are finished editing, the sub-database, press the <DONE> button at the bottom of the screen, where you will be returned to this record.

Linked fields
These are not visible in this screen, as they are not an editable field-type.

DB Popup fields
Similar to a Text field, except the popup choices come from a field of another database.  When the user selects the Popup list for this field by pressing the bold-text field name to the left of the field, he/she will be taken to the linked database,     where he/she can choose a record by selecting it. Once selected, the user will return to the first database and this field will be field with the text value of the field specified in the DB Popup field parameter's Other Field Number below in the second database.

Menu Functions--

File, Export Record
Export current record to the MemoPad built-in application.  Record will be named and dated appropriately, and filed under the 'Unfiled' category.
File, Copy Record To New
Copy this current record's values to a new record.
 
Edit, Undo
Undo last change to text.
 
Edit, Cut
Move selected text to clipboard.
 
Edit, Copy
Copy selected text to clipboard.
 
Edit, Copy Record as Text
Copy current records values as a text item to the clipboard for pasting into other applications, etc.
 
Edit, Paste
Paste text from clipboard to current field
 
Edit, Select All
Highlight all of the text in the current field.
 
Edit, Keyboard
Bring up popup keyboard for typing.
 

The report output contains the following values:
        Num Entries - Number of entries included in this report.
        Min Value   - Minimum value of the entries included in the report.
        Max Value   - Maximum value of the entries included in the report.
        Sum         - Total of the entries included in the report.
        Min Total   - Lowest value of the running Sum in the report.
        Max Total   - Highest value fo the running Sum in the report.
        Average     - Average value of the entries (Sum/Num Entries)

From this screen you may press the <Done> button to return to the main screen.  The <Export> button will export the report results to the unfiled category of the MemoPad built-in application.  The <New Report> button will let you start a new report on a different field.
 

The Edit Popups screen comes up whenever the 'Edit Popup List' popup choice or button is chosen from within the program.  This screen is used to define the popup choices for a given field.  There is currently a limit of 30 popup items with the combined size total of 2000 characters.  These numbers may expand in the future.

Popup items are entered one item per line.  Use the 'Return' stroke (a / starting at the upper right corner in Graffiti) to add a line.  When finished editing, press the <OK> button to save your changes.  Pressing <CANCEL> will ignore the changes, and pressing <DELETE> will delete all of the Popup choices.

When finished editing, press the <OK> button to save your changes.  Pressing <CANCEL> will ignore the changes, and pressing <DELETE> will delete the entire note.
 

When finished editing, press the <OK> button to save your changes.  Pressing <CANCEL> will ignore the changes.
 

This screen is used to setting the filtering parameters for the database. There can be up to two filtered fields.  To enable a filter check the filter's checkbox labelled 'Filter 1 Enabled' or 'Filter 2 Enabled'.  This will enabled choices for which field to field and the filter parameters. The filter parameters depend on what field type is being filtered.  Some fields can't be filtered at all.  The following list outlines what the ranges for each field type do:

Text Fields
There is one filter parameter, which is Must Contain.  In the field, enter the text that must be present in this Text Field in order to be shown in the [Main Screen].   You can also press the <Must Contain> label to access the items in the Text Fields popup.

Decimal Fields
There are two filter parameters, the low range and the high range of the field.  In each field enter the minimum and maximum value respectively for which this field's value must fall in order to be shown in the Main Screen.  You can also press the Must Contain label to access the items in the Decimal Fields popup.

Float Fields
There are two filter parameters, the low range and the high range of the field.  In each field enter the minimum and maximum value respectively for which this field's value must fall in order to be shown in the [Main Screen].  You can also press the Must Contain label to access the items in the Float Fields popup.

Date Fields
There are two filter parameters, the low range and the high range of the field.  In each field select the minimum and maximum date respectively for which this field's date must fall in order to be shown in the [Main Screen].

Time Fields
There are two filter parameters, the low range and the high range of the field.  In each field enter the minimum and maximum time (respectively) for which this field's time must fall in order to be shown in the [Main Screen].

Popup Fields
There is one filter parameter, the value of the popup.  In order to be shown in the Main Screen, a record must have the same value as this popup, in this Popup field.

CheckBox Fields
There is one filter parameter, the value of the checkbox.  In order to be shown in the Main Screen, a record must have the same value as this checkbox, in this field.

Note Fields
There is one filter parameter, which is Must Contain.  In the field, enter the text that must be present in this Note in order to be shown in the Main Screen.  You can also press the Must Contain label to access the items in the Note Fields popup label.

Image Fields
Cannot be filtered.

Calculated Fields
The parameters depend on the Result Format of the calculated field.  If the format is a float, for example, the filter will behave like a Float field's filter would.

Unique Field
There are two filter parameters, the low range and the high range of the field.  In each field enter the minimum and maximum value respectively for which this field's value must fall in order to be shown in the Main Screen.
 
Heading Field
Cannot be filtered.

Link Fields
Cannot be filtered.

Linked Fields
Cannot be filtered.

DB Popup Fields
There is one filter parameter, which is Must Contain.  In the field to the right, enter the text that must be present in this field in order to be shown in the Main Screen.

These are:
Allow Checkbox selection in Main View
Check this option if you would like to edit a checkbox in place in the Main Screen.  If this is checked, touching any Checkbox field while in the Main Screen will toggle the checkbox value without going into the Edit Record screen.

Allow Pop-up selection in Main View
Check this option if you would like to edit popup fields in place in the Main Screen.  If this is checked, touching any Popup field while in the Main Screen will bring up the popup list for that field, and allow adjusting without going into the Edit Record screen.

Allow Date/Time selection in Main View
Check this option if you would like to edit date and time fields in place in the Main Screen.  If this is checked, touching any Date or Time field while in the Main Screen will bring up the date calendar, or time picker for that field, and allow adjusting without going into the Edit Record screen.

NOTE:Remember, though, if you have sorting or filtering turned on, and the sorting or filtering settings are dependant on this field, then the record you have just edited in place, may move or even seem to disappear!

Maximum Number of Databases: 30
Maximum Number of Fields per database: 30
Maximum Number of Records per database: 65000
Maximum size of a string field: 255
Maximum size of a note field: 2000
Maximum number of Popup Items per field: 30

 Questions, Comments, Suggestions? Email: techsup@ddhsoftware.com