Sesame Library

Some of the documents below are in PDF format. You must have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view these documents.

Please note that some of the articles in this library were written during the Sesame development process. Some of the information contained in these articles may be out of date.

Sesame OneSheets - Quick Reference Guides

Using Sesame The First Time - Six Easy Steps   HTML   PDF
January 3, 2006

Running A Mass Update   HTML   PDF
Nov 3, 2006

Exporting Data   HTML   PDF
Nov 3, 2006

Importing Data   HTML   PDF
Nov 3, 2006

Delete a Record   HTML   PDF
Oct 11, 2006

Reconcile a Sesame Application   HTML   PDF
Oct 11, 2006

Backup a Sesame Application   HTML   PDF
Oct 11, 2006

Unlocking an Application in Sesame   HTML   PDF
Oct 9, 2006

Word Merge 2000 - Labels   HTML   PDF
August 9, 2005

Word Merge 2000 - Letters   HTML   PDF
August 9, 2005

Word Merge 2003 - Labels   HTML   PDF
August 9, 2005

Word Merge 2003 - Letters   HTML   PDF
August 9, 2005

Word Perfect Merge   HTML   PDF
August 9, 2005

Sorting Records   HTML   PDF
Apr 3, 2005

Check For A Unique Value   HTML   PDF
Updated Apr 3, 2005

Assign Next Number Using @XLookupR   HTML   PDF
Aug 31, 2004

Assign Next Number Using a Global Value   HTML   PDF
Aug 31, 2004

@SelectTreeItem on a Command Button   HTML   PDF
Aug 31, 2004

Entering A Program   HTML   PDF
Aug 31, 2004

Setting A Custom Number Format   HTML   PDF
Jul 07, 2004

Setting A Custom Date Format   HTML   PDF
Jul 07, 2004

Adding a Simple Program to A Form   HTML   PDF
Jun 28, 2004

Placing A Static Image Onto A Form   HTML   PDF
Jun 14, 2004

Retrieving Records From A Database   HTML   PDF
Jun 6, 2004

Adding Records To A Database   HTML   PDF
Jun 6, 2004

Opening An Application   HTML   PDF
Jun 6, 2004

Articles

Programmed Retrieves

Easy Merge Letters, Labels, and Envelopes from Sesame

Reserved Words

Good Programming Practices in SBasic

Sample Applications
Sesame applications that demonstrate a particular technique or perform a task.

Home Inventory
Author: Ben Coll
Submission Date: Jun 10, 2005
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (812KB)

Each record shows a different household item, including warranty information, picture and purchase information. Includes a report which produces a room-by-room inventory listing.

Screen Shots:

Sesame Calendar/Datebook
Author: Ray Yoxall
Submission Date: Apr 19, 2005
Last Updated Date: Jun 10, 2005
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (26KB)

Each record shows a different month. You can enter notes and appointments in each day. Each month can be printed out as either a Calendar (as it appears on screen) or as an appointment list. New months are created automatically simply by adding records.

Usage:
Open SesameCalendar.db in Sesame. On Application Open programming automatically takes you to the Calendar pages.

Notes:
Implementation can be seen by looking at the programming in SesameCalendar.dsr.

Screen Shots:

Creating An Automated Menu
Author: Bill Halpern
Submission Date: Apr 3, 2005
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (35KB)

This application (including some Sesame Design Tips) demonstrates how to create your own custom menu.

Usage:
Open Design_Tips.db in Sesame.

Notes:
Implementation can be seen by looking at the programming in Design_Tips.dsr.

This application demonstrates automation via custom menus. It can also be used to store your own design tips.

Screen Shots:

SBasic Code Library
Author: Erika Yoxall
Submission Date: Apr 3, 2005
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (35KB)

A Sesame application where each record provides code for performing a particular task that you can paste into your own applications..

Usage:
Browse SBasicCodeLibrary.db in Sesame.

Notes:
This application can be added to with addiitonal code examples.

Screen Shots:

Hangman Game
Author: Raymond Yoxall
Submission Date: July 31, 2004
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (23KB)

This Hangman Game application demonstrates how to use Arrays.

Usage:
Open Hangman\Hangman in Add mode. Play the game!

Notes:
Implementation can be seen by looking at the Hangman form programming in Designer.

This application demonstrates a number of techniques. In particular, arrays are used to draw the Hangman as the game progresses.

Screen Shots:

Report Techniques 1
Author: Raymond Yoxall
Submission Date: May 20, 2004
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (122KB)

This application demonstrates how to use multiple Views in combination with Width settings to force Grand Totals to line up with certain report columns. Also demonstrates using SBasic to dynamically change Group Headers.

Usage:
Open Customers\Main Form in Search/Update mode. Retrieve all records. Preview the TotalReport report.

Notes:
Implementation can be seen by looking at the TotalReport report in Designer.

The report has two Views. The first View creates most of the report. The second View prints the Grand Total at the bottom of the report. This is done to allow the use of multiple Groups, as only Groups can be forced into particular column widths. Note (in the Property Viewer) that there is a Width set for each element.In each section, the width for each column matches the appropriate column in the other sections. This forces all the columns to line up, even though they are in separate tables.

This report also uses programming to print the column labels only once. It then changes the group headers to print a letter in a large font, producing a "telephone book" style report. See the programming for commented code.

Output Screen Shots:

Report Techniques 2
Author: Raymond Yoxall
Submission Date: May 20, 2004
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (119KB)

This application demonstrates how to create a "Totals Only" style report.

Usage:
Open Customers\Main Form in Search/Update mode. Retrieve all records. Preview the SpecialReport report.

Notes:
Implementation can be seen by looking at the SpecialReport report in Designer.

This report uses multiple Views to create a "two pass" report. In the first View, the only element is invisible. The purpose of this View is to collect summarized information from all the records, which is then assembled and printed in the second View.

See the programming for commented code.

Output Screen Shots:

Printing Records and Subrecords with PrintString
Author: Raymond Yoxall
Submission Date: May 20, 2004
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (32KB)

This application demonstrates how to use PrintString to format and print information from a record and all of its subrecords.

Usage:
Open Gem Types\Gem Types in Search/Update mode. Retrieve any records. Click the PrintString Report button to print the formatted page to your default printer.

Notes:
Implementation can be seen by looking at the Gem Types\Gem Types form in Designer.

See the programming for commented code.

Output Screen Shots:

Sesame Seeds

Power and Simplicity -- A Sample Sesame Application
Using Sesame to quickly create a powerful "runtime" application that's much more than just a database. (Advanced)
Acrobat PDF (94KB).

Sesame, Memory and Speed
Just how fast is Sesame? What kind of hardware and how much memory does it need? (All levels)
Acrobat PDF (179KB).

New Programming Features in Sesame

Summary of Sesame Features

Some Handy New Sesame Features

New Search Options in Sesame

Introducing New Form Elements in Sesame

Getting Your Q&A Data in Good Shape for Sesame

Terminology in Sesame

Sesame Import from Relational Databases

More on Sesame Form/Subform Capabilities

Sesame ODBC and Export Options

Date and Time in a Client-Server Environment

Sesame Default Retrieve and Sort Specs

Windows vs. DOS Interface for Q&Aers

What Does 'Client-Server' Mean?

Sesame Forms and Sub-forms

Field Types and Data Entry - Q&A vs. Sesame

From Development Tech Updates

Quick Sesame Mini-Reports

Sesame's Form Design Undo Feature

New Field Formatting Options

New Table View Features

New Tools for the Database/System Administrator

Q&A Macros/Scripts and Sesame